Now representing the Black Dragons — Jack Brewer
Jack couldn't help but catch glimpses of his friends. Well, his former friends, he guessed, after this.
Three days ago, Jack would have never thought for a millisecond that he would be willing to fight for the Black Dragons. But that was before Carson had returned to Seaford. Before Jack had lost his cool and picked a fight with Carson. Before Carson had admitted to using a weighted bow staff.
"I don't believe this," Kim stated frustratedly, as she approached Jack, followed by Milton, Jerry, and Eddie. "Why would you join the Black Dragons?"
"I know," Jerry chimed in. "It's because that gi really makes your eyes pop."
Jack shook his head. "Your friend Carson is a cheater. And none of you believe me, not even Rudy. Well, if that's the guy that you want in your dojo, then I'm out. But I want a fair fight; it's personal. It's between me and Carson." Jack turned his back to his friends. Kim, Milton, Jerry, and Eddie stood there for a moment, unsure of how they should feel, before returning to their seats.
As the first round of hand-to-hand sparring began, the competition was fierce. Jack and Carson were well-matched in their skills, but eventually Jack had a bit of an upper-hand. As Carson hit the floor, he scrambled away, messing up his hand wraps. The referee called a time-out.
As Carson and Jack split, Kim wandered up towards Carson. Her face quickly changed from a look of concern into a look of disgust. After a quick exchange of words, she ran over to Jack.
"Jack, look, you were right about Carson. He is hiding something in his wraps. You have to stop the fight," Kim pleaded.
"Kim, I've got this." Jack murmured.
"I can't believe Carson's doing this," Kim said in disbelief. "Just do me one favor: go kick that cheater's butt."
As the round resumed, the boys swung at each other with everything they had. Only this time, Carson gained the upper-hand. Each time Carson made contact, Jack grimaced harder, losing steam.
With Jack off-balance, Carson leaped into the air, gaining velocity as he throw his punch. Jack landed hard on his right shoulder, the moment intensified by a loud cry of pain.
Full of rage and momentum, Carson gave Jack a hard kick in the ribs, yelling at Jack to get up. From their seats, his friends stared in horror. Jack didn't even move to get up.
Carson moved to give Jack another kick, only to be stopped by the referee. "Illegal strike. Bobby Wasabi Dojo, you're disqualified." Carson paced in frustration over towards his bench.
Despite the wailing cries of disappointment from Rudy and the gleeful gloating of excitement from Ty, all the Wasabi Warriors could worry about was Jack, who was still laying crumpled on the floor.
"Jack," Kim yelped as she ran over to Jack, followed by Milton, Jerry, and Eddie. As the gang gathered around him, Kim got a glimpse of Jack's face, eyes scrunched and jaw clinked in pain.
"Jack," Kim said, lightly touching Jack's up-turned shoulder. "Jack, talk to us. What hurts?"
Using his left arm, Jack pushes his body so that he is lying more on his back. Immediately, his hand flies to his right shoulder. "Ugh," he grunts. "My shoulder."
As Kim reaches to move his hair out of his face, the tournament's medic kneels down next to him. "Will you all please give me some space?" the medic asks, his tone causing Milton, Jerry, and Eddie to stand up.
Jack's hand quickly reaches up to grasp Kim's wrist, pulling her harshly back down. "Please, Kim, stay." The medic quietly nods.
The medic swiftly identified Jack's pain, opening his gi to reveal a bruising bulge on his upper chest. With some gentle prodding and more hisses of pain from Jack, the medic declared that Jack had a broken collarbone. Within a few moments, he had Jack sitting up with a sling immobilizing Jack's injured arm.
"Would you like us to call an ambulance?" the medic asked Jack.
Immediately, Jack's head swung up. His nodding head caused his shoulder to flair in pain. "I can take him," Kim offered quietly. Jack reached for Kim's hand, squeezing it hard in appreciation.
With the help of Milton and Jerry, Jack was soon buckled safely in the back of Rudy's car. Sliding over to sit next to him, Eddie handed Kim Jack's bag and phone. As Rudy drove slowly onto the road, Jack leaned his head down onto Kim's shoulder. Within a few moments, Kim felt a few tears wet the front of her shirt. On instinct, Kim reached out and grasped Jack's uninjured hand in hers, giving it a strong squeeze.
Thankfully, the emergency room was not busy when the trio arrived. As soon as the paperwork was completed, Jack was whisked to the back for an exam and x-rays.
Within a few minutes, Milton, Jerry, and Eddie ran into the waiting room, panting and out-of-breath. As they waited for news on Jack, Kim filled the group in on what she had seen during the match. Everyone, including Rudy, gasped when Kim explained about the sand packs that Carson had hidden in his wraps.
As if on cue, Carson strutted towards the group, feigning a look of concern for Jack. Before he could get a word in, Rudy spoke up. "Carson, I don't know what happened to you. You are no longer welcome in my dojo."
"Rudy," Carson pleaded quickly. "It's not how it looked."
"Actually," Kim interrupted. "It's actually how it looked." After a few moments of indecision, Carson turned and wandered out of the waiting room.
A few hours passed and Jack walked back into the waiting room. His injured arm was suspended in a blue sling. "What did the doctor say?" Milton queried as the Wasabi Warriors stood to surround their friend.
"Broken collarbone. Thankfully, they were able to realign it, so I shouldn't have to have surgery. I have to wear this sling for 4 to 6 weeks and no karate for at least 8 weeks," Jack filled them in, trying to put on a brave face for his friends.
"Jack, I should have seen it sooner," Kim said regretfully. "What can I say? I'm sorry!"
"We all are," Milton said quickly, while Eddie and Jerry nodded in agreement. "None of us should have doubted you."
"Remember when I told you that true character is revealed in defeat, not victory," Rudy spoke up. "Well, Carson just revealed his true colors. And so did you. Is there any way we could convince you to come back to the dojo?"
Surrounded by his friends, each with a look of regret and anticipation, Jack sighed. "Look, I have only one thing to say to you guys." Jack reached out his uninjured arm. "Wasabi?"
Faces smiling, everyone put their hand in the circle. As if they had counted down, the Wasabi Warriors cried together "Wasabi!"