THALIA LOOKED down at the ground as the dirt kicked up with every small step she took. She didn't think she would ever find herself here... but here she was. Her bag clinging to her side as she stepped inside the dojo, the grass around her freshly cut and the other students talking amongst themselves.

Robby glanced over, seeing the blonde standing by the entryway with her hands clasp together, her silver rings standing out to him the most. They had been the same ones he'd seen Tory wear every single day. She never took them off.

Robby gave Sam a gentle nod before making his way over to the girl. She looked lost. She felt lost.

"Hey."

Thalia turned slightly, her brows raised before falling and looking over at Robby with a soft smile.

"Oh, hey."

"I didn't know you joined."

Thalia inhaled before nodded. "Yeah... Shock to me too."

Robby softly smiled. "I get it... Does Tory know you're here?"

"Yeah, I told her yesterday." Thalia answered. "She seemed okay."

It wasn't a long conversation at all. Thalia didn't think she'd show up today. She was sitting in the living room when Tory walked past, mentioning how she'd was getting ready to leave and head over to Cobra Kai.

And all Thalia did was look over at her sister and say, "Yeah... I might go over to Miyagi-Do." and that was it.

Tory stood there for a moment, blinked, and nodded. She muttered an "okay" and left to go practice.

That's was that.

Tory had already broken up with Robby because of Cobra Kai and she'd been through enough shit with Thalia because of it. She rather let her sister go do what she wanted than have the back and forth spat that had previously.

It wasn't only draining for Thalia but for Tory as well. She didn't hide it well when she was at the dojo, but she hid it from Thalia.

But for now, Thalia watched as Robby turned, point towards the small shed where she could put her belongings until training was over.

"Miguel?" Demetri nudged him, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Earth to Diaz. You good?"

"Yeah," Miguel said quickly, though he wasn't entirely sure if that was true. He stood up straighter, his hands finding his pockets as he watched her head toward the shed.

When Thalia emerged from the shed, she scanned the yard, her eyes flitting across the students before landing on him. Miguel straightened instinctively as her gaze locked with his.

She sent him, along with Demetri and Eli, a small wave before a whistle was blow and the Miyagi-Do students gathered around the man who now stood before them.

"Line up!" He shouted.

His accent was thick and he stood with pride. Thalia didn't know this man but she would have no choice but to get to know him, especially when she knew she wanted to be here.

She would later learn that his name was Chozen Toguchi.

"So where are my dad and Johnny?" Sam asked.

"Not here." He answered. "Today, you train with me."

He said something in Japanese that made Thalia step back. She had gotten accustomed to Johnny's shouts and not having him around for the summer to yell at her—though endearing at times—was a relief she didn't know she needed.

"Attention." He spoke, the students standing at attention with their eyes focused on the man. "Bow. Cobra Kai gaining ground. We must prepare. Come."

The group stepped onto the sparring deck, the different tools and weapons sat on top of a table. Thalia had never used a weapon other than a bō staff and it was tricker than she thought when she had no prior training when she did use it.

"Now, we learn about Yanbaru Kuina."

Chris smiled. "What is that? Like, some top-secret karate move? Like a throat rip?"

"No. It is bird." He answered. "In English called Okinawa rail. Endangered. Cannot fly."

"Hence, endangered." Demetri muttered.

Chozen bent down, grabbing something with a cloth around it and placed it on the table. He soon removed the cloth and revealed that it had been a dozen eggs.

"So, these are the real eggs?" Miguel asked.

"No. Trader Joe's. $3.29." Chozen answered. "Take egg."

"So what do we do with them?" Sam asked.

"Yanbaru Kuina must protect egg. From Kume Shima habu. Poison snake. You must do same." Chozen said. He grabbed the sand timer and flipped it, resting it on the table. "Begin your preparation."

"What are we protecting them from?" Robby asked.

"From me." Chozen answered and picked up two sais from the table, waving them around as he spoke in Japanese once again. "Go! Go!"

The students quickly scattered, some saying they would classically sit on their eggs to protect it, while others went up.

As for Thalia, she didn't know how to protect her other than to fight for its safety when the time came.

She stood by herself, her egg in her hand as she looked down at it.

"I see many little birds spread in wind." Chozen spoke. "Many dead eggs."

Thalia wouldn't hide, she knew that she'd be found. She knew, for now anyway, that her egg would be the safest in her hands.

She heard the sounds of footsteps hitting the ground hard. She turned and saw Eli and Miguel running past her in different directions and decided to follow suit.

She didn't know where she was going... she didn't know this place. All of it was strange, but it felt homey. All these people knew each other, they were friends... all Thalia had was herself and this egg.

She held the egg tightly in her hands as the she squatted down by one of the many cars that had been lined up by Miyagi-Do.

She believed that she heard Eli and Sam's younger brother Anthony and stood up slightly, peeking behind the car to see the two of them making their way over towards the dojo, but she didn't duck down in time. Chozen had seen her and made his way over, the nunchucks aside and a bō staff now in hands.

"Wait, wait, wait," she said, holding up a hand. "You've got a bō staff? How is that fair?"

Chozen raised an eyebrow, clearly unbothered by her protest. "Life is not fair," he replied, his voice steady. "Okinawa rail must face many dangers. Adapt or perish."

Thalia scoffed, backing up slightly as Chozen continued his slow advance. "Yeah, well, I don't think they're dodging flying sticks either!"

Chozen didn't answer; instead, he swung the bō staff toward her in a smooth, calculated motion. Thalia yelped, ducking just in time, the wind from the staff brushing the top of her head.

She darted left, Chozen following her movements easily, his staff ready for another strike.

He swung again, this time aiming lower. Thalia leapt back, her feet skidding slightly in the dirt. She could see the precision in his movements, the control in every swing of the bō staff. Her heart pounded as an idea sparked in her mind.

As Chozen lunged forward, Thalia threw her egg high into the air, a move that immediately caught Chozen's attention. His eyes flicked upward, and Thalia seized the opportunity, twisting her body and launching a sharp kick aimed at the bō staff.

Her foot connected, and the bō staff flew from Chozen's hand, landing a few feet away with a dull thud.

Her hands immediately reaching out to catch the egg as it descended. Her fingers closed around it just in time, cradling it close to her chest as she turned to face Chozen.

The two of them moved in a tense dance, each trying to outmaneuver the other. Chozen managed to grab her wrist, and Thalia gritted her teeth, using her other hand to push against his chest and create space. She spun away, but Chozen was relentless, his grip firm as he pulled her back toward him.

"You have good instincts," he said, his tone steady, even as they grappled. "But instinct alone is not enough."

Thalia shifted her weight, attempting to break free, but Chozen hooked his leg behind hers, sweeping her off balance. She fell backward, landing with a thud as the egg slipped from her grasp. It flew through the air, and Chozen caught it effortlessly, cradling it in one hand, and he quickly cracked it.

"You fought well," he said, his voice carrying a hint of respect. "Your instincts are sharp. But you must trust them more."

Thalia dusted herself off, trying to hide her disappointment. She looked up at him, her chest rising and falling with the exertion.

Though she was disappointed, she bowed before him and nodded, taking in his words as she made her way over towards the sparring deck where she found everyone but Miguel and Sam, but they would soon arrived and watch Chozen make a couple of eggs in front of them.

"You are not good Yanbaru Kuina." Chozen said. "Snakes will take you down one by one. I have tried to tell you what you must do. But you do not listen. You must learn to adapt. Or soon, you will be extinct. Take new eggs. Try again."

Sam sighed, grabbing the carton of eggs and brought them over to the others. Each of them taking their egg in defeat.

"Sensei Toguchi's real cryptic, like Mr. LaRusso, but aggressive like Sensei Lawrence." Demetri spoke.

"It's like the hardest part of both styles." Chris added.

"Can't wait to get our asses kicked again." Mitch muttered.

As the group began to disband, Thalia stepped forward. "Well... we don't have to get them kicked you know?" She sighed, watching as the group slowly regrouped. "We just... have to protect the egg. We don't have to work alone."

Anthony nodded, stepping forward. "He said that the snakes will take us down one by one. Just like he took us down one by one."

Thalia turned. "All we have to do is protect the egg. Together."

"Exactly." Anthony smiled. "Like, um, a raiding party in Dungeon Lords."

Demetri pointed. "Yeah, yeah, yeah! I- I mean, even if you're a level 85, you can't mount an attack on the grand realm alone."

"Exactly." Eli quipped. "You need a team. Everybody has a special role."

"Yeah... whatever that means." Thalia nodded. "The only way we win is if we work together."

With that, the group made their way to the sparring deck and placed their eggs into a bucket hat they found. They all stood around the eggs, their backs facing them as they stood side by side.

"So, we're sure we want to out all our eggs in one basket?" Demetri asked. "You're specifically not supposed to do that."

"This is gonna work." Anthony reassured, but the confidence in his words wasn't there.

Suddenly, a whistle blew, but he was nowhere to be seen, but soon, he rushed forward, a bō staff in his hands as he approached.

They were able to get the bō staff away from him and snatch the eggs away from the center before he could grab them.

With a small, very faint smile, Chozen bowed. "Snake concede. This is what we have that Cobra Kai does not. Their movement mile wide, but only inch deep. But our movement, inch wide, but mile deep. Now that you have learned to work together, I will teach you how to master your defense."

The group of students nodded before bowing before him.

— lucy has something to say !!

"are those the eggs" MIGUEL ARE YOU STUPID ????

bye :))))