█▓▒▒░░░ WASABI WARRIOR ░░░▒▒▓█

Olivia had moved past her meltdown and started packing her stuff. Rudy had entered the dojo in the middle of the hug and gladly joined in after dramatically bursting out in tears.

Now, she had packed half a box of stuff when a familiar brunette walked in.

"Jack! You're back." Rudy said in shock.

"I'm just here to get my stuff. What's going on?" He asked, eyebrows furrowed.

Olivia remained silent as she turned around. Jerry was the first to speak. "We're closing. No Jack, no belts, no dojo."

Jerry's words were a bit passive-aggressive, but when Jack locked eyes with Olivia, he understood.

She had a sadness in them, and the whites were now slightly pink along with her nose. She had tear stains going down her cheeks, even if she had tried to clean herself up.

Just then, someone walked in. "Milton David Krupnick!" He shouted.

"So, this is your french horn lesson, huh?" The nerdy adult looked angry.

"Dad, I'm sorry. I was taking karate lessons because the kids kept beating me up for taking french horn lessons." Milton explained in a whining tone.

"And Olivia can't scare them anymore. They bring unfair fights, ten to one — and whatever I am! Last time, they gave her a scar!"

Olivia's gaze moved to the floor as her hand traced the thin line on her neck. She winced at the memory.

"Let's go, Milton. You're lucky you didn't hurt yourself." His father tsked.

"If it's not me, then it's my best friend." Milton mumbled.

Jack moved his eyes to Olivia and trailed them down to her neck, where a jagged scar remained. It was white with a thin red streak from when it got infected.

"It's closing anyway. This is the only place I felt I really belonged." Milton turned and looked at his friends. "I'll let my bully know I'm available."

"Now my mom's going to send me back to Mrs. King's Dance Academy." Eddie chimed in, "My body was not made of mambo."

"I guess I'm a lone wolf again. And that's how I like it." Jerry tried to play it off, cool. "Don't think for a second I'm gonna miss any of you meat bags." Just as he turned away, he started breaking.

"I'm gonna be stuck at home with my mom and her restrictive boyfriend. I'm never going to leave the house again." Olivia choked up as tears welled in her eyes.

Jack's heart twisted at the sight of her. A mix of sadness and fear washed over her face as realization dawned on her.

"See you around, guys." Milton waved at everyone before giving Olivia a fist bump that she weakly returned.

He walked a few steps with his dad before Jack called out.

"Milton, hang on."

Jack looked around before landing on a box, and he grabbed what was inside and pulled it out.

"Why don't you show your dad how you can break a board?"

Olivia's eyes widened.

"Break a board? I can barely cut a well-cooked piece of fish. " Milton commented.

"Just believe in yourself and do it!" Jack told him with hand movements.

"I can't. When I was born, my parents thought they had given birth to a baby bird. I mean that-"

"DO IT, KRUPNICK!"

Milton let out a cry before raising his hand and bringing it down. The board snapped in half, and everyone's mouth dropped open in shock.

"Holy Christmas nuts!"

"That ain't no baby bird right there. Uh-uh," Olivia let out a giggle at the words Marge spoke, unknown to a pair of eyes on her.

She hugged Milton after he high-fived Eddie. A laugh fell from her lips.

"They didn't break the Wasabi code. I did." Rudy admitted.

"I broke it too," Jack admitted as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"You don't walk away from your friends when they need you." Jerry patted Jack's back as he took a step forward.

"Wasabi?" Rudy questioned, putting his fist against his hand.

Jack looked over at his four friends as they followed along. He smiled as he smacked his fist.

"Wasabi."

Jerry let out his classic 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘰 and high-fived Milton, who joined him with his own cheer of 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘩!

Olivia smiled as she watched her friends celebrate. Her eyes flickered to Jack, who was already looking at her. She smiled at him before she was picked up by Jerry.

Olivia let out a scream as he threw her over his shoulder, hands gripping his shoulders and upper back like a vice. Jack laughed as Jerry started chanting, "Wa-sab-i! Wa-sab-i!"

Olivia smiled and joined in.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Soon, they were training. Rudy and Jack were the only ones doing it correctly. Eddie gave out after a second, and Milton tried his best but failed. Jerry kinda just stood there like the standing man emoji. Olivia wasn't able to do anything because she was laughing so hard.

Somehow, Milton slapped himself in the face. Olivia covered her mouth as she wheezed. She quickly rushed forward to make sure he was okay.

Eddie got flipped by Marge again, and it made everybody wince, except Jerry — who looked to enjoy the site.

Jack did a spin and flip before pushing off his hand and a back kick. Everyone cheered and tried to follow his actions, but they only ended up in a jumbled mess. Olivia winced from beside Jack, and he covered her eyes.

Rudy did some chops on a punching dummy before landing a nice jab to its chest, making it sway backward before returning to its stance. Milton repeated the movement and puffed out his chest as his friends cheered — only for the punching dummy to come flying back and smack Milton to the floor.

Soon enough, they were able to move in sync with each other and have proper form.

Olivia kicked the air with everyone else before turning her body sideways between Milton and Jerry. She felt herself smile for once as her new favorite word fell from her lips.

"Wasabi!"

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Olivia was sitting on the bench next to Marge as an announcer called out for the black dragons. Olivia, being the best in the dojo before Jack arrived, was competing in the tournament. The rest of the boys — Jerry, Milton, and Eddie — drew straws, Eddie being the lucky one who didn't have to compete.

All the Black Dragons did flips and summer salts, except for Kim, who skipped out with her hands spread out. One guy even did a split — and despite Olivia disliking the group, she couldn't help but be impressed.

She walked out with a straight face, her friends — The Wasabi Warriors — beside her. Well, she tried to keep a straight face. She really couldn't. Especially when Jack smacked Jerry in the nose. She buried her face in her hand, hiding her laughs and embarrassment.

Noticing Eddie waving from the sidelines, she waved back with a wide grin. Her shoulders shook as Jerry turned into a kicked puppy and walked to the bench with a pout.

"Okay, guys. Liv's up first." Rudy announced. Olivia shook the sweat off her hands, and she grabbed a ribbon from her pocket, tying up her hair with it. She pulled it extra tight, pink satin tied into a bow, standing up and slightly stretching.

“Um, that dude is twice her size-” Jack started, eyes wide in concern as he turned to the group. Olivia had already walked up to the mat, taking a deep breath.

Jerry patted him on the shoulder, “Just watch and learn, man.” Jack gave him a weird look before the match started, quickly turning back to not miss anything.

Olivia waited, taking on what seemed like a defensive stance. After a moment, the man-boy got frustrated and jabbed forward, arm reaching out.

She was quick to grab it, turning in a handstand, one arm on the floor and the other holding onto the same hand, legs reaching up to wrap around his neck. After she dropped her hand on the floor, the large man falling forward in a front flip, landing on his upper back as her legs kept around his neck, sitting up to pin down his arm.

Her friends were quick to jump up, cheering as Jack stared in shock.

The round was quick to end as she was pulled up and off him, the referee holding up her hand in the air before giving her the yellow belt.

"She did it! We got our first belt!" Rudy cheered as Olivia rushed back.

“Oh yeah!” Milton cried, hands up in the air.

“That's my girl!” Jerry laughed, pulling her into a hug. He jumped with her, squealing like a girl as Olivia laughed at his reaction.

“Good job, kid.” Ruby smiled. Olivia blushed at the praise, not used to the validation.

Jack shifted to Jerry, "Okay, nunchucks are next. Jerry, all you gotta do is-"

"Save it, Jack. I got this." Jerry pulled away to grab the blue weapons and walked into the mat, sending Olivia a wink.

Olivia shook her head, unable to hide her smile, and took Jerry's spot beside Jack. She ignored the way her heart skipped a beat and sighed. Jack turned to her with a raised eyebrow.

"He does not got this." Olivia clapped with the rest as they cheered them on. Jack lightly bumped her shoulder, giving her a smile “That was impressive. You gotta teach me that move one day.”

Olivia blushed as she stared at the floor for a moment, “Okay.” she whispered.

Jerry walked up to the frost-tipped Black Dragon, and they bowed. The black dragon was quick to do his moves with an extra flip.

"Not bad. Check this out." Jerry bragged. He was steady at first before his blue nunchucks smacked between his legs.

Everyone winced as Jerry fell to the ground. Olivia hopped up, along with Jack, and rushed forward.

Jack dropped beside Jerry while Olivia remained standing beside him, slightly crouched.

"Hey, man, are you okay?"

"Everything is purple." Jerry committed as he looked around wildly. Olivia's hand covered her mouth.

"Don't laugh." Jerry glared. Olivia's hand fell, revealing her smile. She whispered an apology and pulled him up with the help of Jack.

She sat beside Milton and bumped him with her shoulder. He turned with a nervous expression, and she smiled kindly. Milton tried to smile back, but it seemed more like a grimace.

"Okay, Milton, you're up next." Rudy grabbed his shoulder.

"If you can break more boards than your opponent, we win our second belt."

Milton nodded and raised his hands. Olivia went to speak but decided against it after seeing the oven mitts on his hands.

Rudy pulled back with an appalled face.

"Would you please take off the oven mitts?" Jack asked, throwing his hands up in the air.

"By oven mitts do you mean-" Milton hopped up and thrashed his hands in the air, making them fly off, "-weapon warmers?"

Olivia pressed her lips together, noticing Rudy's confused face. He made eye contact with her, and she held her laugh and shrugged, twirling the belt in her hands.

As Milton stood, Rudy slid close to her

"How ya doing, kid?" Rudy asked her.

Olivia looked up with a shaky breath. Her eyes flickered beside her to Jack, who was watching Milton with trained eyes.

"I'm pretty good." She smiled up at him.

He smiled back and ruffled her hair, "I'm proud of you, kid."

Olivia smiled back.

She turned back as Milton and Frank faced their boards. Frank rotated his neck, making it crack. He let out a roar as he easily broke the board.

He took a step back with an angered face.

"He looks like a bull." Jack snorted and turned after hearing her. Olivia blushed and ducked her head down, not intending to say that out loud.

Jack stared at her with a grin, already obsessing with the way her ears turned pink because of him.

"Double it." Milton nodded.

"Yes!" Jack suddenly burst out. "My man's going for the win!" He stood with weird hand movements before sitting back.

Olivia giggled with a smile. Everyone cheered.

Milton let out a cry before breaking both boards. Frank's jaw dropped, and it seemed he couldn't process what just happened.

Olivia jumped with a scream and bounced in a circle. Her outburst made the crowd go wild and cheer. Milton smiled as the referee raised his arm.

"You go, baby bird!" Marge called.

"He got the belt! We're saved!" Rudy announced with glee.

Olivia, who was still hopped up on happiness, grabbed Rudy's hands and started jumping. Surprisingly — well, not really — Rudy jumped with her and shrieked like a little girl. Jerry, seeming to agree and having recovered, grabbing each one of their hands, joined in the circle, jumping and screaming with them.

They all smiled until Milton raced up to Frank and grabbed his chest. Frank let out a cry as Milton dragged him along.

"No! No, he's doing a nipple twister. That's illegal!" Rudy cried and dropped her hands.

The referee was quick to pull them apart and rip off the belt Milton had put on his head. Rudy rushed forward, and Olivia sat down in shock.

She buried her hands in her head as her leg started bouncing. She lightly pulled her hair, not noticing how her bow had fallen out, and frowned. Jack silently placed his hand on her knee and stopped her movement.

Olivia's chest fluttered, and throat closed. Unknown to her, Jack was feeling the same thing. He hid his smile and rubbed circles on the inside of her knee with his thumb.

He patted her thigh before standing to face the familiar blonde, his turn up. She could see her mutter something to him, but he simply smiled at her and ignored her.

He walked back and prepared to run when Frank stood up and kicked him in the leg.

Olivia gasped as Jack let out a cry and fell to his knee. She stood and ran past Kim before dropping beside him, her worry overpowering her anxiety.

"Jack!" She called as everyone else followed in her footsteps. She lifted his head to her lap and looked down at him.

His eyes fluttered open, and he smiled. She pulled back as Jerry started to set him upright.

"Rudy, I can't get up." Jack groaned.

"Yes, you can. You're the champ." Rudy turned red as he made a face.

"You gotta get up. You gotta get up, champ!" Rudy grabbed his arm and shook him with each word.

"Rudy. I can't get up because you're kneeling on my leg!" Jack yelled at him.

Rudy gasped and pulled away, mouth and eyes all forming a circle.

"Oh, sorry. My bad." He quickly tugged Jack up with the help of Jerry. They helped him hop back to the bench.

Jack was soon ready to try again. "Are you gonna be able to do this?" Kim asked, suddenly beside him.

"I don't know," Jack admitted.

"Your whole dojos counting on you!" Kim smiled.

Jack turned around, making blue clash with brown. He started into Olivia's eyes, and she quickly looked away. They flickered back, and she smiled before ducking her head.

"I'm going to try." Jack whispered to himself.

She ignored everyone talking and watched as Jack readied himself. She saw Jack glance at his new friends before taking off. He ran forward and dived down. His hands hit the mat, and he pushed off before twisting and kicking the peg.

Everyone gasped and ducked as the peg flew in the air before smacking Milton's dad in the face.

Everyone jumped up in a cheer. Olivia remained on the bench as they rushed towards Jack.

They were quickly handed a yellow band that kept them all together.

░▒▓▆▅▃▂▁𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐀𝐁𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐑▁▂▃▅▆▓▒░