Welcome to the second installment of Sakamoto's Life Story...and this is Sakamoto's pre-teen years! A lot of preteens hit a little rough patch as they break away from childhood and into a preteen. Sakamoto...he'll ease into it and nothing will phase him. Not even this first chapter. Enjoy!

Sakamoto's Life Story: The Pre-Teen Years

by: Terrell James

Chapter 1: Differing Heritages

At the village, 11 year old Sakamoto was walking around the streets, just minding his own business and for some reason, most neighborhood kids were whispering to each other, questioning Sakamoto's heritage about being Japanese in the whole nation of China. When Sakamoto heard that, he really paid no attention to it and just went on about his business.

But the more he heard it, he pretty much ignored it and always knew that something like this was happening and he has been faced with a lot of criticism as the one panda that has a Japanese heritage; questioning that he's half Chinese and half Japanese and about his father being a kung-fu master, thinking he'll never live up to his father's expectations.

Soon enough, he found himself surrounded by a few random teenagers that went to confront Sakamoto and one tiger teenager said, "How is it possible that pandas come from Japan? I always thought you're all Chinese."

"Yeah, and that you guys are fat and lazy." another teen tiger said.

Sakamoto brushed it off like it was nothing and even that didn't affect him, but it surely made a shock to the teens that expected him to fight back or make some sort of reaction and the tiger said, "What, are you deaf or something?"

"I can hear clearly, thank you very much." Sakamoto replied.

One leopard teenager scoffed at Sakamoto and he gave him an icy, cold glare that he hopes will break him and said, "Your father's a kung-fu master, right?"

"Yes." Sakamoto answered.

Another teenage leopard one scoffed at him and he said, "So why ain't you being one? He must've been stupid to raise a wannabe."

Sakamoto blinked his eyes at that and he figured that they were gonna take shots at his father's role as a former kung-fu master and the leopard teenager said, "You ain't as good enough, like your father. Maybe that's why he's all washed up."

"No kidding. He takes after his son...who should consider going back to Japan." another teenager retorted.

"Yeah, instead of bamboo, you'd probably eat sushi." the first teenage leopard added.

They started pointing and laughing at Sakamoto, expecting him to either cry, run away or fight them back, but Sakamoto just laughed along with them...which pretty much confused the troublemakers because they didn't expect to get such a reaction from him. The teen tiger growled at this and he said, "Why won't you break?"

"Break what?" Sakamoto asked.

Most of the teens were completely appalled that Sakamoto didn't give them the reaction they were hoping for and the tiger reached his point and he said, "Listen, Bushido-Akio...you are nothing! Nothing but a pathetic halfer! Why would anyone from Japan invade our Chinese territory?"

"Yeah, your whole entire family might be a Japanese terriorist!" exclaimed one teenage panther.

Sakamoto rolled his eyes at all the false things any of the teens threw it off and none of them affected him a lot and he knew in his heart that none of these things are true and he shouldn't disgrace, disavow, question or be ashamed of his heritage, no matter what life throws at him. The panther chuckled stupidly and said, "You sure you're half Japanese?"

"I do not deny it." Sakamoto responded.

Their reactions to Sakamoto's answer fueled a huge amount of anger to the teens and the tiger has had enough and wants to punch him in the face so bad that it'll make him break, but he continued balling his fist to wait for the right moment.

"You think it'll make a man out of you? Yes, I am half Japanese, but I am not ashamed of who I am. I'm very proud of myself, where I come from and I'm proud of my father and that's good enough for me." Sakamoto said, while cracking a smile.

The teenage tiger immediately lost it and lunged at him, but Sakamoto backed away until the tiger nearly punched Bao-Yi in the face and in doing so...Bao-Yi got him in a headlock and and kicked him directly where it hurts, causing the tiger to yowl in pain.

"And that's for Sakamoto." Bao-Yi stated, angrily.

Bao-Yi then twisted the tiger's arm until she heard him whimper in pain and Sakamoto went to her and said, "It's not worth it, Bao."

Soon enough, what Sakamoto said to her was enough to let the tiger go and she looked at him and said, "Sorry, Saka. I just hate it when people always talk so many lies about you, your family and your heritage and just use it to take advantage of it."

"Do not worry about it. It is not my problem." Sakamoto replied.

The tiger just grunts in pain and he looked up at Bao-Yi and said, "That was uncalled for."

Both pandas just left the situation and it left the teens completely dumbfounded as to what just happened now and how Sakamoto is just taking it all in stride and never fights them for every insult they throw at him and he's not bothered by it. The panther sighed at this and said, "I think we're losing our touch."

Back at home, Oak Sung headed up to Sakamoto's room and he saw his pre-teen son laying on his bed and he said, "Heard about what had happened. Just wanted to make sure if you were okay."

"I'm fine, dad. It wasn't worth my time anyway because I know who I am and I honor myself." Sakamoto added.

Oak came in the room and sat next to his son at the edge of the bed and he felt surprised at how he's taking this and he said, "At least you didn't fight them."

"Of course not. I know that it's not gonna do anything good in the end." Sakamoto added.

"I've been faced with that same amount of prejudice when I was your age. People would ridicule, mock, scorn and scoff at me and my heritage, but I never let it bother me. I live by this mantra I go by when this happens; 'let them hate as long as they fear'. When I became a kung-fu master, those same people that ridiculed me completely kicked themselves. Sometimes, you gotta take life as it comes at you." Oak explained.

Sakamoto widened his eyes at that and he said, "You got through it?"

"Yes, I have. But it only made me stronger in the end. I am who I am at the end of the day and I wear it proudly every single day. Do not fill your head with any doubts, Sakamoto. Take them as motivation in no matter what you succeed and accomplish. Believe in yourself and be proud of who you are." Oak added.

That sense of wisdom completely spoke to Sakamoto and even though there might be doubters, nonbelievers and those that wanna bring him down, he knows that he'll be somebody and with guidance from his father, it'll give him a chance to succeed in life.

"Maybe you're right. I know for a fact that I'll succeed and make you proud." Sakamoto added.

"I know you will, Saka. So...you wanna get some of that pie mom left for us?" asked Oak.

Sakamoto widened his eyes at that and he said, "Oh, yeah. Wouldn't mom catch us if we ate it before dinner?"

Oak chuckled softly and winked at his son and told him, "We'll say your sister ate it."

Both of them laughed with each other and quickly got out of the room to get some pie and Sakamoto can take everything that comes at him in life and rise above it like a phoenix.

Awesome way to kick it off, huh? Well, we got more coming up next!