Chapter Five: Defense Only

…

The party was a fun place to get drunk at. By myself ironically.

I didn't feel like talking to anybody after what I'd just witnessed. After how much I shared.

So I found a nice corner on a hill far away from everyone else partying in the same canyon I knew Miguel would've hit Sam in the face accidentally at in a much different turn of events. And drank while I thought.

"You okay?"

I turned around and saw Charlotte Everston speaking to me. The first person I'd ever really been on a date on with.

"I'm fine," I said.

"It's not right to want to get the dojo together and party. And then not actually try to enjoy it."

"Tonight was a bit much for me."

Charlotte was confused. "Why's that?"

"Sensei Lawrence rejected Sensei Kreese's offer to co Sensei the dojo. Bothers me a lot."

"Enough to not try to enjoy the party you threw?"

"Yup. And Aisha and Edwin were the ones who put it together. Not me."

Charlotte sat down on the log next to me where I overlooked the party and the campfires in the canyon below and a bit of the city at nighttime nearby.

"They make quite the team," Charlotte said. "In other news, I think Robby and Tory are probably gonna be a thing."

"Yeah. They started makin' out or something down there?"

"No. I just got the sense they're both too stoic sometimes to say anything to each other. The only time I've seen Robby really smile is when he's hanging out with your group of guys. Or around Tory."

I nodded. "He was always kind of an edgy guy."

Char laughed. "Tell me about it. I never saw him happier except when you were lifted into the air with that trophy. I'll never forget him yelling and how loudly he cheered."

"I'll never forget that day either."

"What's wrong Luke?"

I looked at the hand she put on my shoulder.

"I think my mom's flying into town next week."

"And?"

"And I don't know what to say to her. We agreed I could have one year here in LA and if it didn't work I'd go back to Denver."

"You're leaving?"

I sighed. "I probably won't. But my mom has history with Cobra Kai. Bad history. She might make a strong case to my grandparents, and they. Will probably agree that I might need to go back with her."

"Please don't let them." said Charlotte.

She hadn't ever met the kind of woman Ali Mills was.

"I won't. I wouldn't start something like Cobra Kai and leave it behind."

"Forget Cobra Kai I'm talking about me."

I scoffed. "Forget Cobra Kai?"

"Luke I. I really like you. Any guy in your position would've started dating girls left and right the moment the tournament ended. Instead, you've spent it doing nothing but training and getting drunk with the guys and riding around on dirtbikes everywhere."

"Did I offend you?"

"Of course you did!" gasped out Charlotte. "Luke I knew Cobra Kai was a good idea anyway. But I joined so we could spend more time together this summer too. I know you like me too. You don't have eyes for Nichols. Which is odd as half the guys in our dojo probably think she's hot. Or Mia or anyone else. Why couldn't we talk at all for an entire month?"

"Things got in the way. I've been worried about what my mom might do. And trying to help Sensei Kreese gain Sensei Lawrence's trust again."

Charlotte didn't say a word.

We listened to the noise of the party below.

"You've been known to just sulk or fight. Or do only karate. And I still like you. For the simple reason that you haven't gone out with anyone in the month you've become famous."

"I do have feelings for you." I turned and said to her. She didn't look surprised. "But Char. In the event I really am not given a choice except to go back to Denver. I don't want to hurt you."

"You already would have anyway."

"I promise I'll do my very best to stay here."

"I bet your mom is a reasonable person." Charlotte smiled. "What if I talked to her? Told her of the date that we had? How much fun it was for both of us?"

"We're not dating Char."

"Not yet anyway."

I laughed quietly with her.

"Yeah I think she would probably think about it more then. If my mom wanted me to stay in LA she would've kept sending letters. She's coming here to take me back with her."

"Then let's be ready for that."

I finished my beer. "Good." I wiped some of it off my lip. "Let's."

Charlotte smiled. "Missed a spot."

"Where?"

"There." she kissed me on the cheek.

I smiled weakly. "Did I really?"

"Yeah you missed another one." she kissed me on another part of my cheek. "And here and here."

Charlotte sat in my lap and kissed me directly on the mouth. It wasn't the peck on the lips we had so she could mess with me on the last part of the photo booth.

This felt pretty different.

I opened my eyes and looked at her as she held me by the back of the head and spoke. "The next thing you did after all the fame you got was kiss me in front of the entire school. I won't let you go back to Denver. Not on my life. I'll use a hammer and nails and stick you to the floor before I let you leave Lucas."

I chuckled. "Very Cobra Kai thing to do."

"Taking what I want," Charlotte said. "What I need. I don't mean to ruin the moment. But um."

Charlotte cleared her throat. "My adopted parents are nice people. Good people. But there's just something missing. It always is. I love them. But still, that's there."

I nodded. "I can get that."

"Something didn't really feel right. Not something huge, something small. It felt off every time I thought about it. Then we went out that one time. And things felt just where they were meant to for once."

I chuckled. "Same."

"If I catch you trying to go after Nichols. Or anyone else. I will kick their asses. And then I will slap you as hard as I can in the face. Do you hear me?"

"Yes Char I hear you."

"Do you hear me?"

"Yeah."

I had a feeling that making out with someone for the first time at a party was going to be this fun. And it was.

I muttered against her neck. "Do you wanna drink a bit more?"

"Yeah!"

I stood up from the log and Charlotte kicked me in the back of the leg a little with a smirk. "Make it fast."

"Yes ma'am."

I walked down to the cooler by the campfire and stuffed four beers into my jacket.

"Gonna drink those all yourself?" wondered Aisha.

"Um." I cleared my throat. "I mean. Yeah?"

"You sound real sure there buddy," Shawn grunted as he arm wrestled Doug and beat him easily.

"Gonna get drunk off my ass so. Peace guys." I said turning around and making my way up the hill again.

I opened a beer for Char and we started to drink together.

"Cheers."

We then made out in silence for what would likely be the remainder of the party. Making out with Charlotte was a fun way to just let my mind go, for both of us, and that was most of what I did besides chatting and drinking a bit more with her on occasion too.

…

Johnny walked into Bobby's hospital room quietly.

He gave a sigh of relief. There were no bandages around Bobby's head at all no visible sign of a surgery.

"Hey man." Johnny said.

Bobby looked over from staring out the window. He didn't say anything.

"What did the doctors say?"

"Mild concussion. No damage, just some light to medium head trauma. They'll keep me on blood thinners I have to take through pills for about two weeks after they send me home. And then I'll be fine."

"I'll tell Jimmy and Tommy later. They already went home." Johnny smiled. "But still. That's great."

"No Johnny. It's not." Bobby glared at him as Johnny frowned. "I don't blame you for this morning. I blame Kreese. He was the one who hit me earlier today, not you. You're just a grown man still falling for his teachings."

"You challenged me to a fight man, and we both went at each other at the same time."

"I know. That's why I'm not mad. But I am gonna make sure you realize what you're doing is a mistake. That's all I have to say to you."

"Look."

Bobby wouldn't say a word, he looked back over to the window.

"Bobby. Can we just talk this out? Cobra Kai can be amazing. Trust me on this."

He still said nothing, ignoring him.

"Bobby. Bobby please."

There was silence for almost a minute.

Johnny sighed. "Alright."

…

When Johnny walked towards his apartment that night he found two teenagers arguing.

"Did I really deserve that though?"

"I mean maybe not. But you wanted to fight Hawk, what was he supposed to do?"

"Maybe tell him to stop acting like an asshole!" said Miguel.

Robby scoffed. "You sucker punched him."

"After he punched me down first."

Johnny walked over. "What is this about?"

"He wants an apology for something he started." Robby scoffed.

"You Cobra Kais are just all bullies," said Miguel in a tone Johnny did not like hearing at all. "Sam was right."

"Okay. Go inside kid."

Robby laughed. "You sending me to my room or something?"

Johnny looked back at his son with a serious look on his face. "Do you want me to?"

Robby looked between Miguel and Johnny and then walked into his apartment.

Miguel spoke to Johnny. "How can we be neighbors and you won't call out your student for hitting me in the face?"

"You did the same to him."

"After he hit me first."

Johnny nodded. "Okay look. I can't call off Hawk."

"And why not?"

"Because you made a move on his girl like it or not. From the sound of things he made it clear he just didn't want you there."

"And that makes it right to shove me down to make that point? Embarrass me in front of everyone?"

Johnny shrugged. "You mess with a bull you get the horns. But you can grow your own horns too kid. Just gotta know where to go."

Miguel scoffed. "Yeah, I already had a few ideas. But I don't need your advice nor anyone else's on how to do it."

Miguel had no intentions on making it clear he was training daily under Daniel LaRusso to become a Miyagi-Do.

"Don't want my advice? Fine. But I know someone who can help you and give you advice I bet you'll appreciate. He's a good man. A religious man."

"Do I look like I need a priest right now?"

Johnny laughed quietly. "I don't know what you need kid. But I think you could learn a lot from each other. He runs a church out in Glendale."

"Then that's at least a half hour drive for me."

"He lives in Van Nuys. It's not that far from here. His name's Bobby Brown. I recommend you talk to him at his church first. Sure if you look it up you can find him."

Miguel frowned. "How is a pastor going to help me against bullies? Will being bullied be prayed away?"

"You're not being bullied Miguel."

"Oh really," said Miguel. "Think about that," he muttered before leaving. "Considering the kind of dojo you have," he said as he closed the door to his house.

Johnny said nothing in return.

…

Miguel placed his bicycle in the same part of Mr. Miyagi's house like he always did.

Daniel walked out and spoke. "Hey. Ready to pick up where we left off?"

"Uh. Sure."

"Great."

In Mr. Miyagi's backyard, they practiced the same basic kata.

"Kimodachi," Daniel said as they got into horse stance. "Hut."

They lifted their hands upwards as if they were pressing a wooden beam upward. Then they separated their hands and pushed towards their hips.

Their hands spun and they breathed in and out with each movement.

"Good. Let's rework some of your fundamentals. Grab a can of wax, and get started on the Deluxe."

"You got it."

After Miguel spent over fifteen minutes waxing on and waxing off Mr. Miyagi's old cars, Daniel approached him.

"Impressive."

"What's impressive?"

"For the past few days you didn't question any of this after the first lesson. Any other person would think that I was trying to use my trophies as an excuse to get free labor out of kids and get them to restore this run down house. We have a long way to go still. But."

Miguel nodded. "Buuut?"

"But you've done well. You've kept your emotions and your anger in check. You've kept your balance."

"Considering my bullies are neighbors with me. I'd say so."

Daniel was surprised. "Wait. Your neighbors?"

"One of the main Cobra Kai teachers and their son lives across the hall from me. His name's Johnny Lawrence, his son's name is Robby."

Daniel looked blank.

"What?"

"And you never walked over there and said something needed to be done about this crazy kid with a mohawk who beat you up?"

"I mean I did. They didn't care." said Miguel.

Daniel scoffed. "Why am I not surprised? Decades later, and Johnny Lawrence is still an asshole. And you turned the other cheek. Like I taught you?"

"I just told him he was wrong. And I went back inside my house. Didn't start yelling at him or accusing him of anything."

Daniel smiled. "Then it's time."

"For what?"

"For our oath. The same oath Mr. Miyagi made me take."

Daniel remembered with a sigh.

"I promise, teach karate. That my part." Daniel turned around and Mr. Miyagi tied the lotus headband around Daniel's head. "You promise learn. I say, you do, no question. That your part."

"Deal?"

"It's a deal." Daniel wanted to shake Mr. Miyagi's hand but instead of shaking it, Miyagi put a sponge in his hand.

Daniel removed his lotus headband from his forehead. "Mr. Miyagi gave this exact headband to me when I was your age. I know we just met last week. But you have no alternative here except to trust me, and for me to trust you for this to work."

"Otherwise those Cobra guys are gonna beat my ass every day of the way."

"Okay Miguel, you can stop with the ass talk." Daniel chuckled. "You and I, are going to make a pact for as long as you train at Miyagi-Do."

Daniel wrapped the lotus headband around Miguel. "I will teach you his karate. And you will always trust in the ways of Mr. Miyagi. You will now, and you will always. No questions, just trust in Mr. Miyagi's karate."

After he finished tying it around Miguel's head, Daniel spoke. "Karate. Is for defense only. I want you to promise me that. The last person I told that to, lied to my face that he'd only fight with it for that. And he went and did the opposite. So I want you to promise."

"I promise."

Daniel smiled. "Deal?" he offered a hand.

"Deal." Miguel shook his hand.

After an hour of kata and chores to practice the fundamentals in the kata, Miguel went home.

…

"Ma. Can I go to this church in Glendale?" asked Miguel, showing Carmen the location on his phone in their apartment.

"I already have a church chosen if you want to go to it Miggy."

"No but. Can we go to this one? Please?"

Carmen sighed. "That's a decent drive. But alright."

…

Miguel walked into Bobby's church after a service was finished.

He shook the hands of many church members and thanked them respectfully.

"The bruise on my head was no big deal."

The elderly lady talking to Bobby insisted she was worried and he needed to see a doctor.

"I'm fine Mrs. Higgins I promise. I was given medication, just some blood thinners."

The church members all walked away and Bobby and Miguel made eye contact.

"Where'd you get that headband?"

Miguel shrugged. "I promised I'd wear it."

Bobby recognized it and chuckled. "Let me guess. You know Daniel LaRusso."

"He's my teacher. A mentor too, we've only spent a week together training. And he's a great guy."

"Yeah, he is. He know you're here?"

Miguel laughed in surprise a bit. "Why would he have to know?"

"Let me guess. Johnny told you to come here. And you had a run in with the Cobra Kais? Where you were either embarrassed or injured?"

"Sure did."

Bobby sighed. "I'm getting too old for this."

"Old for what?"

"Johnny sent you here to settle a disagreement we had. Respectfully. I can't give you anything else but some advice I give all the members of my congregation. Seek forgiveness first. Then everything will fall into place."

"Forgiveness for what?"

Bobby explained as he sat down on a church bench with Miguel. "You do anything to these Cobra Kai guys to get one of them mad?"

"I was hitting on a girl. But she wasn't dating any of them and acted like I made out with their girlfriend or something."

"It's always over a girl." chuckled Bobby. "Look you can ask for forgiveness. But for as long as these guys train at Cobra Kai. They'll never give it to you. That karate, no matter how it's taught. Is dangerous. Especially with John Kreese involved."

Miguel sighed. "That so?"

"Without a doubt. These guys only started training around the same time you did, their dojo just reopened. Miyagi-Do beat Cobra Kai through a miracle. Daniel had maybe a." Bobby sighed. "A twelfth of our experience when he beat us all in the All Valley of '84? And he knew Miyagi-Do."

"You saw it happen?"

"No I competed against Daniel personally. I did more than that. I um. My Sensei made me jump on Daniel's knee and pop it out of his socket."

Miguel gasped. "Oh my god!"

"Just so Cobra Kai would win the tournament." Bobby shrugged.

Miguel nodded. "And you think Cobra Kai can't change?"

"Why would it. Here's proof." Bobby pointed to the bruise on his head. "Old friend of mine gave me this over a disagreement we had yesterday morning. That's what no mercy means. And that's all they understand."

"So I'll be okay then?"

"Probably. At least in a tournament. I don't know about outside of that."

"So for the. Hundreds of days until the next one I have to be bullied basically."

"Pretty much." Bobby rested his hands on the edge of the wooden bench. "Maybe Daniel's training is good for more than just scoring points in a tournament. But honestly I never saw it happen. Not saying it can't. But I just didn't."

"What did you mean you hurt Mr. LaRusso just so Cobra Kai could win?"

Bobby explained. "Well. I was a Cobra Kai at one point. When I was your age. I trained for three and a half years in it. From when I was about fourteen to when I was seventeen and a half."

"So you're. A black belt. A real black belt."

Bobby sighed. "It's just violence. That's all Cobra Kai is and all it's good for. Violence. I didn't question it at my age because I was young. And stupid. You have enough sense to see it for what it is. So I think you'll be fine."

"Could you teach me?"

Bobby laughed. "What?"

"Could you teach me?" Miguel repeated.

Bobby nodded to the lotus headband Miguel wore on his forehead. "Didn't you already agree to be a Miyagi-Do? Isn't that what that headband means?"

"I don't want to become a bully at all. But I can't let those Cobra Kai guys walk all over me. And I'll work it out with Mr. LaRusso if I need to. But look. I might be able to stand a chance against those guys in a tournament. But even if I get there without being bullied too badly. I'm going to lose."

"Why's that?"

Miguel used what Sam had told him. "Because I know for a fact that their best fighter knows Miyagi-Do already. That he trained in both it, and Cobra Kai for an entire year already before I even moved here from Riverside. That's how he won his tournament. He knows two forms of karate, that's how he got that famous. I need to do something similar to that or something or I'm gonna lose. In a tournament, and out of it."

Bobby sighed again. "Okay. Here's what's going to happen. This champion Kreese and Johnny have. Uh."

"Schwarber."

"Right. Is he a bully?"

"I was told he's not."

"Fine. That's one less Cobra you have to deal with. This neighbor of yours, Robby. Is he a bully?"

"No."

Bobby shrugged. "Johnny and Kreese's best fighter. And their second best aren't gonna bully you. It's just the others you have to deal with then, all of them new to karate just like you. And I'm sure Miyagi-Do can do more than help you enough with them."

Bobby stood up off the church bench and Miguel spoke. "This isn't just about karate you know. This is about respect. I need to prove their karate is wrong. And I can't do that without beating every single one of them. In a tournament, or otherwise. I got three years of highschool ahead of me at West Valley. With all of those guys."

Miguel muttered. "I let one of them beat me, whether they're bullies or otherwise. And they're always gonna know they got the best of me."

Bobby took a deep breath. "I'd really like to help you kid. But your Sensei, rightfully. Would never approve of me becoming yours. Miyagi-Do makes good people. It teaches good karate. The right way. Stick with what you have."

Miguel nodded. "It was worth a shot. But I'll insist on this. I know you and Mr. LaRusso are good people. And help me put Cobra Kai in their place."

"If Daniel could beat Cobra Kai in the eighties. He could do it again. Just have faith in him. Faith. Faith helps a lot."

"Thank you. I, I guess."

"It's no problem. Any time you want to talk. I'm here." said Bobby as Miguel smiled slightly and started to walk away. "Just um."

Bobby handed a card to Miguel. "This is my phone number and the phone number of my church."

Miguel nodded. "Thanks." he said before leaving.

…

When they got home from the church and talking to Bobby, Carmen spoke to Miguel. "Miggy. Abuela's not feeling well. Can you buy some Pepto and chips from the mart nearby?"

"Uh. Yes ma."

"Ya vengo Yaya." Miguel rubbed his grandmother's shoulder and put his bicycle helmet on and rode off.

As he rode back from the convenience on his bicycle, he heard the familiar roar of dirtbikes behind him.

"Ah great." Miguel sighed as the Cobras appeared.

Hawk laughed from atop his bike. "Hey!" he yelled to Miguel tauntingly. "Hey over here! Hey!"

"Go away!" Miguel tried riding away faster on his dirtbike.

Hawk and the other Cobra Kais caught up very easily. "Oh, but we need to talk. Here."

Miguel was pushed off his bicycle and the grocery bag he was carrying spilled out.

Groaning and rubbing his elbow, Miguel took off his bicycle helmet as the Cobras surrounded him near an alleyway on the sidewalk.

Like a true Miyagi-Do, Miguel stood up and held his emotions at bay.

Miguel sighed. "What do you want to talk about?"

Hawk shrugged as Doug and Shawn approached with Mikey, all four of them wearing red and blue leather Cobra Kai jackets.

"Nothing. Just wanted to catch up. Robby told me you were in the neighborhood, that's how you two met actually. Oh and um wanted to uh. Tell you to stay the hell away from Sam. Because I deserve another shot." said Hawk. "And you're blowing it for me. That's not right man. I wanted to go down there to set things right with her that night and you got in the way."

Miguel smiled. "Think she already gave you that second shot. And it missed."

Doug and the other Cobras except for Hawk all laughed.

"You gonna take that man?" Doug asked.

"Well let's see here." Hawk picked up the two items Miguel dropped out of his grocery bag. "We got some corn tortilla chips. Ooh. And Pepto Bismol. Having some toilet trouble are we? Still haven't been potty trained yet?"

The Cobras all laughed and Miguel explained calmly. "It's for my grandmother dude."

"Oh. Oh is it? Oh man. I'm so sorry for her digestive issues. Uncool of me, straight up uncool."

Hawk opened the Pepto and poured it directly over Miguel.

"Oh shit." Shawn laughed loudly with the other Cobras and Miguel sighed.

"Not cool man. What did that accomplish?" Miguel asked like a Miyagi-Do, remembering how Daniel told him to stay calm.

"Well let's see. Uh. Since you're, having trouble shitting. Can't call you Shit. That's just dumb. Diarrhea, just poor naming too."

Doug laughed. "Well how about 'Rhea?"

The Cobras loved the name and Miguel sighed. "What?"

"Yeah Rhea. Guess that was the point of that. Got a great name for you. Rhea." Hawk laughed. "See ya. Bitch."

The Cobras turned around and Miguel spoke out. "Don't you think you're overreacting a little? Resorting to. Childish bullying over a girl? Getting this mad?"

"Getting this mad. Let me think." Hawk began to nod. "Nope. Not an overreaction at all. I'm returning what you gave to me. You hit on Sam. I was trying to get back together with her, and you got involved for no reason. This is payback. Pure and simple."

"So we're even?"

Hawk chuckled, shaking his head before he saw what Miguel was wearing on his forehead. "No. We're not. Cause uh. Let's see. Oh that's right. That's right look guys."

Doug was a bit confused. "What?"

"He wanted to strike back. Look!"

Hawk grabbed Miguel by the back of the head and pulled on his headband. "See? Any of this look familiar to you guys? Right. It's a wimpy flower. The same faggoty headband LaRusso wore when he won that fluke championship in the eighties. Saw it in an article online about the 1984 All Valley."

Miguel looked away as the Cobras laughed and Hawk walked over to make eye contact with Miguel. "Hey. Hey! Why don't you show us huh? Show us that little you know." Hawk imitated the crane kick loudly. "Haaaaaw!"

Miguel sighed. "You're actually just. A waste of time man. You're accomplishing nothing. And no one's impressed. Least of all Sam."

"Oh, this, isn't even about her at this point. You join Miyagi-Do. And you just became my enemy. Chicks. They come and go. This is personal now Rhea. I'll see you around."

Hawk shoved Miguel down and chuckled, picking up the chips and guacamole Miguel bought at the store. "Thanks for the food. We'll be seeing you, hoping to make more encounters like this worth it. Just remember to bring more snacks for us."

And then they left Miguel there. Pepto Bismol splattered all over him, humiliated.

Miguel muttered to himself as the dirtbikes of the Cobras all roared to life and they rode off. "This is Miyagi-Do," Miguel said. "This is controlling my emotions and karate for self defense only."

Miguel laughed. "Awesome."

…

...

...

A/N: As Joe Esposito sang. "History repeats itself! Try and you'll succeed."

Updated twice in the same day to say updates might have to actually slow down soon for school. I have the last tests of the entire semester coming up, and then it's summer and I can write much more than I have lately.

A huge thanks to Anon, Golden Black Dragon, monroekeishan84, and Jack for all the comments and support and to all my readers as well for checking out the story.

Next update should reliably be after next Thursday. I really need to focus on these tests and stuff.

Before I go wanted to address the comments and respond directly to requests, and other ideas.

Jack said "plz don't make the same characters have the same act like hawk becoming a dick again" His character arc will be slightly different but you'll see. But out of all the characters I've written so far, the most similar teenage character who will be the most similar besides, Sam, will probably have to be Hawk. Sorry.

As well as Anon's thought of "Sometimes I wonder if he will go into stocks or something." Well this idea has a lot of potential. Lucas is already pretty rich, considering the inheritance he'll get from the entire Schwarber and Mills medical branches and such. Which already is a lot a lot a lot of money.

Lucas also is becoming pretty aware of the butterfly effect considering his main romantic interest right now is a named extra from Season 4. There's a small battle going on between the repercussions of everything Lucas has changed, and the Karate Kid world's law of history repeating itself constantly through generations. I think that stocks are a potential option, but especially with the economy and money the butterfly effect could ripple much stronger.

I'm thankful to all of you for the comments. As for the following plotlines, Daniel, Bobby, and Miguel as well as Sam have what would be called the A plotline. Figuring out Miyagi-Do, how Bobby fits into it as well as Sam and Miguel's interactions with the other teens. That's the Miyagi-Do side.

While plotline B is the Cobra Kai plot. Johnny, Lucas, Kreese, Robby, and the others have to figure out if Kreese should co Sensei or not and the argument Johnny had with Bobby and its repercussions. Basically what the dojo is going to look like moving forward. These plotlines are pretty intertwined in some areas but still there are two main characters here, Lucas Schwarber and Miguel Diaz.

Ali visiting LA to check up on Lucas, the ban on Cobra Kai for the tournament, the fiftieth All Valley tournament itself, also known as the tournament at the end of the first season of the show, as well as the return to West Valley High and the start of Miguel's sophomore year at school will be the rest of the fic.

This will be the last time a fic I write includes pretty massive time jumps for pacing issues. I'm trying to keep it like the first season of the show did as I did for Defeat Does Not Exist. Where the first third is the summer and transition to summer, the next third is the first school semester, and the next is the resolution of everything being the second school semester and the tournament or finale.

I'm entering the second third now and they're technically still in the July area. This fic will only be about a maximum of 10 thousand words longer than Defeat Does Not Exist.

So. Thank you all for reading and I'll see you all soon.