╔.𖥸. .════════════════╗

𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗬

chapter thirty-six
ever the protector

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THEY COULDN'T JUST stand by and watch from the sidelines anymore. Things in The Valley were getting extremely worse because of Cobra Kai, and the last thing any of them wanted to do was let them win. Who cared about a handshake deal now? Silver had no honor, so why would they honor him any longer?

There were a bit of steps that re-established Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang (although Alyssa guessed she would call it Miyagi-Fang again.) First, Sam had been whisked away to Ohio, much to Alyssa's dismay, by her mom. And then Sensei LaRusso had gotten beaten up badly by Silver, which is the time that everybody decided to intervene.

With a bow to Sensei LaRusso, Sensei Lawrence, and Sensei Toguchi — their new Sensei, somebody from Sensei LaRusso's past — Miyagi-Fang was officially up and running again.

In the wise words of Alyssa, they had gotten the band back together.

It was the day before their dojo would come back to life, and Alyssa was at the mall. She had gone to the mall a couple of days ago with Moon and Yasmine to get more leggings, but she needed a new pair of training sneakers. Alyssa had already thought about getting new ones, but then karate got cancelled, and she didn't have a reason to anymore. Yet now she did.

She walked out of the store, her bag in her hand, when she slowed to a stop. Cobra Kai had opened up a dojo at the mall and were advertising with a table and merch — that wasn't shocking, because they were opening up dojos left and right. What made her stop, though, was how Kenny, Kyler, and some other Cobra Kai's were surrounding Anthony.

Alyssa's expression hardened. She recognized the gleeful mischief on Kyler's face, one that she knew from years of seeing it against them. And she also recognized how Anthony was cowering away from them, one that she also knew from years of being like that with Demetri and Eli — and Miguel, until he totally beat the shit out of him in the cafeteria.

Sure, Anthony had fucked up royally by bullying Kenny. Alyssa never agreed with bullying — but now he was being bullied by the one thing that was making all of their lives living hell.

So, without a second thought in her mind, she walked up towards them.

"Anthony, there you are," Alyssa called, making all of them stare at her as she slowed to a stop next to the LaRusso boy. "I just texted you saying to meet me at my car, you ready to go?"

"Uh . . ." Anthony trailed off.

Alyssa then looked up at all of the Cobra Kai's. "Is there a problem?"

Kenny stared her down, a small smirk settling on his face. "You're Hawk's little girlfriend, right?"

She crossed her arms. "Said girlfriend has a name, and it's Alyssa." Alyssa then tilted her head slightly, focusing in on Kyler. "Oh, hi, Kyler. Still bullying kids, I see. I guess things never change."

"And you're still following around Lip," Kyler replied. "Why don't you run along, Bubblegum, and leave Anthony with us?"

"Kyler, let me explain this to you in the dumbest way possible so that your small brain can understand it," Alyssa said. "You are a senior now, but instead of focusing on important things like, oh, I don't know, college, or fixing your haircut, you have decided to help a bunch of freshmen—" she gestured to Kenny "—attack a kid." She gestured to Anthony. "I really hope it sounds as pathetic to you as it does to me."

His eyes flashed with anger for a moment before he smirked. "You should actually be thanking me for fixing your boyfriend's haircut."

"Oh, you mean when you literally strangled him with a karate belt?" Alyssa countered. "You know what, whatever. Here's what's going to happen. Kyler, you're going to shut up, because if anything about Eli comes out of your mouth again, I will end you. Kenny, you're going to keep that Cobra Kai t-shirt you're holding, because neither Anthony and I would be caught dead wearing that. Also, it's really ugly, and the red would clash with my hair. Bright pink plus bright red is kind of a lot, you know?"

"Hey—" Kenny began.

"Sorry, was it your turn to talk? No, sorry, didn't think so." Alyssa placed her hand on Anthony's shoulder. "As for Anthony and I, we're going to walk away, because we'd rather not stoop to your level. None of you are going to follow us, because that would be considered stalking." She then smiled brightly, but it was almost sickening from how sweet it was. "Have a horrible day. I hope we don't see you again soon."

Alyssa then walked away, taking Anthony with her. She waited until they were far enough away, practically in the parking lot, before talking.

"You okay?" Alyssa asked.

"I'm fine," Anthony replied. "Thank you, Ally."

"Don't mention it, kid. Us Miyagi-Fangs have to stick together, right?"

That was true. Especially now.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

THE FIRST DAY back at karate practice felt like they hadn't left.

In the warm summer air, Miyagi-Do glittered brightly underneath the sun rays. All of them were scattered around the yard, doing stretches to warm themselves up.

Alyssa stood by the fence with her boys — also known as Eli, Demetri, and Miguel, also known as her boyfriend, her (boy) best friend, and her brother (figuratively.) She got a wild sense of déjà-vu from being a group of four again. After all, it had always been Alyssa, Eli, and Demetri against the world, and then Miguel got roped into their group, and then it was them against the world.

Well, before everything spiraled out of control. But now they were back, and Alyssa could arguably say, stronger than ever.

(Also, might Alyssa add that the small mohawk Eli had now was so cute?)

"So, you and Sam back in the dojo," Eli stated to Miguel, who was watching her and Anthony talk on one of the platforms. "Game on, right?"

"Yeah, game on for karate, that's it," Miguel responded.

"Oh, come on. I see you staring at her."

"Subtlety was never your superpower, honey," Alyssa added.

"I thought you guys decided to keep things platonic," Demetri voiced.

"Yeah, well, she did," Eli said. "He didn't."

"Well, uh, you know what they say." Demetri put an arm around Miguel's shoulders. "Put a box of matches near some fireworks, soon enough . . ." he mimicked an explosion. "Sparks will fly."

Alyssa tilted her head. "I don't think people say that as much as you think they do."

"Yeah, is that what they say?" Miguel agreed.

Demetri's eyes then settled on something. "And something tells me it's about to be the Fourth of July."

Alyssa followed his gaze. Walking into Miyagi-Do was Robby. Now that he was back in Miyagi-Do, it meant he was officially over Cobra Kai — but Alyssa wasn't so sure he was officially over Tory. Apparently, him and Miguel had also settled their differences. The only huge differences that remained now were Eli and Robby and Alyssa and Robby, but she hadn't found time to talk to him yet.

"I can't believe that piece of shit's on our time," Eli admitted.

"All right, relax, okay?" Miguel told him. "He wants exactly what we want. It's gonna be okay."

A loud whistle suddenly sounded throughout the backyard, gaining all of their attention. Alyssa glanced over to see Sensei Toguchi standing on the sparring deck, clad in a gi with a table next to him.

"Line up!" Sensei Toguchi called.

He said something else in Japanese. They all moved towards the sparring deck. Eli placed a hand on the small of Alyssa's back to lead her along, and she found herself slotted in between Sam and Eli as they stopped.

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

"Not here," Sensei Toguchi answered. "Today, you train with me."

He said something in Japanesean. Alyssa blinked.

"Attention."

Alyssa immediately straightened up and put her hands at her side, missing the grounding of Eli's hand. Sensei Toguchi said something in Japanese again, and none of them moved.

"Bow," he translated.

At once, they bowed to him.

"Cobra Kai gaining ground. We must prepare. Come."

He rounded around the table, revealing multiple objects on it. Alyssa stared at them as she climbed a little on the sparring deck.

"Oh, this is gonna be badass," Mitch said. "Check out that throwing knife."

"Now we learn about Yanbaru Kuina," Sensei Toguchi explained.

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

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

"Hence endangered," Demetri stated.

Sensei Toguchi then reached underneath the table. He pulled something out covered by a piece of twine cloth. Once he pulled away the cloth, it showed a dozen eggs.

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

"No," Sensei Toguchi replied. "Trader Joe's. Three twenty-nine."

Alyssa shrugged. "Fair enough."

"Take egg."

They all moved forwards. Alyssa grabbed two. She kept one for herself and turned, handing one to Chris behind her.

"So, what do we do with them?" Sam questioned.

"Yanbaru Kuina must protect egg," Sensei Toguchi continued. "From Kume Shima habu. Poison snake. You must do same." He then lifted up an hourglass, turned it around, and placed it back on the table. "Begin your preparation."

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

"From me." He then pulled out two sais and waved them around with such practice it made Alyssa's eyes widen. Then he said something in Japanese. "Go! Go!"

Immediately, they all ran away to scatter themselves over the dojo. Alyssa didn't really know what preparation she had to do for her egg, but that time would come, she assumed.

"I see many little birds spread in wind," Sensei Toguchi announced. "Many dead eggs."

Currently, Alyssa was by the decks with her boys again. She was leaning against one of the posts near Eli, watching the scene across the way with a fond smile on her face, twisting the friendship bracelet she shared with Sam around her wrist absentmindedly. Sam and Robby were laughing together in such a carefree way that it told Alyssa everything was going to be fine between them.

"Look at him trying to move in on her," Eli voiced. "If you want me to, I'll kick his ass."

Alyssa rolled her eyes and pressed her foot into his shoulder blade, gently pushing him forwards. "No, you will not. Stop being stupid."

"But—"

"But nothing. Robby's literally not doing anything, he's just talking to her. I mean, it has to be weird for them to be back in the same dojo. They were the original Miyagi-Do's. It was just the two of them before Demetri and I joined." She sighed. "Now that I'm thinking about it, I should probably apologize to him."

Miguel's eyebrows knit in confusion. "For what?"

"Oh, I told him he was a coward, threw punch in his face, and threatened to kill him."

Demetri's head snapped up to her, his eyes wide. "What? When?"

"At Prom," Alyssa answered. "He came up to me and asked how Eli was doing after . . . you know, and I just lost it."

Sensei Toguchi then whistled, signaling their time was up, and he was going to hunt them now.

"Looks like the Hunger Games have begun," Demetri revealed as they all stood up. "Luckily, I have eggs-ecuted the perfect plan. When I win, everyone will have egg on their face. They'll be shell-shocked. The yolk will—"

"Oh my God, make him stop," Alyssa pleaded.

"Okay, yeah, we get it," Eli swiftly interrupted. "What's your plan?"

Demetri pointed at him. "I'm glad you asked. I have created a protective covering." He pulled out a weird contraption and placed his egg in it. "I made it out of my college prep book for blunt force impact, and I tied the whole thing together with an old spool of dental floss and . . . my left shoelace." He lifted up his foot for emphasis, and his shoe evidently didn't have its shoelace. "Yep." Demetri then placed his device on the post Alyssa was leaning against. "Yep. It's pretty durable."

Out of nowhere, a throwing knife soared through the air and embedded itself right through Demetri's contraption, successfully breaking the egg. Alyssa's eyes widened and she quickly pushed herself off of the post, leaving the boys behind and going on her own.

There was really only one place that came to mind when she thought about hiding something small. Alyssa glanced around the backyard for a second as she slowed to a stop behind a tree. Not seeing anywhere, she placed her egg in her shirt, right in the middle of her sports bra. Sensei Toguchi would definitely not be able to get it there . . . well, unless he kicked her right in the chest.

Seeing as it was all safe now, Alyssa decided to just walk around. She kept herself on high alert, but she moved through the dojo, looking at where everyone was. Eventually, she saw Robby by himself, kneeling by some mulch. Now would be a good time to talk to him, and curiosity also got the better of her.

"What're you doing?" Alyssa asked, slowing to a stop next to him.

Robby glanced up for a moment. "Digging a hole, what does it look like I'm doing?"

She smiled a little. "I didn't ask for the attitude, but thanks." Alyssa then paused for a moment. "Um, Robby, I just wanted to apologize to you. For calling you a coward, making your hair all sticky, and threatening to kill you. I definitely wouldn't have killed you." Alyssa's eyebrows knit in thought. "At least, I don't think I would have."

Robby continued to dig his hole. "It's all good. I deserved it, anyways."

Alyssa then patted his shoulder. "Welcome back. And good luck with your egg."

She then wandered away, rounding around to the front of the dojo. Alyssa immediately saw Eli standing there, just holding his egg, and Anthony sitting in one of the old cars.

"Hey, you two," Alyssa greeted.

Eli's eyebrows knit in confusion. "Are you just walking around? Where's your egg?"

"Oh, I've hidden it in a place where he cannot get it." She reached down into her sports bra and pulled out the egg, holding it up for them so see. "Smart, right?"

He chuckled. "You put the egg in your bra?"

"Yeah. It's totally safe in there."

Sensei Toguchi then casually walked past her and plucked the egg of out her hand. He threw it up in the air and sliced it with his hand. Alyssa watched as the egg yolk, white, and shell all fell to the ground.

She stared down at the broken egg before looking back up at Eli. "I shouldn't have taken it out."

Eli straightened himself up. "You want my egg, huh? You want a piece of the champ? Come get it, old man."

Sensei Toguchi then pulled out a pair of wooden nun chucks.

Eli's face immediately fell. "Oh no."

He barely had time to react before Sensei Toguchi knocked his hand against Eli's. The egg flew up in the air, and he hit it with his nun chucks like it was a fucking baseball. It hit against the windshield of the old car Anthony was sitting in.

Anthony gasped. "I — I give up. I — I give up, I give up."

Sensei Toguchi walked up to Anthony and merely tapped the nun chucks against the egg in Anthony's hand.

Together, the three of them went back to the backyard. Standing on the sparring deck was basically the entire dojo. Alyssa sighed and leaned against Eli a little, who put his hand on her back and ran it up and down gently.

Robby nodded to him. "How'd he take you out?"

"The egg left the nest," Alyssa responded. "The nest being my bra."

"Shut up, don't talk to me," Eli protested.

Alyssa gave him a look. "Enough."

"Dude, if this is about the mohawk, I'm sorry," Robby said. "But if anybody knows how Cobra Kai can turn you into an asshole, it's you."

"Oh, so I'm an asshole?" Eli countered.

"Yah, well, let's see. Uh, you attacked me and Sam at the mall, you — you broke Demetri's arm, y-you trashed this entire dojo, you made Ally bleed—"

"Hey!" Alyssa shouted, making them both stop and look at her. "Pull your heads out of your asses and knock it off. You guys are being ridiculous."

"Why are you defending him?" Eli argued. "He pushed you! Into a pool!"

Robby pointed at Eli. "He made you cry on numerous occasions!"

"How did this suddenly become an argument about me?" Alyssa cried.

"Guys!" Demetri yelled. "Enough! Enough! All right? You're both ex-assholes now who have done something to Ally in some capacity. Great. Can we focus on the issue at hand? There is a madman out there using weapons on us."

"Who's even left?" Chris questioned.

Alyssa glanced around, doing a mental roll call in her head. "Sam and Miguel." Her mind then registered what she just said, and her eyes widened. "Oh."

It didn't take long for them to get out, though. Now defeated, they all gathered around by the decks. Sensei Toguchi had put a pan on a hot plate. He cracked an egg on it, and it immediately began to sizzle.

"You are not good Yanbaru Kuina," Sensei Toguchi told them. "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 walked up and grabbed the dozen eggs before going back to their group so they could all get one.

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

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

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

At once, they all started to walk away from each other, ready to find something else to do. Alyssa sighed and looked down at her egg. She could always put it back in her bra, as long as she didn't take it out again.

"Uh, no," Anthony began. "No, um . . . g-guys, uh, wait."

They all stopped. Alyssa looked back at Anthony expectantly. He gave her a nervous look, and she responded with a small smile and a slight nod.

"He said that the snakes will take us down one by one. Right? Just like — just like he took us down one by one, but . . . but what if we weren't a bunch of ones? You know, like, what if we were . . ."

"Together," Sam finished.

Anthony pointed at her. "Yeah, exactly. Like, um, a raiding party in Dungeon Lords."

Demetri instantly caught his drift. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, even if you're a level eighty-five, you can't mount an attack on the grand realm alone."

"Exactly, you need a team, and everybody has a special role," Eli added.

"The only way we win is if we work together," Anthony continued. "As one."

"I'm in," Alyssa said, being the first to do so. "Anthony's right."

Murmurs of agreement sounded throughout the group. Throughout it, Alyssa managed to catch Anthony's gaze again. She gave him a subtle wink, telling him he did a good job.

They all put their eggs in a bucket hat and moved to the sparring deck. The bucket hatt got put in the middle, and they all formed a defensive line around it, ready to defend it at all costs.

"So we're sure we want to put all our eggs in one basket?" Demetri inquired. "I mean, you're specifically not supposed to do that."

"This is gonna work," Anthony insisted.

Then came Sensei Toguchi's loud whistle. He was coming.

"Oh no, oh no, oh God," Mitch let out.

"Get it together, Penis Breath," Eli replied.

"Has anyone seen him yet?" Sam asked.

Alyssa glanced out. She saw nothing in the backyard besides the sun rays and the usual decorations. And then, out of nowhere, Sensei Toguchi came running around the koi pond holding a bo staff. Her eyes widened.

"Holy fuck, we're gonna die," Alyssa commented.

"Oh shit," Miguel muttered. He then raised his voice. "Ready!"

Sensei Toguchi swung the bo. Eli caught onto it, and it gave Robby enough time to kick it away. He swung it again, and Eli grabbed it. Robby swung upwards, and Sensei Toguchi quickly blocked it before shoving Robby backwards. Sensei Toguchi then tightened his grip on the bo, dragging Eli along with it. Demetri ran forwards and kicked, which Sensei Toguchi blocked. He kicked Eli, and Miguel grabbed him.

"Grab the bo!" Eli yelled.

Alyssa didn't need to be told twice. She was itching to do something. Alyssa ran forwards before anybody else, aiming a kick right at Sensei Toguchi's side. He blocked it, but it gave her enough time to grab the bo staff out of his hands due to the moment of surprise of her coming out of nowhere. She twirled it around before holding it in her fist, resting the top end of the staff against her back.

How she managed to do that, she didn't know. She had never trained with a bo staff before. It just seemed natural, though.

Alyssa swung the staff at him. He tucked himself and rolled under it. For a moment, all of them were on one side, and it was just Sensei Toguchi and Anthony on the ground with the bucket hat off eggs in between them. Sensei Toguchi approached it, but Anthony quickly slid it back to him.

Sam then attacked. She aimed multiple times at Sensei Toguchi, which he all blocked with ease. Miguel then joined in, and him and Sam fought in complete sync. Sam held Sensei Toguchi back so Miguel could kick him. Sensei Toguchi then sent Sam stumbling back. Eli and Robby shared a glance before advancing, kicking Sensei Toguchi back at the same time.

Alyssa then approached again. She swung the bo at him, which he blocked, before deciding to hit him from a different angle. Alyssa turned herself around and swung again. This time, the bo hit his thigh. He faltered a bit, stumbling back from the blow. All of them regrouped, Alyssa at the very front with her staff, as they surrounded the eggs. Sensei Toguchi tried to advance on them, but they would move with him, ready to attack.

Sensei Toguchi then stood still, his fighting stance dropping. "Snake, concede."

Alyssa let the tension drain from her body. She allowed the top of the bo to now rest against the floor, and she moved some of her pink hair out of her face.

"Dude, it worked!" Eli exclaimed, bringing Anthony in for a tight hug.

Alyssa giggled and joined in on the giant group hug. She high-fived Sam, the sun and moon charms on their bracelets glinting under the sun. Eli then turned to her when he let Anthony go, his eyes flickering from her face to the staff in impressment.

She laughed a little. "Don't ask, I don't know either. But I do kind of go crazy with the staff."

"This is what we have that Cobra Kai does not," Sensei Toguchi admitted. "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.

Alyssa raised her hand. "Uh, do you want your bo back?" She lifted up the bo a little for emphasis. "I kind just snatched it away from you."

Sensei Toguchi looked at her, a glimmer in his eyes. "You have earned it."

Alyssa smiled a little. She felt the familiar kiss on the top of her head from Eli, and her smile only widened further.

Sensei Toguchi spoke in Japanese again. This time, he didn't need to translate. Alyssa immediately straightened up, her free hand falling to her side as her other held the bo, which was still resting on the ground. He said something in Japanese again, and they all bowed to him.

•─•°•❀•°•─•

next chapter is when miss ally gets her moment to SHINE who's READYYYY