Carrying on the Torch

Disclaimer: I don't own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

Chapter 9 (Trying New Things)

"I hate families that smoke," Regina said with a frustrated shout. Charlotte, Dee, and Regina were all hanging out in Dee's bedroom the following Monday before school. Regina was lying on the ground, Charlotte was sitting up next to Dee's queen size bed, and Dee was sitting on the edge of it. All were dressed for school and talking about their thanksgiving week before heading off.

Dee gave Regina a nod of respect and quickly folded her arms. "I got one better, though. I hate families that are prideful, spoiled rich, and always trying to one up each other with their money." Regina's lips formed a circle and Charlotte laughed. Currently, they were trying to decide whose holiday had been more messed up. She tapped her lower lip as the girls looked towards her. "Well? You're up Charlotte, what's your complaint?" Could she top the smoking or the rich? Both could be solved easily, grudges couldn't.

"I hate when families have so much negative history and grudges, that they can't enjoy a simple Thanksgiving dinner?" She wasn't sure how it sounded, other than, it was a mouthful. Her two friends looked to each other, then back at her, approving the words. "Like you guys said before, though, when it comes to our own families…"

"What's not to love?" Regina pushed herself up with a sharp grunt and dusted herself off. "Families are families, it just wouldn't be right if they didn't have their quirks. Everyone's got something, right?" Dee nodded and Charlotte slowly stood, it was about time to head off. Mrs. Dooley popped her head in the doorway and Dee quickly jumped off her bed.

"Girls, I'm ready to drive you to school. You don't want to be late." Charlotte smiled as Dee thanked her mom and yanked her backpack off the bed. What would they do without their families, though? If family was perfect, things would likely be more boring than they were without the craziness. Debbie started to turn out of the door, but stopped to look back at them. "Is it today that you three are trying out for everything?" They nodded and the mother tapped her chin. She pointed to each of them, respectively figuring out what it was they were going for. "Okay, so Regina wants to try out for tennis and Charlotte's going for Tae Kwon Do?"

"That's right Mrs. Dooley." Regina threw her backpack onto her back and started to the door. "Mom's rooting for me, but says, of course, I need to make sure to have my inhaler with me even more. I am a bit nervous, but I love sports."

"I think you'll do great, dear."

"Thank you."

"Dee, you're also staying after school to try out for cheerleading?" Dee nodded and continued out the door, the others followed after her. Charlotte gripped her backpack strap and let her mind drift to the martial arts classes. She was really looking forward to it. She wanted to be sure she was on time, especially since someone told her that the teacher, Miss Keener, was a very strict woman.

Her friends droned on and somehow her legs piloted to the car, but her mind was stuck on those wonderful sparring matches that she might have in the future. She'd not seen the teacher yet, but she had an image of a very hard-nosed woman, maybe with jet black hair and an Asian face. Though she might not be oriental, she wasn't sure, she just had a feeling the teacher would be swift, stern, and hopefully beautiful. It was almost euphoric just imagining how synchronized the class probably would be.

A frontal kick, a side kick, a low sweeping kick, fists of fury, these were all things that she imagined herself doing, and more. She could practically smell the sweat around her, she could practically hear the punching bag being beaten down with heavy knuckles. She couldn't wait.

"To advance, you will be performing martial arts form, Saju Jirugi," the teacher instructed as she walked behind her students, all lined up horizontally. The students shouted out 'Yes Ma'am' and began. They took a step and punch forward, then turned to the left, blocking down at the same time. They repeated these steps until they went full circle. Then they went the opposite direction, their voices and punches echoed through the facility as the teacher barked out her instructions. "Fix your forms, remember, balance and power! Balance and power, I don't want to see anything less than perfection!"

The students let out a shout when they came to an end. The teacher congratulated them and turned her eyes forward. They were determined, almost eyeing something. "Now you try."

"Your turn, Charlotte!" The students barked out. "What are you waiting for?"

"Charlotte, front and center."

"Charlotte…"

"Charlotte, wake up already!" Dee's voice echoed in her ears. Her face scrunched and her eyes slowly opened, she had been sleeping in the backseat of Mrs. Dooley's car. She rubbed her eyes and chuckled as the others stared at her, dumbfounded. "What were you daydreaming about this time?"

"Would you believe…Martial Arts?" She chuckled nervously and her friends laughed. "I am a bit nervous, though."

"We all are, but you'll be fine. You don't have to tryout, we do. You just show up, your lessons are already paid for aren't they?"

"Yeah. Hopefully though, I won't be late for my first class, I intend to be there to see you guys tryout for your stuff." She hopped out of the car with the girls, thanking Dee's mother for the ride. Dee looked up and Regina stared at the ground, almost trying to strategize. The martial arts class wasn't until five, and it went until seven. The tennis practice started right after school at four, then the cheerleading tryouts were at four-thirty. "The facility for me is a bit away from the school, so I don't know if I'll get to see the cheerleading tryouts…"

Regina waved her hand dismissively. "I don't think you should worry too much, it won't take you ten minutes to get over there. Skyler's driving you isn't she?"

"Yeah." It was a ten-minute drive, so if Dee was one of the first tryouts, she'd get to watch her friend. Hopefully, that's what would happen. "If I don't get to see you tryout, Dee, good luck." She hugged her friend. Dee hugged her back and quickly nodded her response.

"And if I don't get to see you there, then I'll wish you luck at your first day of martial arts!"

"Thanks." The trio split up for their first class, each mildly ready for the day, and each daydreaming about their tryouts. Granted, none so much as Charlotte, who was considered the daydreamer of the group.

At the end of the day, Regina stole the tennis tryouts by winning a match against one of the better tennis players. She only had to take a timeout once to use her inhaler, her panting had turned to wheezing, and she wanted to clear it up. Either way, the team thought she was successful enough that they put her on. Dee did well in her own tryouts and Charlotte had been able to witness her give a spectacular cheer. Skyler was able to finish up in her office in time to see it all. In the end, Dee indeed secured her own spot on the cheer squad. Charlotte was able to congratulate both her friends before heading off.

All along the way to the martial arts facility, she was caught in mid-daydream, awake just enough to carry on some form of conversation with Skyler. She caught a question about whether she'd seen Mason at all, but she hadn't seen him all day, which would have been depressing for her, had it not been for the excitement of starting martial arts.

When they made it to the building, Charlotte just stared at it. It looked almost like a warehouse. It was medium sized, made up of white bricks, and had a square shape to it. It was one story tall and had pillars in the front, along with two statues of a martial arts fighter performing a high kick to the side. Both kicks were positioned facing each other, forming almost an arc over the front door. Her blood pulsed through her veins as a heaviness descended upon her. She made one confession to Skyler. "I'm scared…"

Skyler looked over at her, offering a kindred smile. "Why?" She looked up and felt the woman, close enough to be her mother, put her hand upon hers and comfort her just as a mother would her own child. Her lips slowly curled up and she leaned towards her, resting her head upon Skyler's shoulder. "It's your first day, of course you're nervous, but just remember to go in there with a positive outlook, and you'll do just fine. Everyone in there is a student too, so you're not alone. Are you worried that Dee and Regina aren't here?"

"A little." Regina went to work and Dee went home to work on some homework that one of her teachers had issued. She took a deep breath and looked down at the white robe on her body, the school had sent the uniform and white belt in the mail. "Wasn't I a black belt at one point of time?" Skyler's eyebrow rose and she chuckled.

"As a baby, sure, that was toddler karate."

"Ah, so this is the real deal?" She met Skyler's eyes and held a tiny smile, comforted by the woman.

"You'll do fine, baby. Just go in there, listen to the teacher, and do the best you can." Skyler hugged her close and kissed her on the top of her head. She was feeling confident now, ready to take this place by storm.

"You make a good mom…" Skyler's face turned red and she hugged her once more. Charlotte felt the warmth of the hug and propelled herself from the car. She waved at Skyler and hurried towards the bolt iron doors. Her hand shook over the doorknob for a second as she grasped it. A jolt of anxiety and confidence shot through her and she quickly opened the door.

The first to greet her was the smell of sweat, then the echoes of the students sparring one another. Inside was one large room with a giant blue mat over the concrete floor. The walls were fitted with black padding. There were four punching bags and three mannequins positioned around the room and at least two fighters on each. In the center of the room were four pairs of students, two to a team, sparring each other. There were a mix of colored belts ranging from white, to red, all the way to black. In the very front was the instructor, Miss Keener, standing with her arms crossed.

Charlotte swallowed hard and eyed the teacher closely. She wasn't Asian at all, but had long brown hair that graced an inch past her shoulders. She was wearing a uniform similar to the other students, only black with a red sash and a black belt. It had an insignia of a red dragon over her right breast. The woman's face was indeed stern and her eyes narrow as she watched the students. Her lips were flat with jaw lines at either corner of her lips.

The sweat trailed down the back of her neck as she took a slow step forward. The intensity, the fire, could easily be felt in this room. She wanted to be a part of this, but at the same time, she almost wanted to run. There was a desk at the far corner of the room, it was clean and orderly, papers neatly tucked away. The name on the desk read Sensei Jo Keener. Right, she thought, one always referred to the instructor as Sensei.

"You're three minutes late," Jo stated. Her eyes locked with Charlotte's, paralyzing her. The woman lifted her hand up and cleared her throat. "Cease!" The students stopped their movements and stood at attention, their arms locked at their sides. Everyone faced Charlotte, and immediately, she felt like she was facing an army. "We should have twenty four students, you're twenty three, the other called in and said they would not show up today…another new student…It's a shame, really." The woman moved around the class to the front and stood in front of Charlotte. She crossed her arms over and held her gaze. "Why are you late?"

"Uh, I, uh…" She cleared her throat and decided to imitate the other students, standing with her arms firmly at her side. She saw one of the students bow, reminding her of the proper greeting. Thinking fast, she bowed in respect. "I was talking to my mother, Sens-" She hesitated and closed her eyes, she'd been speaking so fast that she let it slip out, calling Skyler her mother. What was with her these days? This was something she used to do when she was younger, not now. Maybe in all this yearning for a mother and seeing Skyler as a mother was getting to her. "I was talking to my sister in law out front."

"Hm. Why the sudden change in title?"

"Because Skyler is my sister in law, not my mother." Jo raised an eyebrow and stared at her for a moment, her face slowly melting as her eyes started to grow. "My name is Charlotte Duncan, I'm here for my first day of class, and I'm ready to learn." The woman gagged with shock and slowly closed her eyes. Charlotte pressed her lips together and stared with confusion, she couldn't understand the pained expression on the woman's face.

"C-Charlie Duncan? As in…" The woman paused for a minute, slowly regaining that composure she couldn't afford to lose. She straightened herself up and inhaled through her nose. Her jowl lines deepened and her hands closed. Charlotte could not tell if her posture was good or bad. "Okay, well then Miss Duncan. What do you know about Tae Kwon Do?"

"I know a few things…not much."

"Okay. Well you haven't missed anything so far. Right now everyone's sparring or working on the bags. Since the other student isn't coming today, you can spar with me and I'll see what you do know and what you don't know. Then we'll get started on the day." Her heart gripped her ribs for fear of actually having a sparring match on the first day, but whatever it took to learn, she would do.

The mighty Jo Keener, folks. Gabe's lady, let's see how this goes. Good to see everyone made it rather well in their tryouts, and nice to see Skyler dropping Charlotte off. Hope you've enjoyed this chapter ^_^