The Return of Jack Brewer
At a bus station in the California town of Seaford at noon, 18-year-old Jack Brewer stepped off the bus and took a deep breath of the familiar Seaford air. It had been months since he left, and he was eager to see his family and his friends at the Wasabi Warrior Academy. However, as he walked towards the Sea Harbor Mall, he noticed something was off. The usually bustling mall was quiet. Upon arriving at the academy, Jack pushed open the doors of the dojo and found his friends Kim Crawford, Milton Krupnick, Jerry Martinez, huddled together, looking worried. "Hey guys. Guess who's back! What's going on?" Jack asked, his voice filled with concern.
The all turned around to see the handsome young man who has been the good luck charm for the Bobby Wasabi Martial Arts Academy. With smiles on their faces, they gathered around him.
"Where have you been, Jack? You left, like, a week after I got back from Japan." asked Kim.
"In a nutshell, I embarked on a new training program, pushing myself to new limits of strength and speed," Jack replied, his eyes gleaming with intensity.
Jerry chuckled. "Dude, you were already the best! What's left to improve?"
"Hopefully, you've improved a lot. Shortly after you left, the former Black Dragons have regrouped and have been harassing us and the other patrons here." answered Kim.
"Don't tell me Ty is up to his old tricks again? Or Frank Bickle?" Jack asked.
"Nah. Ty is still a traveling masseuse, and Frank doesn't have the brains to run a lemonade stand, in case you forgot." answered Milton.
"It's Carson Hunter." said a voice from the top of the stairs. It was Rudy Gillespie, the owner of the establishment. Wearing his usual white karate gi with black belt with the Bobby Wasabi insignia on it, he came down the stairs.
As he did, Jack's eyes narrowed. "Carson's resurfaced?" He remembered Carson Hunter. One upon a time, Carson was a part of the Bobby Wasabi Martial Arts Academy, but he moved away. He returned three years ago during the time of the California Battle of the Dojos. He took Jack spot in the tournament (and in the dojo) by cheating. An angry Jack joined the Black Dragon Dojo just to get his hands on Carson in the tournament. They fought and Jack exposed Carson's cheating ways, getting him kicked out of the Bobby Wasabi school. Carson then joined the Black Dragons, but they never encountered him again.
"Yes. He and the Black Dragons have been terrorizing the mall." Rudy continued. "They've been harassing us, threatening the academy," Kim said, her voice filled with concern. "Furthermore, they are planning to attack the academy tonight."
Jack's jaw clenched. "Oh, there will be an attack tonight!" he said with his fists clenched.
A few short hours later, Carson Hunter and six of his friends, all dressed in black, arrived at the Wasabi Warrior Academy. They burst open the doors to see an unusual sight. Standing on the blue mat waiting for them is their old adversary Jack Brewer, with his long brown hair tied in a ponytail and wearing a white karate gi with black belt complete with the Bobby Wasabi patch on the left side.
"Well, well, well," Carson sneered. "Look what we have here. The legendary Jack Brewer. Long time, no see."
"Not long enough." Jack coldly replied. "You guys have been terrorizing people? Even Ty wouldn't have his students do such a thing."
"Ty," Carson snickered, "that loser. He lost the school and his mind. I'm in charge now." Carson spat out. "Rudy betrayed me. And now, I will destroy this place." Carson then hocked a loogie and literally spit on the floor.
Squinting his eyes, Jack coldly said, "You probably shouldn't have done that!"
The six of them formed a semi-circle around Jack, trapping him. "You think you're tough, Jack?" Carson taunted. "You think you can take on all of us by yourself?"
Carson then charged, his friends following suit. Jack stood firm, a fierce grin spreading across his face.
Without hesitation, Jack sprang into action. He launched himself at the nearest Black Dragon, an anonymous blonde boy, delivering a powerful roundhouse kick that sent him flying. His movements were lightning-fast, his kicks and punches a blur. The other Black Dragons charged, but Jack effortlessly dodged and countered, taking down each opponent with precision. The fight erupted in a flurry of kicks, punches, and acrobatics. Jack moved with a speed & precision that left everyone in awe. He dodged attacks effortlessly, countering with powerful strikes that sent the Black Dragons sprawling. Without missing a beat, he pivoted, using his newfound agility to dodge a punch from another attacker, countering with a swift jab to the gut. One by one, he took them down, each move executed with precision and power that left Carson awe.
Within moments, six defeated Black Dragons lay sprawled around the dojo floor, groaning and trying to collect themselves. Carson backed away, fear tinting his face. Jack squared his shoulders, eyes locking onto Carson's with an intensity that could ignite fires. Carson headed for the door, but Jack, moving with superhuman speed, beat him to the door, blocking it!
A stunned Carson. "How...how did you get so strong and fast?"
With his eyes gleaming with intensity, Jack simply said, "I spent several months away on a new training regimen, pushing myself to the limits of human potential and beyond. You've only seen a glimpse of my newfound power."
"How powerful can you possibly be?" asked Carson, trying to put on a brave face.
Jack's grin grew wider, his eyes glinting with a hint of mystery. "Let me show you."
To be continued...