Chapter 7: Some Test
Just then, Kino came into the room, and said to Rose, "You, girl! It's time for your testing!"
"Oh, the Hundred Boards Test? Not yet. I don't think I'm ready yet." Rose replied softly.
The old woman looked very calm for a moment, then angrily burst out, "Not ready yet? If you were Yoh, I'd bop you on the head a hundred times! How can you not be ready? Haven't you been training since age four? You'd be a fool to not be ready! Most eighth degrees do the test at age twenty something, and you are only thirteen! You have six world titles, and you're the only one representing the United States in the World Championship Martial Arts Tournament!"
"Um Kino… this may not be a good time to do that… maybe you should shout at me somewhere else, and this isn't about world titles or anything of that sort… Kino?" Rose suggested softly, but the old woman hurried on, apparently ignoring Rose's suggestion.
"And, this year you can show the world that you really are something! You hear me, girl? You hear me?" Kino finally finished.
Everybody started talking at once.
"Six world titles?" Horohoro exclaimed/asked.
"You're kidding me! A thirteen year old from the U. S.?" Manta exclaimed/asked.
"Shut up, you nincompoops!" Len shouted.
"I'll never hear the end of this!" Damon groaned.
"Wow! You're soo cool!" Pirka exclaimed.
"So what? Big deal." Ren said, and Pirka glared at him angrily.
"KINO!" Rose shouted, and everybody shut up. Kino looked curiously at Rose, who said, "Kino, stop. I'm not taking the test today, but I will sometime this year, okay? You're not my mother, and I want to work on my timing."
"Fine, fine. Just give an old woman her rest, will you?" Kino walked back into the kitchen.
"Later. I'm outta here." Rose said quietly, and walked out the front door.