Chapter 10

Saturday turned out to be a very pleasant day for mid-fall. The sky was clear the temperature in the high 50's Fahrenheit. It was a blowout! It was really unbelievable. Our little school with no female track program won over 60% of the races we ran in. I had won the 100 meter, 400 meter, 2,000 meter. Our team with me running the final legs had won both the 100 and 400 meter relay race. We brought home a truck load of trophies. I had in fact set a new State record in my age group for the 100 and 200 meter race.

"WE WON!" somebody scream, heck it might have been me. We went wild in the locker room later we were screaming and dancing all over the place. MS. Higgins was there right in the middle with all of us. We grabbed her and carried her to the shower where we gave her a cold one.

"We are champions!" with that we did a group hugs in the showers with Ms. Higgins in the middle of us under the cold water. I shivered as it sprays on my hot skin. Girls that I had barely said hi in the hallways of the school the last couple of years were hugging me and kissing me. I had never felt so good. We finally settled down and finish showering.

Getting dress and loading back aboard the school bus was anticlimactic. Most of us felled asleep on the way back to our school. In the parking lot we slowly unloaded. Our families that came to pick us up and had not been there would have thought that we had lost from our demeanor.

I knew what the girls were thinking; I was thinking the same thing. What now? We had done the impossible; an unknown school with no track program had come from nowhere and won State all around championship. Do we now fade into the wood work?

The next morning I went through, by now, normal routine. I jog around the block for about 30 minutes. Then back to my house for breakfast. I went to my lab in the basement. I set down on the floor and just meditate. I was not sure what the Kata form exam would be like. I was not sure what they were even for. I relaxed and let my thoughts wandered. When would I see the Huntress again?

The whole reason for me taking Marital Arts was to prepare me for the duty she would call me to perform. When her call to be her Hunter came I knew I had to be prepared. I placed my hand on her pendent hanging from my neck. Warmth seems to rise from it. It was an acknowledgement that she had not forgotten me.

Master Genwa had moved the Kata Form trial to Sunday after he had talked to me and I had told him about the State Meet on Saturday which was the date he had originally schedule for it. The Kata did not worry me. I had found that doing the Kata was almost like dancing; but with strict arm movements.

I had been practicing for six weeks. But my Sensei had told me that with my intense schedule I was the equivalent of 4 months of normal training. That I would go to free style if I passed the Kata exam.

Free style! That was what I wanted that when we would actually do full contact. Then I would begin to really learn.

I had noticed that he had asked me to bring my protective gear on Monday. So it was obvious that he expected me to pass. So I came out of the locker room with lots of confidence but also with butterflies in my stomach.

The dojo was full. One wall of the dojo had been folded back and a folding bleacher seats rolled out. I saw my Dad sitting on the third row of seats.

I had not even known that he knew about the exam. Sensei Genwa must have informed him. One of the black belt instructors with a clipboard approached me.

"Name please."

"Katherine Simpson"

"Take a kneeling position at the edge on the end there."

He pointed at the far end of the dojo. I noticed that the side of the practice mat was lined with students all kneeling. I also spotted that there were only a few like me with white belts. A couple had white belts with black stripes. I was the only female with a white belt. There were a couple of purple belts females.

After kneeling I saw two black belts sitting up a long table with four chairs on the other side of the dojo near the entrances to the locker rooms. Then four men seated themselves behind the table, included with them was Sensei Genwa, they were all passed middle age. All of them had black belts with fancy marking on the ends. Two were wearing black tunic.

One of the instructor stood facing the row of kneeling students. "Listen up, when your name is called you will stand and bow to the photo of the founder of our school. Then bow to the judges. "He pointed at the table with the four Sensei.

"Then you will approach the table and stop in the center of the practice area. One of the judges will tell you the Kata you will do. Bow to the judges once more then began the Kata. On completion once more go to the center and bow and wait to be given another Kato to perform or to be dismissed. If you are dismiss return to your present position and wait until you are dismiss from the dojo. Do you understand?"

We must had all understood no one asked any question. I could see why, they were simple instruction. So we kneeled there waiting. Then the first name was called.

"Katherine Simpson."

Heart beating likes the drum roll of doom I stood up. I faced the photo and bow. Then turning to face the judges bowed again. I centered myself on the practice area and waited. Sensei Genwa gave me the Kato to do. It was the first one I had learned. It was pretty simple.

Block step block step turn punch step block kick. Rotate around with a block then repeat. This Kata was about blocking punching and kicking but doing them while moving.

I had practice this so much I could had done it asleep. But I did it with snap and crisp movements. Once more I was centered before the judges. The three Masters I did not know had their heads together. Then one faced Master Genwa and nodded. He in turn faced me and named another Kata for me to do.

I began to perform the movements. Block, kick, block, punch, turn kick, block, punch, and punch, turn block, kick, kick, block then repeat the whole sequence. When the Kata was over I was in the position that I had started from centered before the judges. I noticed that once more the three Masters I did not know were huddle together then the same one as previously nodded to Master Genwa.

This time I saw the slight grin as he once more name a Kata to do. This time as I started the Kata I recognized it as the first of the advance ones. This one had three different type kicks. A front kick, a roundhouse kick and then a side kick. With three types of blocks Upper arm blocks, lower arm blocks and a knee block, plus punches. This Kata took three times as long as any other Kata I had learned.

I finished with a final block and went straight into a horse stance with a snap. Once more I was centered to the Master's table. The three Master once again nodded at Master Genwa. He stood facing me and bow. I bowed in return. "Dismiss gakusei Simpson. You are also dismissed from the dojo until tomorrow." He picked up a rolled up belt on the table and offered it to me.

I stood there in shock. He was giving me a belt? I stepped forward and took it from his hand. Stepping back I bowed to all four of them. Quickly I went into the locker room. Setting down in front of my locker I examine the belt it was brown with a white stripe. I really had no idea what that meant.

After dressing I took all my uniforms and belts with me. Outside I found my Dad and his car. As they were driving home he asked. "What belt did he give you?"

"Brown with a white stripe, I have no idea what that means."

"Oh Katy, Sensei Genwa explained things to me when he called me about the Kata exam." He paused then continued.

"At your age they normally will not give any belt above a purple. For them to give you a brown means they have decided you are an adult. There is only one more belt above yours until the first black belt. That a brown with no stripe. It also means that you will be allowed to compete. Also you will start full free style fighting now."

"Compete?" I asked.

"Yes, like that State Track Meet. The Marital Arts federations hold tournaments. The competition unlike the Track Meets are not base on age but on weight. So you might be put up against a 30 year old man if he is in your weight division."

"Oh, we need to get you chest padding and a cup protector. A kick to the pubic area will hurt a woman just like a man. Wear a size smaller sports bra with the chests padding over it."

"You don't mind Dad?"

"I really don't want you to get hurt but if you do this I know it increase your chance of never getting mugged or rape. Now your mother might scream bloody murder. We will keep it quiet until you done a couple." With that he laughed.

I thought about that for awhile. "I thought he said six month for a black belt?'

"Yes he did what he said, was that you should be able to get the black belt in six months. He pushing, I think he planning on you getting it within four months. I know in Taekwondo you can get a black belt easily in six months."

"I'm going to get the shit knocked out of me Monday."