A/N: SEASON 6 PART 1 IS OUT TOMORROW!

SO here's the last Demetri's POV chapter. I hope you've enjoyed reading these. Were the necessary? In hindsight, not really, but it's fun to write.

This is important: I'll be posting a season 6 discussion chapter sometime tomorrow after I finish part 1 so we can all discuss it, which is one of my favorite parts of getting a new season! We will agree and disagree and theorize part 2 and talk about Zion a little bit, too. So I hope you'll comment your thoughts because it'll be the third to last time we can do this. It's so bittersweet, aw <3

So please feel free to comment your thoughts, feelings, theories, and more tomorrow. And it will not be spoiler-free, so don't read it until you're ready.

And today enjoy this excessively long (13,000 word) chapter!

⭒⭒⭒

5.0.5

So, life in The Valley hasn't exactly been easy since we lost at the tournament.

Miyagi-Do has officially shut down to honor Sensei LaRusso's pact with Cobra Kai. This means I have a job now, though I have to admit I'm not quite ready to give up karate. For now I'm working at Tech Town, and I guess it's okay. Eli seems unsure about what to do after it all went down. Sam, too. I just know that I don't want to be in my lonely house any more than I have to be and that money is nice.

Also apparently Sensei Lawrence, Robby, and Z are in Mexico searching for a run away Miguel. I don't even know how to unpack all of that, especially after the tournament.

The tournament was a problem, too. We lost thanks to Z joining our team last minute. In the quarterfinals, I lost to her. Then Eli lost to her. Sensei Lawrence and Sensei LaRusso teamed up, but Sam still lost to Tory. Then they extended an invite to our side to Z and a newly reformed Robby.

The thing about Z is I don't know how to trust her. Everything she does seems erratic; she's unpredictable.

I mean, she was trying to kill me not even five months ago. She's made it crystal clear she hates me. Then she stopped fighting me at prom to mediate between Robby and Miguel. Then she disappeared for two weeks for what, I don't know. Then she arrived to the tournament late and competed unaffiliated. She swore she wasn't a Cobra. Then she beat me and inexplicably said I did a "good job." I don't know how to begin to process if that's genuine. Then Eli told me that Aisha told him that the cheating scandal was all a lie to hurt my best friend. And that was later confirmed by Z. What kind of person does that? Then she joined our side, and we still lost to Cobra Kai. It felt like she was fighting for herself and not us; I still refuse to trust her.

I've been helping Eli with his broken heart since Moon broke up with him and Z rejected him again. Right now I'm at his house, and suddenly my phone lights up with a news notification.

I gasp, "Whoa, whoa, whoa."

"What?" Eli wonders.

"John Kreese was arrested for attempted murder," I say as I scroll through the article then show him.

Eli snatches my phone, "What the hell?"

"That's actually insane," I exclaim.

"It says it was a brutal assault on Raymond Porter. Stingray, the guy whose party we went to after prom," Eli scrolls.

"He seemed slightly weird but obviously not worthy of an assault. Nobody deserves that," I frown.

"It looks like Kreese is locked up for a long time," Eli reads.

"Wow," I try to process it. "I guess with everything Cobra Kai has been doing it makes sense. Especially since Z was Kreese's pet."

He sets down my phone, "Would you stop saying such weird stuff about her, Demetri? She helped us at the tournament."

"Right, but like I told you I need an apology for what she's done. And you're too quick to forgive her for pretending to cheat on you," I remind him.

"Look, she's had a rough life. Kreese didn't make it any easier," Eli tells me.

"Are you finally going to tell me the rest of the story I'm so obviously missing?" I ask him.

Eli pauses Doctor Strange and turns to me, "Fine. I'll tell you. But only because I'm pretty sure most people know now."

"Know what?"

"You know that she moved here after her dad died," Eli tells me.

"That's, like, all I know about her," I nod in annoyance.

"She was alone with her mom. Her mom was addicted pretty badly to alcohol. It messed her up, and it was hard on Z... She, um... she beat Z, like, daily."

I'm taken aback. "Oh my God." I never would have guessed that.

"It was what Z described as her 'grief process,' but it had started before her dad even passed."

"Oh," I look down in dismay.

"Then it turned into neglect, which was why I had her come over so often. And it was a reason she joined Cobra Kai. To get away from her."

I frown, "That makes sense, and I really symparthize with that. But I don't understand how she went from a drunken abusive mother to deciding to drunkenly assault me and continue to bully our friends."

"Well, eventually Kreese got to her-"

"Can we really blame him? Or is this just Z's true colors?" I ask.

"You're not listening to me, Demetri. I'd say she has a pretty good reason to do most of the things she does," Eli defends her.

"And what about the other things? She's a hypocrite, a pathological liar, and a narcissist only fighting for herself," I tell him.

"I don't..." Eli hesitates. "I don't think that's fair."

"I think its more than fair," I snap. "She made my life a hell, even after you turned to our side. She really hurt Sam."

"Sam and her are friends. She's actually good, I think," Eli defends her.

"Do you remember how hurt you've been because of her? I think you need to fight fire with fire and begin to care about yourself. Karate has given me the confidence to stand up for myself because of you. I think you should really consider if the people you're defending are worth it."

Eli considers this for a moment. "I... I hate to think I still love her, man."

We sit in silence. It's clear he's struggling to side with me rather than Zion.

I'd be lying if I didn't say I was struggling myself with the news of her mom. Nobody deserves that. What baffles me is that she lets it impact her actions. I can't ignore the pain - physical and emotional - she's put me through because she's had a hard life. I'm not sure how else to view this. I'm not sure where to go from here if she returns to the Valley when they find Miguel.

⭒⭒⭒

5.3.0

This past week or so I've been trying to make things better for all of us, but its hard. We've all hit a wall, and I'm just trying to go around it by trying another path.

So when my coworker calls me over to help with an insurance plan on a phone, I'm shocked to see Z both back in town and at my job.

I stare at the girl in shock, and her expression seems to drop, too.

Isaac, the coworker, doesn't realize any of the tension and greets me, "Demetri, she needs a new phone. I sent you all of her information, if you can set her up with a good deal. Good luck."

He leaves us alone. I just look down at my tablet with the insurance document on it awkwardly.

She speaks," I didn't know you worked here."

"I didn't," I hesitate, "even know you guys were back from Mexico,."

"Yeah," she nods. I can still see the resentment for me in her eyes. Its okay because I feel the same way. She's not a Cobra, but she still has yet to apologize.

"Anywaaay," I try to shift the topic professionally. "Okay, let's just go to the smart desk and figure out what we can do for your phone to get you out of here quickly. It says here you-"

"I didn't drop it in the shower," she reveals to me. "I lost it in Mexico."

I look at her skeptically, "Well, that's not covered in the insurance-"

"Look," Z frowns, "I know we don't see eye-to-eye and we never will, but I need a good deal on this phone since we both know that I don't-"

"Ah," I grin at the thought of finally having the upper hand, "so I possess something you need?"

"Yeah. It's kind of your fucking job," she counters.

I don't let it phase me. I push on, "I'd like to hear a 'please' or maybe even an apology first."

"No way in hell am I apologizing first."

"Well, if I cancel your insurance policy-"

"You know full well that I don't have the money for a brand new iPhone at full price," Z says.

"Which is why I'm giving you options. You pretending to be 'redeemed' at the tournament wasn't enough to absolve you of your bad karma. At least the universe sees through you like I do." I try to hold my own in hopes of getting even.

"I wasn't pretending," she steps closer to me. "And, I don't have to put up with this. It's your job to help me."

"Actually, my job is to make money for Tech Town," I tell her. "So either apologize or pay up, Queen Cobra."

I see her visibly tense before whispering, "Or, we can do it my way," and turning away.

I panic as I call after her with a low voice, "What are you doing?"

She stops in front of my manager. Oh, shit.

"What can I do for you?" my manager questions.

"Your employee that was helping me," Z points back at me, and I turn as red as my shirt, "is denying me an insurance policy. I keep telling him that I'm covered by the insurance plan, but he doesn't seem very smart or up-to-date on your policies. He also said he's only here for money."

"Well," I get a look of disapproval, "that is not very Tech Town Terrific of him. I'm so sorry you're having that experience. Let me get you to be with someone else while I talk this out with him. I'm so sorry, ma'am."

"It's okay. I just need a new phone," Z gives him the fakest sad face I've ever seen. I stare in disbelief as my manager buys it.

"Of course. Um, let's get George over here," he raises his voice and calls another coworker.

I step up in defense of myself, "Whatever she said-"

"Demetri, please," my manager puts up his hand and stops me. "George, if you could come over and help Miss...?"

"Ambrose," Z smiles. She's sick.

"Please help Miss Ambrose find a phone. She's covered by insurance."

"Of course," George leads her away.

I glare after Z before my manager turns to me.

"Demetri, I thought you were finally ready for being on the floor alone," he sighs in disappointment. "But you're ignoring policy, forgetting your training, and overall your customer service relations are seemingly weak. What's going on here?"

I gesture to Z, "I was set up. She goes to school with me. She doesn't like me; she bullies me, really-"

"I don't care about your school qualms," my manager interrupts. "I want you to be professional and likeable like when we hired you."

"I'm sorry. Really, I-"

"Look," he sighs, "I hate to do this, but you seem to forget the most important part: The customer is always right. I think you need to work the stock room again and eventually work up to being trained on the floor again."

"You're demoting me?" I ask in disbelief. I've never had this problem before.

"I guess I am. You seem really tense still, so how about you go home for the day, okay?"

"Home?" I wonder as I glance at Z getting her new phone set up.

"Yes, Demetri, go home."

I turn away in dismay and walk out the back door. Fucking Zion Ambrose.

⭒⭒⭒

Later in the afternoon all of us carpool into the Miyagi-Do lot at the same time.

I'm surprised and slightly angry to see Z and Robby standing in the lot. "Shit."

Eli and I went to help Miguel at the jewelry store earlier, and Miguel sprung Zion joining on us. Eli was rightfully angry about her stunt at Tech Town. She's already infiltrated so much today; why does she have to be here, too?

Eli gets out of the car first, "What the hell are you two doing here?" Miguel and I follow suit as the others park.

"I..." Zion seems at a loss for words as Robby straightens his posture. I see Eli reciprocate as if they're threatening each other.

"Here to ruin Miyagi-Do?" Mitch walks over.

"Glad we showed up when we did," Chris brings the others over.

"Why are you here?" Robby counters.

"We came to train and not give up," Nate explains.

"Yeah. Not having a sensei doesn't mean we can't train on our own time. But you," I point at Zion, "aren't allowed here."

"I'm teaching her the Miyagi-Do fundamentals," Robby speaks up instead of her.

"You have no right to do that," Eli glowers.

"I have more of a right than you," Robby tells him.

"Do I need to remind you who the loser here is?" Eli steps forward cockily.

"I don't know, do I?" Zion enters the conversation and threatens Eli. "Leave him alone."

"I'm pretty sure this is private property," Mitch tells her. Smart.

"Where's Sam? She should have a say in this," Miguel says.

"She quit karate. For good," I reveal, hating this turn of events.

"What?" Miguel asks.

"Look," Zion grabs our attention again, "I just want to train here-"

"Not here you won't," I interrupt her. "This is a safe space for everyone trying to escape bullies. We don't need you invading." This is my dojo.

"Hold on," Robby steps closer to me, "she fought with you at the tournament. She didn't have to do that."

"I'm sure she's so reformed now," Nate shares my attitude.

"Yeah," Bert says. "You must feel great about yourself."

"And we still lost!" I point out. "Maybe you sabotaged us on purpose. You fought by using none of our principles."

"I'm not trying to start anything," Zion seemingly frowns. "I genuinely-"

"Genuine," Eli scoffs. "That's rich coming from you."

"Eli, come on," Miguel frowns.

I begin arguing with everyone as our words overlap, "Zion isn't reformed and she never will be."

"This is a fresh start," Robby raises his voice over ours.

"Maybe you can come back," Nate offers forgiveness to Robby. "But, not after what she's done. She beat the shit out of me."

I speak up, "She gave me a black eye and tried to practically maim me multiple times."

"She tried to kill Sam," Chris says.

"She's best friends with Tory," Bert points out.

"She lied about cheating on Eli," Little Red says.

"Oh, come on-"

I interrupt Robby as I continue, "She was Kreese and Silver's star student. The truth is, you can take the girl out of Cobra Kai, but you can't take the Cobra Kai out of the girl."

Zion steps to our side now and gets in my face. I hear Robby call to her, but we're already glaring at each other as she tells me, "I do regret a lot of the things I did, but the black eye is something I don't."

I tense as I try not to waver, "That only proves how blinded you are by your aggression, Queen Cobra." I smirk, proud of myself, as she gets visibly angrier.

"Come on," Robby tries to pull her away.

"Both of you get back," Eli comes to get me.

"See?" I continue triumphantly. "This is what you get for stealing the Medal of Honor."

Suddenly she's lunging at me, and Robby just barely saves me from being potentially maimed. I stare in shock; that really got to her.

"You didn't tell them?" she snaps at Eli.

I look at my best friend wearily as Chris says, "What the hell is she talking about?"

"Eli stole the Medal of Honor," Zion reveals. "Not me, not all the Cobras, no. It was all Eli." I frown as I look at him. All this time he never said anything. "I had no part in vandalizing your dojo, either."

"Seriously?" Bert turns to Eli who stays silent.

"Yeah," Miguel nods.

"You didn't tell me this," I say. This means it wasn't Zion. I'm shocked.

"I didn't..." Eli looks stunned.

"I knew it was bad to trust you," Nate turns on him.

"This just proves people can change," Miguel tries to mediate again. "Hawk changed. So can Z."

"Are you seriously suggesting trusting them?" Mitch wonders.

"Yeah, even after everything Robby did?" Bert asks. Suddenly Miguel is silent.

I take the chance to offer the obvious and to clear any suspicion, "How do we know she isn't still working for Cobra Kai?"

"I'm not," Zion assures us. "As hard as it is to believe, I want no part of what Silver is doing there anymore."

I call bullshit. "You're just upset the one real mentor you had in your life was put in jail for trying to kill someone."

She steps closer. Obviously I hit a nerve. Interesting.

"Be careful what you say, Demetri," she threatens me again.

I decide to play into it, "Or, what? You'll assault me again?"

Suddenly she's wearing that sickening smile again. I swallow hard.

"Why don't you tell everyone why I hit you?" Zion finally breaks the silence.

Shit. This is bad. I try to act nonchalant, "I-I don't know what you-"

"Tell them what you said," Zion steps even closer. "You think I evade the truth? All you say is nonsense. You leave everything bad about you out of your stories. At least I know what I am. And I know that you. are. a. coward."

I look back at my friends who now seem interested in what she has to say.

"Look at me," she raises her voice. I look at her when she commands before realizing what I've done and looking back down in defiance. "Do you want to tell everyone what went down the night before the first tournament or should I?"

"Demetri, what is she talking about?" Miguel asks me.

She continues with the revelation, "Nobody ever cared to ask me. I was so aggressive that I must've been in the wrong, right? We were drunk, and Demetri was the designated driver." I tense as she recalls it. "When Demetri finally gave me my keys back, he said that I was slutty."

I make the mistake of making eye contact with her, and I step back nervously. She looks just as pissed as that night.

"And he said that I was pressuring you into doing things with me. Karate, drinking... sex."

"What?" Eli asks almost angrily. Oh no.

"And then he said my dad didn't raise me right."

At that I find the chance for a rebuttal. "I-I mean, she was changing you," I tell Eli. "You weren't hanging out with me anymore and you had new hair and a new personality and the common denominator was Zion. So, I wasn't entirely wrong."

I can see I'm not winning their favor. I continue recklessly. I try to cover myself as I rush to get some words out that might help.

"E-Especially since I actually said 'her parents' didn't raise her right and, well, I guess after what we learned about her mom, I wasn't too far off."

I don't even know what I've said until pain is radiating through my face at the hands of Zion Ambrose once again. I audibly react like a coward, wondering how this happened again without a fair fight.

"Bitch!" I exclaim angrily. I can feel blood dripping from my nose. It's worse than last time.

Miguel holds off anymore interaction between me and her. Robby stands by her side as everyone else checks on me.

"Don't tell me you're all defending him," I hear Zion scold everyone.

"I told you she's never going to change!" I yell.

"Maybe this is all I'll ever be," Z says maniacally, "but I don't need to learn Miyagi-Do to know that it doesn't make you an inherently good person. If it did, you wouldn't have said the things you did or slut-shamed me on multiple occasions."

I think about all the physical assault in comparison to my choice of weapons: words. And half the time they don't even get through to her. So I question, "That's why you've hated me for so long? A few off-handed comments?"

"You say that like it means nothing!" she somehow gets angrier. I instinctively flinch and step back into the cars.

"Demetri, go sit down," Robby tells me. Then, "Zion, let's go." I watch as he grabs her keys.

"Give it a rest, Keene," Eli tries to defend me as I now refuse to sit down.

Miguel walks after them. 

Eli calls out on behalf of all of us, "Miguel, what are you doing?" We don't get a response.

I watch the trio get into the old Nissan. Nate went inside for the first aid kit. I curse in pain.

"Why didn't you tell me that when she punched you you had provoked her?" Eli asks as if its my fault.

I look at him, "I... I don't know. I thought the result was the most concerning."

"You could have been honest," Bert tells me. "This whole time we thought she did it for nothing."

"She didn't have to respond with violence," I argue.

"I guess. It's not cool to say that stuff, though, man," Chris frowns. I see that I've let some of them down.

An icepack is placed in my hands as I press it to my eye. My vision is very blurry.

"It was bad enough that you wouldn't admit to saying it. You must have known it was wrong," Eli frowns in disappointment.

I sigh, "Like none of you ever thought any of that?"

"It's not something I believe enough to vocalize to her face," Chris defends. I'm honestly shocked.

"Fine. You're entitled to how you feel," I say as I dig in my pocket for my keys and hand them to Eli. "But remember who did this to me. And it wasn't an off-handed comment."

Eli seems to begrudgingly get into the car. I leave the dojo in hopes that they sort this out and come back out on my side.

"Do you need the ER?" Eli asks with a dull tone of voice as if he's unsure of how to treat me.

I reciprocate the energy in dismay, "No. Just take me home, I guess."

⭒⭒⭒

5.5.0

I sit in my room and mindlessly play Minecraft Dungeons on my Switch. It's all I've been able to do since Yasmine broke up with me.

I suppose I've fallen into the heartbroken nerd archetype. Pining for Yasmine. Trying to distract myself with video games. I actually understand Eli now. Now I know what heartbreak is like. It's not for the weak.

He just called to say he's on his way to pick me up for a trip to our favorite shopping center. It's complete with a GameStop, secondhand book and video game store, a Barnes and Noble, and some other stores. Our moms used to drop us off there to walk around when we were younger, and we'd always end at the Starbucks a block away.

Oddly enough Starbucks has been there to cheer me up ever since I first tried it on a whim that I'd have some and Yasmine would strike up a conversation with me in middle school. I tried to be basic and popular. All I really got was addicted to pumpkin spice lattes in the fall.

The breakup was a mess. It happened at the local waterpark. That whole day was a mess, and I blame it all on Zion. Tensions were high with Cobra Kai. Everyone was fighting, and her and Robby seemed firmly planted between us but not quite with either group.

And then Yasmine mysteriously found out about what I've said about Zion in the past, took that as misogyny towards every woman ever, and broke up with me. Which, yeah, what I said was bad. But I don't know what I'm supposed to do about it. I don't want to admit it to Zion, and I sure as hell don't want to apologize.

After a day of shopping for mainly video games and some books, I pull into the dark, vacant Starbucks lot. It feels ridiculous to be here so late at night, but I can't deny that I want my guilty pleasure drink.

Eli doesn't ask me how I'm doing; we both know I'm not okay. I'm surprisingly dry-eyed, though. It's easy if I don't think about it. 

My day only gets worse when we walk in and see Zion behind the counter. God, has she not done enough?

"What can I get for you?" the man she's working with greets us at the register.

"I'd like a grande hot caramel macchiato," Eli orders.

"Okay, and for you?" he addresses me.

"We're separate," I say as I glance over at Zion.

"Okay. Your total is five dollars and thirty-four cents."

I wonder if this is my chance for payback. I'm at her work now, and she's with who I assume is her boss.

I order, "And then I'd like a... um..." I look up at the menu curiously. "I'll try a venti pink drink... with extra whipped cream."

"A pink drink?" Eli wonders.

"I'm trying something new," I defend. It's not PSL season anyway.

"Okay, that total is four dollars even." He rings it up. "Zion, can you get those started?"

I glance at her as she replies softly, "Sure."

"Well, well, well," I finally address her, "how the tables have turned." Revenge may actually be sweet.

"Since when do you work here?" Eli feeds off of my energy.

Zion glances at her boss nervously before answering like a normal person, "Since I moved into a new place."

Actually, it's hard to even look at her without thinking about the breakup she caused.

"Zion?" her boss calls.

"Right," Zion seemingly snaps back into barista mode as she makes my drink. I kind of watch to make sure she doesn't spit in it or mess it up.

She puts some ice in then grabs the whipped cream cannister.

I stop her, "Actually, can I have extra ice, too?"

Zion just smiles politely before pouring my drink down the sink little by little. Then she scoops more ice in.

I try to get on her nerves, "Wait, you just poured it out."

She turns to me with the most passive aggressive tone, "You didn't say extra ice so I had to pour some of the excess out."

I try to hide my amusement. "Hm."

She puts on the whipped cream and then grabs a lid. I interrupt her actions.

"Wait, that's not enough whipped cream."

She looks ready to fight me, but instead she oblidges and adds more. Then she's about to hand it over, but I shake my head in disapproval. The customer is always right. I then tell her to add more and more.

Eventually she argues with a little too much aggresison in her voice, "I'm not adding more."

"Zion," her boss walks over, "it's okay. Just do it."

Zion smiles spitefully as she adds more then puts on the lid and lets it all drip down the cup's outside.

"Oops," she says as she quickly hands me my drink and walks away.

"Caramel macchiato," the man brings Eli's drink to the counter.

"Excuse me, miss?" I test everything I can get away with.

She has a frown on her face. "What?"

"I need some napkins," I press on.

"Fine," she sighs and then hands me some.

That's when I tilt Eli's drink all over the girl and she screams at the revolting sensation.

I smile as I throw the napkins back at her. Her whole apron is soaked now.

Eli laughs, "Ooh, that's tough," and pulls me to the door.

I try to keep smiling as I glance back at her. Instead I find myself wondering why I don't feel vindication.

Maybe because it wasn't a fair fight. Maybe because it won't bring Yasmine back. Whatever the reason, I hate it.

⭒⭒⭒

Eli and I got to talking in the parking lot as I finished my drink. He didn't want any. We both agreed what we did may have been too far. It's just that I'm having trouble grasping that Zion has changed at all. Plus my black eye still hasn't healed, so it's hard to find forgiveness.

"Hey," Eli shifts around in his seat, "is that Edwin?"

I look over my shoulder and see a couple of guys our age walking around the Starbucks, but I can't make out their faces.

"I'm not sure," I frown as I look at another car that pulls up.

I'm surprised when the tall guy from Robby's juvie and the other day at the waterpark shows up. Something's happening.

"Should we go?" I ask Eli.

"No, it's Cobra Kai. They're after something," he determines.

I look at him wearily, "Or someone?"

We share a worried look.

"They're probably going to jump her like they did to me," he realizes. "Come on."

We get out of the car and follow behind them slowly. I feel very scared and very unprepared for this. I don't even know why I've gotten out of the car.

When we come around the corner I see maybe fifteen Cobra Kai students - male - surrounding Zion, who is on the ground.

"No mercy," someone with a deep voice says.

Suddenly I remember why I got into karate in the first place: to stop things like this from happening.

And though I hate Zion, I can't find it in myself to hate her more than the group of guys who assault her for sport.

"Let's go in," I tell Eli, a sudden determination in my voice.

And so we attack them. Eli goes right, and I go left.

Almost everything I do is a reflex. I can't even explain how I'm taking down so many on my own. I'm taking hit after hit, and it hurts a lot. I'm just glad that I've built up my stamina to withold this. And I know that Eli has my back, too.

At first I thought maybe Z would join in, but she's curled up on the ground beside a car. She looks completely terrified and out of it.

My attacker slams me into another car, and I slam him back. Eventually it seems everyone is up and running away.

Eli rushes over to her when the coast is clear. I stay a few steps behind him wearily. I don't know how she will react.

He bends down to touch her shoulder, and she lets out a small, hoarse scream in fear. She even scoots away pitifully.

Eli immediately apologizes, "Sorry." He looks at me worriedly, as if he's unsure of what to do.

Zion shifts into what looks like a panic attack stance: on the ground, curled into a ball, head in between her knees. It's so jarring. It's unlike anything I've ever seen from her. And it reminds me that she's human, too.

"What do we do?" I ask Eli when he comes back over to me.

"We have to call someone. Obviously she isn't going to trust us," Eli sighs.

"Miguel. I can call Miguel," I suggest.

"Okay, you do that," Eli tells me as he goes back over to Zion.

I dial Miguel frantically.

⭒⭒⭒

5.5.5

Eli volunteers for us to come back to the Diaz household with them. I kind of thought I'd be out of the equation and home by now. I mean, I care, but not this much. Especially since Miguel seems to have a handle on the situation.

"I'm fine. I've got it," Zion tells Miguel as we walk inside. She also seems to have a handle on the situation, or at least she'd like to convince us that she does.

Miguel's mom walks over to Zion on the couch. I see Sensei Lawrence is here, too. It's a crowded living room.

"Who did this? Was it Cobra Kai?" Johnny asks us.

I sarcastically respond, "No, it was the other karate gang," Demetri rolls his eyes.

"I think you should go lay down in Miguel's room," Ms. Diaz speaks up. "You can get comfortable."

"No," Zion objects to my surprise. "I want to go to my place."

"I can help you get cleaned up. We can get the... blood off of you."

Zion seems to accept her offer as she tries to stand up. She falls forward quicker than she got up, and I move instincitvely with the rest of the room to help her. She holds out her arm to keep us away.

Miguel still goes over to help. She's been limping since the parking lot. She should probably get medical attention, actually.

"No," she rejects Miguel's help. "I can do it."

"Zion, just let him help," Robby speaks up. I look at him in surprise. Their dynamic all night has been really off. I'm trying to figure it out.

"I can take care of myself," Zion glares at him.

She promptly grabs Carmen's hand and lets her help, leaving the rest of us to be useless. Robby and Miguel look especially upset at that fact.

Miguel excuses himself to talk to his mom as me, Eli, Robby, and Johnny awkwardly fill the space of the living room of an apartment none of us live in. I really want to leave.

Eli seems worried, actually. Not as much as Robby; Robby looks super anxious. But Eli is definitely worried about her. I think it's important that she's taken care of, sure, but it's also important that the karate war doesn't worsen with this.

"She's getting changed," Miguel comes out five minutes later. "I think she needs sleep. Mom said her knee is dislocated, she probably has a bruised or broken rib or two, she may have a concussion, and she has a slight black eye. Aside from the rib, nothing really looks broken. Mom is taking her to work for x-rays tomorrow, though, to be sure."

Everyone in the room relaxes as I wonder if I heard that right. She's seriously hurt. I don't wish this kind of karma on anyone, actually.

"I could kill Silver myself for this," Sensei Lawrence says predictably. "I could get LaRusso and we could-"

I stop that idea at the source, "No can do. Fighting the violence with more violence could only make this worse for her." For all of us.

"Do we know why they did it?" Sensei Lawrence wonders rather than arguing with me, thank God.

"She betrayed Cobra Kai," Miguel tells him. "That's enough."

"Who all was there?" Robby asks me and Eli.

"Um," I try to recall, "Little Red's older brother... Edwin, Dieter, that new blonde kid-"

"Joey," Robby says.

"Kyler," I continue. "Kenny's older brother."

"Shawn. But, no Kenny?" Robby asks curiously.

I shake my head in response. "There were, like, four others from the All Valley I don't know well."

"Tory? Piper? Kaya? Any of the girls?" Robby asks.

"No. All males," I reply. Eli is silent.

"I don't get it," Robby says. "Why attack her without Tory?"

"I thought it was weird, too, that the newly appointed 'Queen Cobra' didn't show," I note.

"It had to be something else," Miguel agrees.

"Silver must've been behind it," Robby determines.

"Oh, yeah..." Miguel seemingly realizes something.

I'm skeptical, "What makes you think this was all Sensei Targaryen?"

"Um," Miguel seems to hesitate, "that's a more personal thing for Zion to explain. Let's just say there's a lot you guys don't know."

"I'm glad you guys were there to save her. It could have been a lot worse," Sensei Lawrence tells them. Robby just nods.

"So, do I sense some tension between you two?" I address the elephant in the room as I look at Robby. "Because she didn't exactly seem happy to see you, either. I mean, I get us, even though we saved her."

Miguel takes this one. "They're, um, on a break."

Finally Eli moves. I look at Robby as he looks away in dismay. I press my lips together so I won't say something I'll regret.

"She's resting now in Miguel's room," Ms. Diaz comes back in. "She's going to be okay."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Can I go see her?" Eli asks. I turn to him in surprise.

"She won't want to see you," Robby says under his breath.

"What'd you say?" Eli asks angrily.

I find it unfortunate that I'm standing between the two.

"All I'm saying is that after all you did, Cobra Kai thought they could do that to her," Robby tells him. He even looks at me. I frown.

"How does that make any sense?" Eli wonders.

"Okay, well," Robby tells him, "you continuously call her a slut and talk about sex and make her seem less-than all the time. So it makes them think it's okay to use her and hurt her, as if she's not real. You tell lies about her all the time and get pissed when she plays into it. And you trigger her without even realizing like an ignorant asshole."

"Robby, stop," Miguel speaks up quickly.

I look around the room in confusion. What does he mean trigger her? Does that have something to do with the panic attack earlier?

"Triggering her?" Eli asks.

"Shit," Miguel frowns.

"You mean, like, like with her mom?" Eli wonders.

That would make sense, but, "You said that like it's something we don't know. What exactly do we not know that we should know?"

"Yeah, and why don't I know it, either?" Sensei Lawrence joins in. I look at him in surprise; even he doesn't know?

Ms. Diaz dispels the tension by kicking us out, "I don't think visitors are the best thing for her right now. Some other time, hm?"

"We can go," I usher Eli to the door. Then I turn back, "Will someone update us on her?"

I don't really know why I said it. Maybe it was for Eli. Maybe it was to be cordial to Ms. Diaz. Or maybe I actually find myself feeling bad for Zion and now pigs are flying.

"Sure," Miguel says with a slight smile.

I walk out the door and call to Eli, "Let's go."

⭒⭒⭒

5.6.0

I stare at Eli with wide eyes as he tells us this unbelievable story about Zion trying to kiss him when he went to check on her.

"And then she threw me out. But you guys can't tell Robby."

"No, that would be bad," Miguel says. "She's messing everything up."

I'm so confused. She tried to kiss him and she was drunk? She never seems to do good thing when she's drunk.

i try to understand and turn to Miguel, "Why did she break up with Robby? I thought they were pretty solid."

"Zion has a problem with drinking to deal with everything. Robby didn't want a part of that," Miguel explains. Yeah, that makes sense. And it does make sense that she'd be drinking to help with the pain. My black eye and arm alone were painful; I can only imagine both and more together.

"I never thought I'd be caring about Robby's feelings or caring about Zion again," Eli sighs. "It's so weird."

I perk up a little, "I think you may finally be moving on. Congratulations, my friend."

"I just don't know what else to do. I know Jai said they had a plan - Zion's friend - that they want to try tonight, but I don't know what that really means," Miguel tells us.

I remind them, "I tried to warn her the dangers of drinking. She's usually too drunk to even realize her idiocy."

"That's exactly why she doesn't like you," Miguel counters.

"I have some good points," I defend myself.

Miguel sighs as he keeps the tone lighthearted, "She knows all about it, but she won't change how she acts."

"After everything her mom put her through and after everything she survived at Cobra Kai, how is this the life she chose?" Eli brings up her mom again.

I'm dumb for not also considering that. It seems she does anything bad and wreckless despite the problems she's had in her life. If she can do that, I find it hard to find sympathy for her. But I do feel sympathy, especially after that night.

"I don't know," Miguel replies.

"Hey, don't be upset," I try to lighten the mood. "We can play Dungeon Lord."

"I don't think Dungeon Lord fixes this, Demetri," Eli tells me. He's really upset that she tried to kiss him.

"Maybe we can figure out the plan for tonight," Miguel offers. "If something is going down to help Zion, I should be there.

"And maybe us, too," Eli suddenly ropes me into it.

Miguel speaks up for me, "'Us?'"

Eli looks at me, and I decide to tentatively agree, "Zion still isn't my favorite person," I hesitate, ""but it's obvious that she's dethroned."

"Now we have a common enemy," Eli continues. "If we have any chance of taking down Cobra Kai, we need her karate skills."

"I wouldn't go that far," I mutter under my breath.

"And Miyagi-Do has to get over itself. I made that mistake at the tournament and didn't support her or Robby and we lost. This is the chance to get back all we've lost."

Miguel agrees to my surprise, "Yeah. With us there to support her, what could go wrong?"

Yeah, what could go wrong with me interfering in the affairs of my drunken enemy and offering her more unsolicited advice that previously injured me?

⭒⭒⭒

And that's how I ended up at a party on the other side of The Valley.

Eventually I find my way to the wall to be a wallflower. I kind of want to get out of here after just an hour.

"Jai said she just went to the bathroom," Miguel walks over with Eli. His phone is in his hand. "Let's go."

I follow blindly as we walk out to a room with a bunch of ping pong tables.

"What's going on? Why are you drinking more?" Miguel approaches someone I vaguely remembering seeing at school.

"It's part of the plan. She's going to realize all the bad things drinking can cause and she'll stop drinking on her own terms," supposedly Jai says. I frown at the idea.

"This feels like a big risk," Miguel tells them. At least, I think Jai goes by they/them.

"Yeah, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Eli asks them.

"Too much freedom freaks people out. My parents did it with my brother and it worked," Jai tells us.

"Well, Zion is used to freedom," Miguel points out. He's right. "She's been alone most of her life, especially after her dad passed."

"I don't think the liberation is going to scare her," I back him up.

Jai frowns at my presence and turns to Miguel, "What are these two even doing here?"

"They're my backup," Miguel defends us. Jai isn't convinced.

"I really think you two should go," Jai looks at Eli and I.

"We care about her, too," Eli says.

Jai looks at me skeptically, "Really?"

I stay quiet while admitting to myself that I'm half in and half out. I'd rather be out, especially if Zion is drunk again and may make this violent.

"Fine. Just hang in there until I can snap her out of the addiction for a second," Jai sighs.

"Wait, addiction?" I ask in confusion. Nobody mentioned her being addicted!

"You're drunk now, too. You can't expect to really be helping her like this," Miguel shifts the topic back on them.

"Just let me complete the plan and things will be normal and I'll have helped her," Jai tells us with drunken certainty. "I just need to get more drunk than her for her to realize."

"I should've known."

I turn around in fear at the sound of her voice. I whisper, "Oh, shit..."

Jai stutters, "Zion... please, I-"

"No. Don't even," Zion tenses. "You're plotting against me."

"Z, we only want to help you," Miguel speaks up.

"By tricking me?" Z makes a point. "By working with him?" she turns to me. I step back in slight fear. "No. There's no way this is supposed to somehow help me."

"My plan hadn't finished yet..." Jai fails to make a coherent sentence.

"Your plan wasn't a good idea for Zion," Eli steps in. "It only worked on your brother. Zion, we didn't mean to hurt you."

"I don't trust you," Zion snaps at Eli and I before turning away.

Suddenly the girl I recognize as Liv from school stands behind Zion and blocks her way.

"Liv, I swear to God, let me through," Zion raises her voice. Oh no. Please don't get violent.

"This didn't work, okay," Miguel tries to save it. "But, you can come home. My mom can do anything. She can help you."

"I'm not some situation that needs to be handled," Zion turns to him angrily. "I'm a person. I don't have a problem. I don't need your help. I didn't ask for any of this." Well, she's very wrong but very assertive about it.

"Let me drive us home," Liv says softly.

"I'd rather fucking walk," Zion tries to find a way through us.

"No, please, don't. Zion, don't walk in this condition. This isn't healthy," Miguel pleads with her.

"I don't give a shit what you think I should do," Zion curses at him. "I don't need more people manipulating me."

"This washmy fault," Jai speaks up again. "I'm so sorry. I made it worse."

"You should just stay back and away from me," Zion says. Is that a threat?

"Whoa, what's going on?" some tall guy with a southern accent randomly infiltrates our circle.

Before any of us can ask who the hell he is, Zion is all over him and pulling him away, "Come on, let's go have sex."

I stare in disbelief as Miguel leads the loud group after her. This is getting ridiculous and embarrassing. Does she not realize how embarrassing this is? This is farther than I thought she would go. What sucks is we just want to help and only made it worse, and now I'm at this party being blamed for something I truly didn't want to do.

"Zion, stop! You're being reckless," Miguel yells after her.

"No. You guys are the ones in the wrong," Zion stops to turn to us.

I speak up since I'm here anyway, "There's no way you're thinking clearly with that much alcohol in your system." I know how it is because my mom gets like this.

"You can blame me for it all, but please listen to Miguel," Jai once again ignores me.

"I'm done listening to any of you."

The southern guy is still here listening and leans down to Zion wearily.

Suddenly she wraps her arm around him again and says loudly, "Hold on, cowboy, I'll get to you." What the hell is going on?

The southern guy just smiles smugly. I don't like whatever vibe he's giving off.

"None of you can control me," Zion tells us. "You can try, but you just can't. And I'm done being a puppet over and over."

"Think about what you're doing, why you're doing it, and tell me it isn't for all the wrong reasons," Miguel converses.

"I'm floating like I'm meant to because this is fate and fate can't be wrong if it's telling me to have fun and finally, finally be free of the goddamn karate war," Zion expresses. "It's like I told Liv: I don't get a happy, poetic ending."

She's acting like this because she got beaten up. Of course. It makes sense. But it's just another instance of her being drunk ending badly.

Suddenly our end of the argument is silent. Eli turns to Miguel, "Say something."

Zion pulls the southern guy to the stairs now.

Miguel finally speaks up, "Your dad wouldn't want you drinking your life away after all he did for you."

I smile a little. There we go! Maybe that will get through to her.

Zion turns around angrily, and I realize just how wrong I was. Her voice is low as she asks, "What did you say?"

Miguel replies, "I-"

"You're no different than Silver or Robby," Zion says more angry than ever. She also looks sad. Miguel definitely said the wrong thing. "You bring up my dad as if this is supposed to help me or motivate me. My dad is a decaying pile of flesh in some graveyard."

She looks on the verge of tears. She's human. I actually feel really badly for her in this moment.

"That's all any of us are ever going to become." The southern guy dips, but she doesn't notice. "My dad doesn't know shit and neither do you, Miguel. I considered you family, but not after you throw something about someone you never met into my face. It was a mistake to trust you. Any of you."

Zion seems conflicted as she turns to leave in dismay. Miguel steps up to chase after her, and suddenly it gets violent.

"No!" she screams in a panic and elbows Miguel in the face. Hard.

I stare in shock. Miguel does, too. So does Zion.

I rush over to Miguel, but he seems okay. I see Zion running away promptly after.

"Are you okay?" I ask Miguel.

This is insane, but I know that it isn't an "I told you so" kind of moment. This is a lot more real than I thought. And honestly, I feel badly for her.

"Yeah, but you can't let her go off alone," Miguel says worriedly.

I see Eli chasing after her. "Don't worry," I assure him nervously.

⭒⭒⭒

5.6.2

Eli has invited me to the LaRusso house today to visit Zion with a peace offering. Apparently that's where she's staying until she feels better. I think it really did spiral into an addiction or it could have, which nobody deserves. My mom is like that but definitely more lowkey.

The peace offering is deleting the stupid rumors of her cheating from Instagram. It's also an offer for her to come train with us. Though I'm not totally convinced we're good, it's clear now that she didn't cheat, she's not a Cobra, and that she needs a little help. This is something I'm actually kind of proud of.

The thing about Zion is that she's actually a lot less crazy than I thought. Maybe this moment of vulnerability will allow me to understand her more. Maybe now we're on the same level and the same page. And maybe through that we can find respect.

Eli rings the doorbell. Sam opens the door.

We walk in and see Zion. She looks a lot better. Her bruises are fading, and she looks a lot better than she was at the party. That's not saying much.

"What are they doing here?" We're met with slight hostility.

"I don't... They came to check in, I guess," Miguel says in surprise. Sam must not have told him.

"I don't want to see them," she refuses.

"Z," Miguel stops her, "give them a chance."

"Maybe." She won't really look at us. She takes a big drink of water as we walk over. I don't know what to expect from her. "Why are you here?"

"We were there last night, if you remember," Eli says. "I wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm not some exhibit in the zoo to gawk at," she takes it the entirely wrong way.

"He never said you were," Sam tells her.

"We're not here to hurt you or fight you," Eli continues.

"I don't care." She glares at me, "Get out."

"Zion, just give them a chance," Sam pleads. She knows our intentions.

"A chance? I'm not in the mood for being here to clear your consciences."

"It's not like that," Eli says. Well, maybe it is for me. "We get it now. You're going through hell. I'd feel badly if we didn't care."

Zion turns to Sam, "If you don't take them out right now, someone will do something they regret."

"We can go if you really want," Eli offers before I can even show her the Instagram peace offering. So much for that.

"I do." She's obviously never going to agree with me or even talk to me. Fine.

"Z," Miguel scolds.

"Demetri actually had something to show you," Eli suddenly brings me front and center.

I turn on my tablet nervously as I take a step closer to show her, "I found a way to delete virtually every rumor and post about you cheating from Instagram."

Zion only frowns, "Why would you do that?"

I hesitate as I respond to her hostility, "It was a basic skill in computer camp we learned. You're going through a lot, obviously. Eli helped me, too. We thought we could-"

"I don't need your sympathy," she practically growls. "I don't need you to care about me. I don't want you to." She's no different than last night, actually.

"He's doing a nice thing," Miguel defends.

"I don't trust you," she looks at me then at Eli. "I should've never trusted you. And you can't tell me my feelings aren't at all justified."

I stand in shock. This is not what I was hoping would happen. So much for hope that Eli gave me, saying she seemed more down-to-earth last night when he brought her here.

"I knew she wouldn't want to join us," I mutter.

I know I've said the wrong thing when everyone turns to me in frustration, and Zion turns around, "Join you?"

"Uh, yeah..." Eli tries to keep her calm.

Sam speaks up, "My dad is joining Chozen and Johnny and Miyagi-Fang so we can work together to take down Cobra Kai."

"And, we think this time it will work," Miguel agrees.

"We're supposed to ask you to join," Sam says, "but we weren't going to say anything quite yet."

"You really think the best option for me right now is to go back to karate?" Zion asks in disbelief. It was for Eli.

Miguel frowns, "We thought it could help."

"Karate is the reason I'm like this in the first place," she says. "I'm dealing with so much of my own shit right now. I can't... not now... not ever."

"What's going on?" Mrs. LaRusso comes down the stairs with all three senseis behind her.

"I'm not joining your dojo," she snaps at the adults. "I'm never going back."

"Oh. You don't have to decide that now."

"Don't touch me," she pushes Mrs. LaRusso off of her.

"It's a plan to enhance our dojo," Sensei Toguchi smiles.

Sensei Lawrence looks at us in confusion, "I thought we were going to tell her together, not right now?"

"Yeah," I admit as I raise my hand, "that's my bad."

"It's like I said," her attention turns back to me. "We will never be on the same team. I will never work with you."

I sigh in dismay. This is absolutely not what I signed up for. I don't want to be continuously yelled at or verbally attacked. I don't want to deal with Zion Ambrose. I don't want to deal with pretending like she isn't my enemy. Everything seems to confirm that, and it's clear the night he Cobras jumped her was an anomaly.

"Zion, I know this is hard, but maybe it's our chance to take down Silver. We're stronger together," Sensei LaRusso tells her.

Zion continues to argue, "And what happened to the deal after the All Valley? He's only going to retaliate more. He's lethal. He's not going to give up. He's always five steps ahead." She actually looks scared.

"Cannot honor deal with a man who has none."

"I'm not facing Silver head-on anymore," she tells Sensei Toguchi.

"There's potential for this to eventually help you," Mrs. LaRusso says gently.

"We think it's worth it to try everything," Sensei Lawrence says.

"You're not alone anymore," Miguel says.

She looks overwhelmed. "Where was this eight months ago? Where were you when I needed someone that wasn't Kreese or Silver to care about me?"

I stare in shock as she yells at not only us but the adults too. She's not backing down either.

"No. You can keep your thoughts and your prayers and your new dojo. I'm done helping people who didn't give a shit when I needed it before."

And then she's rushing back upstairs, and the walls on this side of the house shake from the impact of her door slam.

We all look at each other, dumbfounded. I'm the first to move since it's been made clear I'm not wanted.

"Wait," Sam turns to me and Eli, "I'm sorry."

"Forget it," I say as I lead Eli back out to my car.

I'm so angry, actually. I'm done with accepting that something - whatever it is - is making her act like this. She won't accept pure help from anyone. She won't accept responsibility for her actions. She won't accept my peace offering or even say thank you. I'm done trying to make peace with her when it's clear there will never be.

⭒⭒⭒

5.7.0

Sensei LaRusso has been absent from training recently, so I'm surprised to see all three of our senseis at the dojo today.

We fall in, and I see the serious looks on their faces. It makes me slightly concerned.

"Cobra Kai has taken over The Valley. All that anyone knows now is Cobra Kai karate. Terry Silver's karate," Sensei LaRusso begins, stating the obvious.

"If this continues, all we've fought for won't even be memory," Sensei Toguchi continues. "Snake grows larger everyday. Swallow everything in its path."

"Something's cooking over there," Sensei Lawrence joins in like it's some kind of planned thing. "We have to make our move now. If we don't, every kid in The Valley is gonna be forced to choose."

Sensei LaRusso nods, "Which is why..."

The doors to Miyagi-Do open slowly, and I stare in shock when I see Zion emerge.

My peers are loud as she steps out acting like she's ready to be reformed and join us. I only sigh, "Oh, God."

Sensei Lawrence practically yells at all of us, "QUIET!" We all shut up instantly.

I stare at Zion wearily. I gave her a chance to come around, but she didn't. Then I heard she took on younger Cobra Kais at the mall and defended Anthony, which tracks with this new redemption she's been trying. But it makes me wonder how much of it is performative or self-indulgent. I'm especially skeptical after she was out with Yasmine the other day like they were best friends. I'm convinced she told Yasmine to break up with me. And if she's manipulative like that, who knows what else she's capable of.

"I said we have to make a move," Sensei LaRusso tells us.

"This is your move?" Bert wonders.

"That's a bad move," Nate says.

"Hold on, hold on," Sensei LaRusso commands. "She has as much of a right to be here as you."

"Bullshit!" Mitch shouts from beside me.

They begin yelling again. I see Sam, Miguel, Eli, Robby, and Aisha fighting with the others who are against it. I don't know how to feel.

"Guys!" Aisha suddenly yells and get our attention. "Hear her out."

"Give her a chance," Sam agrees. I trust Sam, sure, but I don't trust Zion and her unpredictability.

"Did you forget everything she did to us - to you, Sam?"

"I do," she nods to us, "but I also remember her fighting with us at the All Valley. I also remember her and I becoming friends because I gave her a chance. The least we can do is give her one, too."

"This is messed up," Mitch says.

"No. She's right." Eli defends her, and I'd like to be shocked though I'm not. "Cobra Kai got her like they got me. She's paid her dues. We should give her a chance."

Everyone begins to shout again. I'm kind of sick of it.

I step on a rock for a platform, "I was there when she got beat up."

They all look at me. I turn to Zion with a frown.

"It was all real, what they did," I admit. "I don't think she's a Cobra anymore."

Zion starts to almost smile. I shut it down, though.

"Do I think she should join us? No. I don't want to fight alongside her. Not until she proves herself. Not until she apologizes. Not until she says she's sorry for everything she's done to us," I gesture to her. I see some of them nodding in agreement. "Nobody is redeemed that quickly."

I step down from my pedestal as she hesitantly speaks up. I'll give her the chance to apologize for the black eye and the torture and the lies. I don't expect much, though, especially since its clear the chance for equal ground and respect is gone with her entrance into the dojo. She knows she's a good fighter, and I know she'll hold that against us.

"What I did wasn't entirely right," she starts off. What a bad start. "I made mistakes. I was influenced by Kreese and Silver, but so many of you know what that's like."

"That's no excuse," Chris says as he remembers his time in Cobra Kai. I'll take his word for it.

"I'm not perfect. I'm not ever going to be everything everyone wants me to be. But, I'm also not a Cobra Kai anymore. This is me asking for a chance... I'm sorry," she looks out with a genuine look on her face. "For beating you up when I should have known better. For stealing your money. For fighting all of you. For taking 'no mercy' to the extreme. I realize now how wrong I was."

I look at her skeptically. She can say that, but I wonder if it means anything. She might be just that good.

"All we're saying is to give her a chance," Sam speaks up.

"I'm not saying I need you to forgive me immediately or that we have to be friends. Things like this take time. I have a lot to make up for," she admits humbly. I didn't expect that.

"We have to remember that it doesn't matter who anyone was before they stepped into this dojo. All that matters is that today we are all a part of Miyagi-Do, er, Miyagi-Fang," Sensei LaRusso steps back in.

I hear some of the people around me call her a bitch or say that they're going to leave. It reminds me about how much she's hurt them and how we can't take her at her word. I'm worried her joining is a bad idea, so I'll stand by what I said.

"Okay, fine. You know what? Then leave," Miguel's voice breaks through. "It would be a real shame if you did, though. Because she is giving us the best chance at beating Cobra Kai that we've had all summer."

"How do you figure that?" Chris challenges.

I agree, "Miguel, think about this. She's a liability."

He looks at me in disbelief, "What you guys see as a liability is actually our biggest asset. She's only ever trained with Cobra Kai."

"We know that. She was the Queen Cobra," Little Red argues.

"Miguel is right. I can share things that you don't know about Cobra Kai. Together we can take them down," Zion tries to form an alliance again. I don't know how well it will work out after we lost at the tournament thanks to her.

"Together?" Mitch asks.

"Only if you let me," she says. "I know what I've done, sober and drunk. I know what I did of my own volition at Cobra Kai. I know I ruined a lot of things when I drank. I was scared, and I lived in fear. I drank... a lot more than I ever should have."

I'm surprised to see her vulnerability it back, but it's still not enough. Getting drunk or beaten up by Cobra Kai is a lot different than a personal apology with actions to support it.

"I can't take it back, but I can be better. The past doesn't define me as long as you try to give me a chance to be something different."

"She's joining, guys, whether you like it or not," Sensei LaRusso address us. "Welcome to the dojo, Zion."

I'm really not sure about this.

⭒⭒⭒

5.8.7

I walk into the dojo alone today, and nobody bothers to greet me. I've actually been out of it all weekend, and despite hanging out with Eli and seeing my parents nobody has noticed or bothered to ask what's wrong.

In case you're probably curious about how that happened, I can recap it all for you.

Zion joined Miyagi-Fang despite pretty much everyone's protests. I figured at the least she'd be easy to ignore. I was wrong.

She's annoyingly good at everything she does, and I swear that gives her a superiority complex. For example, she was really good at the pitching machine and the chain challenges that Sensei Lawrence set up for us. And in doing so, Aisha is her main supporter. I'm not really surprised, though, because she was never on my side.

Sensei Toguchi had us to this "egg challenge" for a couple of days. The first day she hid alone and hid the egg in her bra to prove some point to us all that I didn't quite get. It's especially annoying that she only wears a bra and shorts, because she's attractive, and I hate thinking that she's hot when she's literally the bane of my existence. Oh! And she threw a raw egg in my face.

As if that's not bad enough, she parades around online and in-person with Yasmine to rub salt in the wound. She even brought Yasmine to the dojo. They're suddenly such close friends. If anyone wants me to believe she didn't cause our breakup, they'd have a real explanation for that.

She makes everything look so effortless, and it makes everyone else look bad. So, one day I was mad and came up with a... well, a bad idea in hindsight. I pretended that she hurt me to finally have her supporters - the list grows every day - turn on her. But then she exposed me and completely and utterly humiliated me. And nobody did anything. That was the day everyone turned on me, I think.

Because in that same day I called her out for just repeating all that Kreese taught, and suddenly Eli turned on me. He got close to Zion again, and he only talked to me afterward to urge me to forgive her and talk to her. I said that don't want to be friends with her; it took a few days for him to come around and talk to me again.

Then she began teaching Cobra Kai karate to us under the supervision of the three senseis. She taught some very extreme concepts that made me nervous. I called her out on it, and suddenly I became the bad guy. I tried to find common ground and respect, but it was degrading to stand there and have my former bully lead the class and critique me. There's only so much I can take.

I'm kind of fed up with the dojo right now, but I constantly remind myself that my friends will come around eventually and that Cobra Kai is too big of a threat to ignore. That's why I'm back today.

But between our last class and now was Valley Fest and Zion's birthday. It felt like Zion Fest, if I'm being honest.

Of course, Cobra Kai was at Valley Fest for a panel. Zion threatened violence on Walker and Kyler, which couldn't have made things any better, though I do like the sentiment of protecting Anthony. Still, I'd rather not have retaliation from those snakes because of her. And she also took on Shawn, the main guy who beat her up about a month ago. It was only a verbal altercation, but again, you never know what will come of it. Zion and the other Cobras jumped me for a Yelp review, after all.

Speaking of Zion, she did a panel on feminism. It was fine, I guess, and it gave publicity to the dojo. I just hated hearing everyone act like she was a saint when I know the truth.

But what stuck out to me was an unexpected understanding of what Zion must have been going through. And I hate to admit it. They had Supergirl - Melissa Benoist - come to Valley Fest to talk about domestic abuse. And I really hadn't thought about it before. But when one of the most powerful women I'd seen on TV came out and said she was a survivor, I froze. I actually felt for Zion for a few minutes. But it still makes me angry that instead of being so nice like Melissa Benoist is, she became a bully and made really bad decisions that impacted other people's lives.

And it makes me feel like a bad person to resent Zion for what she's done to me, though I know I'm valid in feeling this way since she hasn't apologized to me. I know I'm right, but it feels so wrong.

The night ended with a huge birthday party that everyone from the dojo and all of my friends were invited to except for me. Eli warned me at the beginning of the night about it, but I didn't realize how much it would impact me to see it all over social media until it happened. It was devastating to see Yasmine having so much fun with Zion and refuse to talk to me again. It made the breakup more painful than before, which I didn't know was possible. I don't know how she can be so happy while I'm so miserable everyday.

To sum it all up, Zion has taken all my friendships and my good reputation from me. They say hate festers and infects a person. I wish I didn't hate her, but she's given me no other choice at this point. 

And this Monday training in the heat is made unbearable by our senseis as they announce Zion and I to be partners for the day.

"There must be a mistake," I basically plead.

"No mistake," Sensei Toguchi says.

"You two need to finally get along and put your shit behind you," Sensei Lawrence says.

Zion frowns, "But I can't respect-"

"Which is why you need this," Sensei LaRusso tells us. "If you don't respect each other then we have little to no chance of truly taking down Cobra Kai."

I look at Zion as she looks at me then back at the trio, "No."

"Okay!" Sensei Lawrence yells. "Everyone else, get your asses in gear and start training."

This is ridiculous. I try to ignore her usually, but I can't if we're partners. I don't understand why they're pushing this right now.

"I know this must be hard-"

"Hard?" I interrupt Sensei LaRusso angrily. "Competing in the All Valley was hard. This is impossible."

"You're on the same team now."

"He doesn't respect women," Zion says.

I look at her in confusion, "No, no, I just don't respect you."

"Great. Nice to see you learned nothing," Zion remarks.

"It's past tense," I decide to be a little shit and correct her grammar. "Technically it's 'you have' learned nothing."

Zion sighs in frustration, "This isn't going to work."

"It must work," Sensei Toguchi joins the conversation. "Yanbaru kuina. You are stronger together. We must be a force against Cobra Kai."

"With all due respect," I say, "me getting along with her isn't going to stop Cobra Kai."

"It might," Sensei LaRusso smiles.

"Must be partners today or go home for the rest of the week."

Once again, I refuse, "There's no wa-"

"Okay,." I turn to Zion in confusion. "If an hour with you is what it takes to train here all week then I'll do it." I wonder what the catch is.

"Great, Zion. Thank you. Demetri?" Sensei LaRusso turns to me. If I say no, I'm the bad guy.

"Yeah, I don't know..." I hesitate. Sensei Toguchi looks at me angrily. I panic, "Fine, fine, I'll stay."

"Okay, great. Find a spot to get started," Sensei LaRusso gives me a supportive pat on the back before walking away.

I look at Zion wearily, "I can't believe you said yes."

"It's like I've said before. There are more important things than my hatred for you," she says before turning away and walking out into the sun and dirt.

"Okay," I say wearily.

"Let's just get this over with."

"Okay, sure," I agree, "but do we have to go over that far? We were just in the shade." It's so hot today.

Zion argues, "If we stay by the trees, we have less room to practice. Over here we can spread out more."

"I get that, but I burn easily," I tell her. Sunscreen isn't enough for my fair skin.

Zion looks at the other groups then back at me, "We should get started."

"Fine."

"Starting position?" she wonders.

I find the way starting movement slowly. It takes me a minute to remember it all. Zion seems to speed up as I try to copy her and remember the pattern. Suddenly, she's turning around.

I stop her, "Do you mind being a little slower?"

"I'm barely even going fast," she says as if it's true.

"Well, it takes me a minute to remember all the moves," I reveal.

"It's not that hard," she frowns like I'm stupid.

I get defensive, "I never said it was hard. I just have trouble sensing your pace when I can't even figure out my own pace. Could you give me a second?"

She rolls her eyes. I roll mine in response. "Fine."

I go back to square one and try to recall the pattern.

I mumble as I go, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight... Kick... kick left... no, no, right. Wait."

"It's a left kick," she says like a know-it-all, "but it's after turning counterclockwise and then punching." She suddenly shows me. "Clockwise. Then kick."

I stop her, "Would you just let me do my process?"

"'Your process?'" She seems to mock me. I frown.

"Yes, I have my own way. It's different than yours. Not everything has to be your way."

"Okay," Zion says and turns away to get on her phone.

I try to block her out as I try to remember this sequence perfectly. I don't want to embarrass myself or have her think I'm bad at this. I just take more time than she does.

"Okay, I'm good," I turn to her after a minute of thinking I have it enough. I want to get this over with.

Starting positions. Move one, then two, three, four, five, six, seven-

I look at Zion and see she's already ready to turn again. I speak up, "Hold on, hold on."

"What?" she snaps at me.

"We're supposed to be going at the same pace and sensing each other," I remind her.

"Right."

"But we're not," I state the obvious.

"You're not keeping up," she blames me.

"I'm not supposed to follow you. You're supposed to gauge what pace I'm going at, too," I remind her.

"Your pace is slow. We're never going to get done," she insults me.

"Yeah, not if you don't try with me. I thought you cared about getting this right," I tell her.

She sighs in frustration. She takes a moment. Then, "Okay. Let's try it again."

She starts fast, and I stop at move number one to prove a point.

It takes a second for her to realize. When she does, Zion sighs in frustration. I'm also frustrated, "What? What did I do this time?"

"Why did you stop?"

"I was trying to see if you'd stay on pace with me. I stopped at the first punch, but you kept going."

"I'm trying to get this over with."

"We'll never get the point of Sensei Toguchi's lesson," I reiterate.

"You really want to get along with me?" she frowns, knowing the answer.

"No, but I'd like to beat Cobra Kai." I pause and look at her frankly, "Though it's not like I haven't been trying."

"Trying?" she wonders.

I nod, "Yeah, this past month I've tried to be nice to you or at least tolerant-"

"Nice? Did you just say you were 'nice' to me?" She sounds shocked.

"Yeah, ever since you left Cobra Kai I thought maybe-"

"Are you fucking serious? Is you making a snarky comment about everything I do nice? You judge everything I do, even when it's for the greater benefit of our dojo."

There she goes with the superiority complex. I stop her, "I wouldn't say it was for the benefit-"

"You faked being injured to make me look bad," she recalls. "You wouldn't respect me teaching, you wouldn't accept me joining-"

"I didn't necessarily like you, but I did help save you from the Cobras attacking you," I remind her.

"-and you didn't want me anywhere near this dojo in the tournament."

I get angry as I remember everything I tried to do for her that she took for granted or rejected, "I took down the Instagram rumors about you cheating without you asking me to. I thought maybe there was a chance to get along when you-"

"Right, I didn't ask you to do any of those thi-"

"-I even kept you trying to kiss Eli and trying to hook up with that random guy at the party a secret!"

Suddenly the whole dojo stands behind her and heard the whole thing. I suddenly realize how loud I was. Zion looks at me, betrayed. I know she didn't know I knew that. Shit.

"You tried to kiss Eli?" Robby gets involved.

Zion looks at me, "How did you even know about that?"

In fear that she's going to be angry with me I defend myself, "I was at the party, remember? Or were you too drunk to remember-"

Sensei LaRusso intervenes just before she attacks me once again, "Hold on, hold on, this is not what we do here!"

"I can't let him keep saying this kind of shit!" Zion yells.

I call her out on it, "You want to hit me again? Really? That's original."

"Let's take a break away from each other," our sensei says. He's so peaceful in comparison to us.

Zion acknowledges this, steps away, and walks over to her things. I see my peers glaring at me, so I turn in the other direction and go for my belongings.

"Demetri," Sensei LaRusso comes over to me. "I know you wanted at one point to give her a chance. Why not now?"

"It's been two months since prom when she disappeared from Cobra Kai, and I have yet to get an apology," I tell him.

"Did you even try-"

"I did try!" I tell him. "It's useless. Please, just leave me alone."

"I'm really disappointed in you," he says before walking away. What a cliche line.

I stand back up angrily. It's not my fault that she refuses to have patience with me or apologize or try to find common ground ever.

I see her over by the Miyagi-Do house with her head hung low. She's hiding her face; it's possible she's crying.

I know she's gone through a lot and can be genuine. There's a reason people like her. What sticks with me is that I don't agree with the way she handles situations, and it's clear she hates me back. I'm just convinced for us there will never be enough to find common ground.

Zion stands up straight and walks back over. She actually looks perfectly fine. She wonders, "Are we training or what?"

⭒⭒⭒

A/N: And this brings us to the end of Demetri's POV!

God, I'm so excited for season 6 AND for the next real update.

This next chapter is full of it all: heart-to-hearts, fluff, a little bit of smut, and Miyagi-Fang finally feeling like a team.

I hope to have that update out soon, but I think I'm only about halfway through writing it currently.

Please look out for the season 6 discussion chapter I'll be posting tomorrow and comment unapologetically because I love to hear from each of you.