He said Naomi had “entered an advanced environment without disclosing her background.”
He suggested that Daniel's intervention had been “unnecessary.”
Then he added one final sentence:
If Naomi Carter wants to prove her reputation wasn't built on old stories, I'm willing to give her that opportunity.
The internet exploded again.
Naomi read the statement.
Then closed her phone.
Daniel looked at her.
“Well?”
“No.”
“No?”
“I'm not fighting him.”
Daniel smiled.
“Good.”
Then Naomi stood.
“But I'm going back to the academy.”
Daniel's smile disappeared.
“Why?”
“To train.”
“With him?”
“With everyone.”
Daniel watched her.
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
She picked up her bag.
“Logan thinks I came there to challenge him.”
“And?”
“I didn't.”
“What did you come for?”
Naomi opened the door.
“To remember who I am.”
The Challenge
Naomi returned to Ironwood on Wednesday.
The room became quiet when she entered.
Some students stared.
Some smiled.
Others looked uncomfortable.
Marcus approached.
“Good to see you.”
“Good to be back.”
He nodded.
“You can train wherever you want.”
“Thank you.”
Logan was standing near the heavy bags.
He stopped punching.
Naomi ignored him.
She warmed up.
Ten minutes later, Logan approached.
“Did you see my post?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“I don't care.”
His expression tightened.
“You don't care?”
“No.”
“You should.”
“Why?”
“Because I challenged you.”
Naomi adjusted the tape around her wrist.
“I don't accept.”
“You're afraid.”
She looked at him.
“No.”
“Then fight me.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you're still trying to prove something.”
Logan's voice became louder.
“I'm trying to prove you're not as good as everyone thinks.”
Naomi shook her head.
“You don't need to prove that to me.”
“Then who?”
She looked around the academy.
“Apparently yourself.”
Several students looked away.
Logan's face reddened.
“You think you're better than me.”
“No.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it's true.”
“Then what do you think?”
Naomi looked directly at him.
“I think you're talented.”
Logan paused.
“I think you're disciplined.”
Another pause.
“I think you could become one of the best fighters in this country.”
His expression changed.
“But,” Naomi continued, “you have a problem.”
“What?”
“You don't know what to do when you aren't winning.”
Silence.
Logan laughed.
“You think you know me?”
“No.”
Naomi picked up her water bottle.
“I know what you showed me.”
Then she walked away.
Logan stood there.
For the first time, he didn't know what to say.
That evening, Marcus called a meeting.
All instructors attended.
So did several senior students.
Logan sat in the corner.
Naomi wasn't there.
Marcus spoke.
“Ironwood has a problem.”
Nobody moved.
“Our reputation cannot depend on medals.”
He looked at Logan.
“Championships are important.”
Then at the others.
“But the first rule of martial arts is control.”
One instructor nodded.
“Control of yourself before control of another person.”
Marcus continued.
“Anyone can learn a choke.”
“Anyone can learn an armbar.”
“Anyone can learn how to hurt someone.”
He paused.
“Not everyone learns when to stop.”
Logan stared at the floor.
After the meeting, he left alone.
Outside, he found Daniel sitting on the academy steps.
Daniel looked up.
“You waiting for someone?”
Logan shook his head.
“No.”
He started walking.
Then stopped.
“Why didn't you fight me?”
Daniel raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
“You.”
Logan turned.
“You could have stopped me.”
Daniel smiled.
“I did.”
“I mean physically.”
“You're thirty-two.”
“So?”
“I don't need to fight thirty-two-year-old men.”
Logan frowned.
“You think you're better than me too?”
“No.”
“Then why aren't you intimidated?”
Daniel considered the question.
“Because I've spent enough years around violence to know it isn't impressive.”
Logan said nothing.
Daniel continued.
“You want to know what impressed me?”
“What?”
“When Naomi tapped and you let your ego tell you not to release.”
Logan looked away.
“You don't understand competition.”
Daniel nodded.
“Maybe not.”
Then he looked directly at Logan.
“But I understand consequences.”
Logan's expression softened slightly.
“What do you mean?”
Daniel stood.
“I mean the world doesn't care how many medals you have when someone gets seriously hurt.”
Logan swallowed.
Daniel walked past him.
“Think about that.”
The next morning, Logan arrived before sunrise.
He trained alone.
For two hours.
Then Marcus found him sitting against the wall.
“I messed up.”
Marcus sat beside him.
“Yes.”
Logan looked surprised.
“You're supposed to say it wasn't that bad.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because then you won't learn.”
Logan stared at his hands.
“I don't want to lose everything.”
Marcus nodded.
“Then stop protecting your image.”
“What do I do?”
“Apologize.”
“I already did.”
“No.”
Marcus shook his head.
“You explained.”
Logan looked confused.
“What's the difference?”
“An explanation tells people why you did something.”
Marcus stood.
“An apology tells them you understand what you did.”
Logan sat quietly.
Later that day, he found Naomi.
She was teaching a beginner class.
Children.
Teenagers.
Adults who had never trained before.
Logan stood outside the room.
Naomi noticed him.
“Can I help you?”
He nodded.
“Yes.”
He entered.
“I owe you an apology.”
Naomi waited.
“I was wrong.”
She said nothing.
“I ignored your tap.”
“Yes.”
“I embarrassed you.”
“Yes.”
“I tried to make you look weak because I felt threatened.”
Naomi studied him.
“That is closer.”
Logan looked surprised.
“What?”
“Now you're apologizing.”