Marcus raised his hand.
“Begin.”
Daniel moved immediately.
He was fast.
Much faster than Maya expected.
He stepped forward, reached for her shoulder, and attempted to control her arm.
Maya moved half a step backward.
Daniel followed.
He tried again.
Maya turned.
His grip closed on empty air.
A few students murmured.
Daniel attacked again.
This time Maya didn't retreat.
She stepped toward him.
Her left hand redirected his wrist.
Her right hand touched his elbow.
Then she pivoted.
Daniel suddenly found himself facing the wrong direction.
He recovered quickly.
“What was that?”
Maya smiled.
“Positioning.”
Daniel charged again.
This time he lowered his center of gravity and attempted a body lock.
Maya widened her stance.
For a moment, they were completely still.
Daniel pushed.
Maya didn't fight the force directly.
She moved with it.
One step.
Two.
Then she turned.
Daniel stumbled past her.
He caught himself.
The room went silent.
Marcus watched carefully.
He had seen that movement before.
Not recently.
Years ago.
At competitions.
Maya wasn't relying on strength.
She was borrowing his.
Daniel's expression changed.
He stopped smiling.
“Again.”
Marcus looked at the clock.
“Thirty seconds.”
Daniel nodded.
He moved differently now.
More cautiously.
He feinted left.
Maya didn't react.
He shifted right.
Still nothing.
Then he attacked.
Maya caught his arm.
Daniel tried to pull away.
She didn't hold him.
She simply guided him toward the edge of the mat.
Daniel stopped.
Maya released him.
“Why did you stop?”
Daniel stared.
“You had me.”
“I had your balance.”
“Same thing.”
“No.”
Maya stepped back.
“Having someone's balance is temporary. Having control is something else.”
Daniel looked at Marcus.
Marcus said nothing.
The final minute passed.
Daniel tried several techniques.
Maya avoided them.
She never attacked aggressively.
She never humiliated him.
She simply demonstrated that she could read his movements.
When the timer beeped, Marcus raised his hand.
“Round over.”
Daniel stepped away.
He was breathing hard.
Maya wasn't.
Leo walked over.
“My turn.”
Marcus nodded.
Leo entered the mat.
Unlike Daniel, Leo didn't attack immediately.
He circled.
Maya watched his feet.
Leo smiled.
“You know what you're looking at?”
“Your feet.”
He laughed.
“Why?”
“Because your shoulders lie.”
Leo stopped smiling.
He moved.
Fast.
Maya barely shifted.
Leo tried again.
This time she anticipated him.
He stopped inches away.
“You're good,” Maya said.
Leo shook his head.
“You're weird.”
Maya laughed.
“That's fair.”
The second round became a battle of patience.
Leo was faster.
Maya was more experienced.
He constantly changed direction.
She constantly adjusted.
At one point, Leo nearly caught her.
Maya twisted away.
Leo smiled.
“Got you.”
“No.”
“What?”
“You almost did.”
“That counts.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because almost isn't control.”
Leo stared at her.
Then he laughed.
“You really like that word.”
“Control?”
“Yes.”
“Because you don't have enough of it.”
The room erupted.
Leo looked offended.
Then amused.
Then determined.
He attacked.
Maya redirected him.
He tried again.
She moved.
Again.
She moved.
The timer sounded.
Leo bent over, breathing hard.
Maya walked toward Noah.
“Are you okay?”
Noah nodded.
His eyes were wide.
“I didn't know you could still do that.”
Maya smiled.
“I never forgot.”
Aaron stepped forward.
The entire room became quiet.
He was different.
Bigger.
Heavier.
More deliberate.
Marcus looked at him.
“Remember the rules.”
Aaron nodded.
“I remember.”
He entered the mat.
Maya looked up at him.
Aaron smiled.
“This is going to be different.”
“I know.”
The timer started.