Garrett sat near the back, wearing his heavy steel-toed work boots, dusty denim jeans, and a thick flannel shirt over a thermal. He had just gotten off a double shift and looked every bit the exhausted, working-class father. He just wanted to watch Milo perform his forms and take him out for ice cream afterward.
"Welcome, everyone!" Bryce boomed into the mic, flexing his biceps for the camera. "Tonight, we don't just show you forms. We show you reality. We show you what happens when the weak are tested by the strong!"
Bryce’s eyes scanned the rows of students sitting on the edge of the mat. His gaze stopped on Milo. The boy was looking down, nervously picking at the tape on his fingers. Milo was the perfect target—small, timid, and unlikely to fight back. Perfect content for a "toughen up" viral clip.
"Milo! Front and center!" Bryce barked. Milo flinched, looking up with wide, terrified eyes. He stood up on trembling legs and walked to the center of the mat. "This boy," Bryce said, playing to his cameras, "came to me soft. Bullied. Weak. Today, we see if he’s learned anything about the real world."