Author's Note: some of the sparring things may not be accurate. I've only sparred once, so I don't know much about it.

Bushido Sparing

Napoleon and Pedro were doing well with their weapons training and they even learned a few basics on handling a sword. After awhile they became red belts and could break wooded boards. Napoleon and Deb continued to date and he would buy her things with money he earned while working at the thrift store.

One day Napoleon and Pedro went to the dojo and expected it to be routine lesson with weapons, but after they stretched Rex got out the mats and a bag with pads in it.

"Today you two are going to start sparing."

"Sparing," asked Pedro.

"Yes, sparing. Drop and give me twenty." Pedro started doing pushups and Napoleon went to the mats with Rex. "You and Pedro are going to fight each other. Let me show you how to get ready." Rex showed him how to put on the shin pads, the groin pads, the boxing gloves, the feet pads, mouth piece, and importantly the head pads. Soon both Napoleon and Pedro were ready to start sparing. Rex explained some things they needed to know to spar. They were on the mats and Rex stood before them.

"Okay," he started, "you need to get in the fighting stance." Rex put his right leg forward, clenched his hands into fists and brought them close to his chest. "You need to move around your opponent." Rex started to circle them. "Jab with the hand closest to your opponent." Rex jabbed with his right hand. "If you need to block do it and then jab with the other hand. Kick with the leg closest to your opponent." Rex stopped circling them. "You two face each other."

"Yes sensei." Napoleon and Pedro were in the middle of the mats facing one another.

"Bow to each other." They bowed and then got in the fighter stance. "Spar!"

At first they stood still, but then Pedro tried to jab Napoleon in the head and he blocked it. Then they started to move in for attacks. Napoleon would try to kick Pedro, and then he'd block it, and vice versa. Rex would give them pointers, like to not lean your head in, or jab faster. Napoleon hit Pedro a few times, but Pedro didn't have much luck. After about twenty-five minutes they got tired and stopped.

"That was pretty good," said Rex. "It was just practice though. If you enter into a martial arts tournament then there are rules you have to follow, but you're not so I don't need to tell you."

"Why not," they asked.

"Drop and give me thirty." They did the pushups and then practiced with their weapons before they left. On their way out Rex gave them a book. "In this book there are basic defense techniques and they show you the pressure points on the body and how to K.O. a person." Napoleon opened the book and glanced at it.

"Sweet!"

-----

At work Napoleon would run a cash register, but not many people went to the thrift store during the day. He would draw pictures of warriors while he wasn't working, but after he got that book from Rex he would just read it and look at the pictures. His boss didn't complain because Napoleon had been doing a good job.

One day Napoleon was busy reading the book when someone went to his register.

"Hello, I'm ready to pay!" Napoleon put the book down and saw that it was Don.

"What are you doing here," Napoleon asked.

"What are you doing here?"

"Working." Don chuckled.

"You told me that you were going back to Alaska with your uncle to hunt more wolverines."

"He called me and said that there weren't any more because we killed them all last year."

"Just shut up Napoleon before I kick your butt."

"Why don't you go tell your mom to shut up?"

"What did you say?"

"Whatever I feel like I wanna say!"

"Did you say something about my mom?"

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't!" Don went up in Napoleon's face.

"Step up Napoleon."

"Wait!" Napoleon's boss ran to them. "If you two want to fight then take it outside."

"I got a better idea," said Napoleon. "Tomorrow at noon go to the Rex Kwon Do dojo." Don rolled his eyes.

"Ok Napoleon, we can settle this then." Don walk out of the store without buying anything. Napoleon sighed and went back to reading the book.

Later that night Deb and Napoleon went the movie theater to see Herbie: Fully Loaded. They were early so they waited in the lobby and chatted.

"Tomorrow I'm going to spar Don."

"You're going to what?"

"I'm going to fight him."

"Why?"

"Because I'm tired of him making me look like a freakin' idiot! Can you come support me?"

"I don't know. I think I have an appointment to do a glamour shot tomorrow."

"Well, can you reschedule it or something?"

"Ok, I will."

"Sweet!"

-----

The next day Napoleon explained to Rex why he had to spar Don. Rex allowed the fight to happen, and he agreed with Napoleon on why he needed to spar. When Don entered the dojo Rex gave him a uniform with a white belt. When he got dressed Rex suited them up to spar. Pedro got out the mats and went to sit with Deb on the sidelines. Summer Wheatly came along with Don and sat away from them. Don and Napoleon went to the middle of the mats and faced each other.

"Okay, let me explain the rules," said Rex. "Every time you make a successful hit you get a point. A hit to the head is two points. A hit below the belt is illegal, and you'll lose a point if you try. The one who is the best in two out of three rounds wins." Don and Napoleon looked at each other with fierce eyes. "Bow to your opponent." They bowed keeping their eyes on one another and then Napoleon got in the fighting stance. "Ready? Spar!"

Don copied Napoleon by getting in the fighting stance too. Don tried to kick Napoleon, but he blocked it. Being overwhelmed by Napoleon's quick reflexes he didn't notice Napoleon go for his head. Rex blew a whistle and yelled, "Two points to Napoleon." The round lasted five minutes. Don tried to get Napoleon with his best blows, but Napoleon would block them all. Don wasn't fast enough; he couldn't block Napoleon or hit Napoleon. He got him once, but Don's luck wouldn't last. When the first round ended Napoleon had twelve points and Don had two.

"What's wrong with you," Summer asked him. "Why can't you get him?"

"I don't know. He's a good fighter."

When the second round started Don punched Napoleon, but as he blocked him Don kick Napoleon in the groin. It didn't hurt too much because they were wearing the pads, and Don got frustrated that Napoleon didn't flinch.

"Hey," yelled Rex. "That's illegal. If you do that again then you're disqualified." Don continued to attack Napoleon recklessly. Don would swing and swing at him, but Napoleon blocked all the shots. Napoleon gave Don a few good hits and Don fought back ruthlessly. With a minute to go in the round Don got Napoleon in a half nelson. Then Napoleon lifted him up, threw him to the mat, and then finished the attack. "The round's over! Napoleon wins with twenty-two points!"

Pedro and Deb started clapping, but Summer just crossed her arms. Napoleon and Don bowed to one another and took off their pads.

"Where the heck did you learn to fight so well," Don asked.

"From me," said Rex. "For eight weeks he's been learning how to defend himself under the Rex Kwon Do Self-Defense System."

"Can I join?"

"You can for $300."

"I'll bring it tomorrow." Before he and Summer left he turned to Napoleon. "Are we cool now?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"See ya then."

"Okay, bye." Don and Summer left hand in hand while Napoleon went to Pedro and Deb.

"Why did you fight him," asked Pedro.

"I fought him because of Bushido."

"I thought you fought him because you were tired of him making you look like an idiot," said Deb.

"That too."……