Author's Note: the disclaimer is in my profile. Also I used some lines from the movie and changed it from an eight-week program to a ten-week one. I'm saying it so I won't be sued.
Beginning the Journey
School's out, summer had arrived. In the town of Preston, Idaho everyone was out bowling, hanging with friends, or earning money with a summer job. That is, everyone except for Napoleon and Pedro. They didn't have plans to do anything productive.
One day Pedro was soaking in his tub surrounded by lit candles when his sister knocked on the door.
"Pedro."
"What?"
"Napoleon's here."
"He is?"
"Si."
Pedro got out of the tub and made himself decent to meet his friend. They sat on his couch and watched T.V. in silence. After awhile a familiar commercial came on.
I'm Rex, founder of the Rex Kwon Do Self-Defense System. After one week with me in my dojo you'll be prepared to defend yourself with the strength of a grizzly, the reflexes of a puma, and the wisdom of a man. Come down today for your free trial lesson!
"What's that," Pedro asked.
"It's Rex Kwon Do. It's probably the only dojo in town."
"It sounds nice."
"Heck yes it does. Kip and I wanted to join but it was like $300 a person, so we couldn't."
"Maybe my cousins can get the money."
"The ones with all the sweet hookups?"
"Yes."
"Sweet!"
-----
A couple of days later they got the money so Napoleon and Pedro went to Rex's dojo for the free trial lesson. They sat on the floor and stared at their reflections in the mirror. Soon others had showed up and Rex stood before them. He introduced himself and showed them a demonstration using Pedro. When that was done Pedro had a headache from Rex hitting him on the head.
"If you study with my ten-week program you're gonna learn these things, first off in Rex Kwon Do we use the buddy system, no more flyin' solo. You need somebody watching your back at all times!" Then Pedro knew what Napoleon meant when he asked him if he had is back and everything.
"Second off you're gonna learn to discipline your image. Do you think I got where I am today… because I dress like Peter Pan here?" He pointed at Napoleon who was wearing moon boots, jeans, and his Endurance t-shirt. Napoleon sighed.
"Last off my students will learn about self-respect. Now for only $300 you can sign up right now for my ten-week program." The other people left but Napoleon and Pedro stayed behind. "What do you two want?"
"We want to join your ten-week program," Napoleon replied. Rex laughed.
"Do you have money?"
"Yes." Pedro showed him the six hundred dollars. Rex took it and counted it.
"Okay, you two start on Monday, be here at noon. Also from now on you two will call me sensei."
-----
On Saturday Napoleon and Deb went to 'Pop'n Pins'. They weren't good bowlers so they got a bumper lane.
"How've your glamour shots been going lately?"
"Pretty good. What are you going to do this summer?"
"Pedro and I joined Rex Kwon Do."
"Really, why?"
"Because I want some new skills. Plus there's nothing to do."
"You could get a job."
"I got a job once but it only paid like a dollar an hour. It's a waste of time."
"You could help me with my glamour shots."
"I can't now, I joined Rex Kwon Do."
"What are you going to do when you're not practicing?"
"If I get a flippin' job it will be at the flippin' thrift store. Gosh!"
"Okay." Napoleon got his bowling ball and threw it down the lane. It went back and forth hitting the bumpers.
"Yes. Yes. Yes." Finally it hit the pins, and it was a strike. "Sweet!"
-----
Monday Napoleon and Pedro went to the dojo and Rex gave them white uniforms with white belts. Rex showed them the changing rooms and they got dressed. They put on their belts wrong and Rex grunted.
"You're supposed to wrap it around your body twice." Rex showed them how to do it and went in front of the mirrors. "And take off your boots." They had to go back and do that while Rex waited. "Okay, line up." Napoleon and Pedro stood next to each other a few feet away from Rex. "You're going to answer 'Yes sensei'."
"Yes sensei," they said together.
"Louder!"
"Yes sensei!"
"Okay, that was better. Now first thing we do is stretch." Rex showed them what to do and they followed. "Okay, since this is your first lesson I'm just going tell you the basics."
"I have a question," Napoleon interrupted.
"What?"
"Are we going to learn how to use nunchucks?"
"And how come there's no one else here," Pedro asked.
"Don't question your sensei. Drop and give me fifty!" Napoleon and Pedro did pushups and when they got to ten Rex said, "You're supposed to yell out what number you're on. Start over." They did and counted.
"One… Two… Three… Four…" After a couple of minutes they finished and were a little sweaty.
"Ok, now you need to know the Rex Kwon Do creed. Repeat after me, I shall respect Rex!"
"I shall respect Rex," they replied.
"I shall never misuse Rex Kwon Do!"
"I shall never misuse Rex Kwon Do!"
"I shall be a champion of freedom and justice!"
"I shall be a champion of freedom and justice!"
"That was good. Remember that creed. Also you need to know the Seven Codes of Bushido." Rex pointed to the wall and they could see them. "They are justice, loyalty, courage, honor, veracity, courtesy, and benevolence. Always abide by them."
"What does Bushido mean," Napoleon asked.
"Drop and give me twenty." Napoleon did as Pedro watched. "Bushido is the traditional code of the Japanese samurai which stresses self-discipline." Napoleon finished. "Now I'll just show you all the basic hand strikes and kicks. No more questions."
When the lesson was over Napoleon and Pedro left on the Sledgehammer. They reached Napoleon's house and sat on his porch.
"What did you think about the lesson," Napoleon asked.
"It was ok. Tomorrow will be better."
"Yeah, you're probably right. We'll learn more skills."……