Lukas Preston had never felt more alone in his life. As he walked down the dusty streets of North Hollywood, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He knew that Tyler and his cronies were lurking around somewhere, just waiting for him to let his guard down.

It had been like this for as long as Lukas could remember. He was the typical quiet kid at East Valley High School. Nerdy, socially awkward, and would prefer to spend his days coding with his best friend Hannah rather than going to football games, and Tyler and his crew had made it their personal mission to make his life a living hell.

They would tease him in the hallways, call him names, and push him around. Sometimes things would escalate into physical fights. Lukas had tried to ignore them, tried to keep his head down and just get through, but everyday it was getting harder and harder to put up with all the taunting.

As Lukas turned the corner onto the street, he saw Tyler and his friends waiting for him. They were leaning against a car, smoking cigarettes and laughing. Lukas felt a lump form in his throat. He tried to walk past them quickly, hoping they wouldn't notice him, but Tyler called out to him.

"Hey, Preston!" he shouted. "Where do you think you're going?"

Lukas tried to keep his eyes down, but he could feel Tyler's gaze burning into him. He knew what was coming next.

The other boys laughed, and Lukas felt his face turning red with humiliation. He wished he could disappear, wished he could be anywhere else but here.

"Just leave me alone. Tyler." Lukas said quietly. "I just want to go home."

"Home?" Tyler laughed. "You mean your Aunt's basement?"

"Just leave me alone please." Lukas said, his voice trembling.

But Tyler wasn't done yet. He stepped forward, blocking Lukas's path.

"Come on, Preston," he said. "Let's see what you've got."

Lukas tried to move around him, but Tyler grabbed him by the shirt collar and pulled him back.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" he said, sneering. "We're just getting started."

Lukas knew that he was in trouble now. He tried to push Tyler away, but the other boys closed in around him, trapping him.

It was at that moment that Daniel LaRusso drove by.

He had just left his North Hollywood dealership and was on his way home when he turned his head and saw the group of boys taunting and pushing Lukas. As he watched, memories flooded back to him. Memories of being bullied by Johnny Lawrence and the Cobra Kai, of being pushed around and humiliated. He couldn't stand by and watch another kid go through that.

He just couldn't.

He pulled over to the side of the road and got out of his car, striding purposefully towards the group.

"Hey! What the hell is going on here?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

Tyler looked up, surprised to see an adult intervening. He recognized Daniel from the car commercials, but he didn't care. He was still angry and looking for a fight.

"Mind your own business, old man," he said, stepping forward.

Daniel didn't back down. He stood his ground, his eyes locked on Tyler's.

It is my business when I see a group of punks beating up on an innocent kid," he growled. "Now, why don't you do everyone a favor and leave him alone?

One of Tyler's friends seemed like now was a good time to leave.

"Dude." He said. "Maybe we should go, doesn't this guy know karate?"

Tyler snorted. "Are you kidding me man? What is this guy gonna do? Karate chop me?"

"I'm not looking for a fight. I just want you to leave this kid alone." Daniel said calmly.

"How about you just mind your own business." Tyler said, stepping forward. "Get back in your car, and go away. Unless you want to get a beat down just like that fucking nerd."

Daniel said nothing, standing his ground as Tyler shrugged half heartily.

"Okay, you asked for it." He said, throwing a punch towards the dealership owner.

Daniel didn't answer. He simply took a step forward and blocked Tyler's next punch with ease, sending a swift kick to his stomach, knocking him down to the ground.

Tyler cringed with pain, looking to his friends for assistance.

As Tyler's friends swarmed Daniel, he took them on one by one. Making precise strikes and blocks against the teenagers.

Tyler lunged at Daniel, shoving him against the fence and punched his face.

After another swing, Daniel blocked his hit, flipping Tyler onto the ground with ease as Lukas watched in shock.

"Holy shit." The boy said in awe, adjusting his glasses.

It seemed that no matter what, nobody could do anything against the former karate champion.

As Daniel kicked another boy in the stomach, Tyler realized he had enough embarrassment for one day.

"Come on." Tyler struggled, lifting his friend off the ground. "Let's get the hell out of here."

And with that, they scattered, running as fast as they can to avoid humiliation. Leaving the Preston boy and Daniel alone by the fence post.

"Are you okay?" Daniel asked, offering his hand for the Preston boy.

"Y-yeah." Lukas replied as Daniel helped him up. "That was awesome."

"Yeah, it was pretty cool wasn't it?" Daniel smiled. "I'm Daniel, what's your name?"

"Lukas." The boy said nervously. "You're the guy from the car commercials right?"

"I see the reputation precedes me." Daniel joked. "You live around here Lukas?"

"Y-yeah." Lukas replied. "Just around Van Nuys. It's not too far from here."

"How about I give you a ride home, least I can do."

"Are you sure?" Lukas asked. "You did just kind of take care of my bully back there."

"Don't worry about it." Daniel smiled.

"Well thanks, you just saved me money on the bus."

                                                -

Lukas absentmindedly gazed out the window, listening to REO Speedwagon out of Daniel's radio in a comfortable silence.

"So how long?" Daniel asked suddenly, making Lukas furrow his brows.

"I'm sorry?"

"How long have those boys been giving you trouble?"  Daniel clarified.

"Oh." Lukas nodded. "Since middle school, give it take."

"You know, I got in my own fair share of run in's back in the day."

"Really?" Lukas asked. It was kind of strange, considering how Daniel stood up to Tyler just then.

"Oh believe me, the guys I dealt with were worse compared to Tyler."

"Dang, that's hard to believe." Lukas replied. "How did you handle it?"

"I had a good teacher." Daniel replied. "Taught me how to stand up for myself against my bullies, and how to find more balance in my life. His name was Mr. Miyagi, and he was the handyman at my apartment complex."

"Wait, what?"

"Trust me, it sounds crazy when you first hear it." Daniel explained. "But Mr Miyagi was more than just a karate teacher, he taught me the importance of keeping balance, discipline, and honor in your life."

"Sounds like a great guy." Lukas said.

"Yeah, he was like a father figure to me." Daniel replied, reminiscing his youth.

As they neared Lukas's neighborhood, the possibility of Tyler and his friends pulling up on Lukas began to worry the boy. He realized he wasn't going to have Daniel around all the time.

"Tyler is going to kill me the next time he sees me." Lukas said sadly.

Daniel thought for a second at Lukas's words. He wouldn't admit it right away, but he saw a lot of himself in the boy. Stemming from his own experiences as a teenager in the valley, going against the brutal bullies of Cobra Kai and learning how to stand up for himself in the process.

All he needed was a good mentor in his life, like Mr. Miyagi was for him.

"I'll tell you what, you got anything going on tomorrow?" Daniel asked as they pulled into Lukas's driveway.

"I don't think so." Lukas shrugged. "What's up?"

"How about I teach you?" Daniel suggested. "So you can stand up for yourself against those kids. Like the way Mr. Miyagi taught me."

Lukas was surprised, he knew that Tyler and his friends were going to keep coming after him especially after what happened, but he was unsure. Learning karate seemed like a stretch.

"I don't know Mr. LaRusso." Lukas replied with a hint of uncertainty. "I really appreciate what you did for me back there, but I'm not sure if I'm cut out for karate."

"Lukas, I know it may seem intimidating, Learning karate is a commitment, and it's important that you're comfortable with it," Daniel said, his voice filled with sincerity. "It's not about seeking revenge or becoming a bully yourself. It's about finding confidence, inner strength, and standing up for yourself in a more positive way."

Lukas shifted nervously, his mind indecisive between the desire to protect himself and the fear of stepping into a world he knew so little about. But as he thought about the constant torment from Tyler and his friends, he realized that he couldn't continue to live in fear. He didn't want to be a victim anymore.

So what the hell?

"Alright." Lukas said. "I'll give it a try. I can't be a victim anymore."

Daniel placed a reassuring hand on Lukas' shoulder. "I'm happy to hear that. And I'll be there every step of the way, just like how Mr. Miyagi was there for me."

And as Lukas entered his house, he was still a bit unsure of Daniel's offer. He also knew that he couldn't sit by and be tormented by Tyler again, he couldn't just keep being the shy kid who lets himself get picked on. He didn't know if karate was going to work out for him or what was in store.

But why not? Life is full of risks, and you'll never know what'll happen if you don't try.