Close to the Covert Rains **Book One**

Chapter 18 (Wednesday) (tides in Tijuana)

Mrs. Aterak balanced in front of the classroom, holding a ridiculous pose with one leg sticking straight out. All the students, including Kwayo, had given up at least a minute ago, but still she stood there, steady as a rock.

Her eyes opened. "If you can't do this side anymore, switch to your other leg." She surveyed the room and legs slowly rose from the ground. Her gaze settled on Kwayo, who still stood on both feet.

He groaned and lifted his right leg, holding his arms in salutation-position or whatever it was called. He wobbled a few times, but that was mostly because he didn't feel like trying. Martial arts was lame, most days. Unless Mrs. Aterak let them spar with each other. Those classes were pretty fun, but they still didn't make Kwayo forget he'd been forced to take the course. Last year he had double weapons period, but his teacher had encouraged him to take this during sixth grade. Because, of course, using a blowgun didn't support shapeshifting. Not that karate chopping with your bare hands supported shapeshifting into four-legged animals either, but whatever.

"And move your leg to the side..." Mrs. Aterak said softly, "and up as high as you can."

Kwayo did so, half-heartedly raising his leg above horizontal until his muscles burned.

"Okay," Mrs. Aterak lowered her leg. "Everyone all warmed up?"

Muttered assent.

"Great! Get with your sparring partners, we're going to continue practicing our scissor sweeps."

Kwayo sighed, but glanced at Chamrik, standing just behind him. "Do you wanna be on the ground first?"

Chamrik gave him a disgusted face. "Not really. But I will, since if I go second I'll be rolling on a gross sweaty mat."

Kwayo had forgotten that, but Chamrik was already trotting off to an open area of the class, lying on his back. Kwayo trudged over and knelt down, letting the other boy wrap his legs around his torso and push him sideways. "Yay...good job," Kwayo got back onto his knees. "Switch after ten?"

Chamrik nodded, pushing Kwayo over again.

***

Kwayo knocked Chamrik sideways again, leg muscles complaining. It didn't help that Chamrik was trying to stay kneeling, instead of gently falling over like a decent friend would.

"That's enough of that," Mrs. Aterak stopped the drill, "I'm going to demonstrate a few other jiu jitsu moves, which we'll practice today and Friday. After that, we're moving on to the eastern martial arts, which I'm sure you're more familiar with. You all remember karate and kung fu from last year, correct?"

Kwayo got to his feet and brushed the dirt from the back of his shirt, pausing at that last part. "What about people who didn't take this class last year?" he muttered, but no one else voiced the complaint.

"Well, set everything you know about those aside until later in the year, because for the next several months we'll be practicing tai chi and aikido. These are slightly different from your typical martial arts disciplines, but I'll go into that more next week."

Their teacher then showed them several jiu jitsu drills, sparring with an unfortunate fifth grader whose eyes nearly bugged from his face every time Mrs. Aterak swung anywhere near him. Then, she released them to practice the drills.

Kwayo turned to Chamrik. "Which one should we start with? I say the bullfighter one."

His eyebrow rose. "The bullfighter guard pass? Sure."

They claimed the closest corner of the room, Kwayo lying on the mat and fending off Chamrik with his feet, while the other boy tried to get in control above Kwayo's torso. Then they'd reset, Chamrik on his back, Kwayo trying to avoid his legs.