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Mezian · (04-20-2017)

We once again find Mezian in the basement of his house. He stares at a mempo mask given to him my his sensei, from his years in Naha City Okinawa. There he spent years studying karate specifically Okinawan karate. The training it self was brutal and unwavering,constant full contact sparring and unrelenting expectations of excellence. His sensei, Kenji Tohobashi once completed a 50 man kumite. The purpose of the kumite is to test your abilities and your endurance.A Kumite is where you fight fellow students and teachers continuously for one minute until they have all been defeated. The numbers varies from ten to up one hundred men. Upon completion your earn the respect and admiration of your teachers and your fellow competitors. Mezain knew that at the end of the his training he would have to also complete the 50 man kumite. He began to question his merit and his abilities as a fighter. He went to his sensei for advice.

Sensei I have some doubts about my kumite. I don't believe I can complete it, I don't even know if in the mind set to even begin it.What should I do?

Do what you have always done,fight. There is no honor in backing down now. There is also no honor in allowing yourself to be defeated before the first punch is throw.Many have came before you and many will come after you. Very few have ever came here with such purpose and such drive. You have been here for three years living as we do, speaking our language and abiding by our customs. Patrick you are like a son to me and I have all the faith in you and your abilities.There is nothing here that can defeat you but you. So have faith in yourself and faith in you training. Now go and sleep you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow.

Mezian did not sleep as well as might have hoped. He spent most of the nigh thinking about that sensei had said. He questioned if he had in fact beat himself and whether or not he had dishonored the man that had came to be a second father.He didn't have the answers and he wouldn't know until he had completed the Kumite. He tried to sleep as much as he could because like sensei had said e had a very big day ahead of him.The next morning he woke up and began to dress for the event. He put on his Gi knowing that this garment meant something more than just a piece of cloth he wore to fight. The tradition of wearing a Gi dated back to the samurai. they would wear a gi under their armor as a funeral dress, to represent the fact they were prepared to die on the battlefield and that they had accepted what ever fate they were dealt that day. Mezian ties his belt around the gi accepting the fate he was giving today.
Mezian stood in the courtyard surrounded by all of the students and teachers of the school. He knew that he would have to fight most of if not all of them . but he knew what he had to do . The referee for the event walked over and checked to see if was ready. Mezian nodded to him. the referee then signaled the first combatant. Mezian had began his Kumite and the next fifty minutes would be the most grueling of his life. Mezian defeated the first fifteen of his fellow student rather easily but then the fatigue had set in . There were still thirty-five more to go. He fought on although he knew he had broken and cracked ribs and severely bruised muscles in his legs. He also may have a concussion do to a kick to the head. None of that mattered though he was going to finish.

The next few opponents were easier than the first onslaught of fighters. Many were less experienced that he was and made silly mistakes he took advantage of. He knew that the end was near. Twenty-nine more down only six more to go. Unfortunately those were the teachers, the men who had taught him everything he knew. He knew that they were not going to be making foolish mistakes, he knew that this was make or break time for him and he had to put his everything to this. He began fighting one of the most senior teachers. He tried to guess as to where the teacher would make his next move but as greatly mistaken . At that moment he was hit with a head kick that stunned him, he hit he ground hard. As he laid there woozy and disoriented he began to here counting. He knew that he only had fifteen seconds to get back up and he had just used nine of them trying to remember where he even was. Mezian got back to his feet he had two seconds left in the count. He gathered himself and signaled for the fight to continue. He finished the fight and every fight thereafter. He had done it he finished the fifty man kumite. He felt pride that he had never known before. he could see that he had made everyone proud as well. He saw his sensai smile some thing he had never seen before.Later that day while resting and trying to count the broken ribs he had sensei came to his room.

I am very proud of you Patrick, you have done very well. I knew that you had it in you and so did everyone who fought you today.Since you will be leaving soon to go back to America I have decided to give you a gift. This is a mempo mask it was worn by my ancestors many years ago when they were Samurai.They wore these masks to appear as various things. This mask is a tengu mask which was believed to be the represent the most fiercest of warriors. They believe that the tengu were the most skillful of swordsmen and they would steal the souls of there defeated enemies.It has been passed down form father to son.Since I do not have a son I want to give it to you.Please take it and remember what being here had taught you.

Mezian did what his master had asked and took the mask back home. Later that year he had received word that Kenji had died in his sleep. Mezian never forgot the lessons he was taught and still tries to apply them to all aspects of his life.

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[Image: 7d48215d4fdfab097856b3023467de8e.jpg]

Mr.Blaq why do you wear a mask? Is it because you are a fierce warrior who consumes the souls of your fallen enemies ? Or is it because you are a coward who doesn't have honor? Either way it does not matter because Saturday at savage I will end your stint of smack talking by breaking your jaw. When im done ill just add your mask to my growing collection

Mezian points to a group of display cases where he has the mempo mask, vasquez's mask and a copy of shades mask. At the end is an open spot just for Johns mask,

RUN WHILE YOU CAN JOHN.....YOUR END IS NYE

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