Title: Back to the Roots
Character: Daniel LaRusso
Word Count: 350
Prompt: Asia
Finished: 07.04.2023

:::

The moment Daniel left the plane at the airport in Okinawa, he knew it had been the only right decision to come here. It felt like coming home, to the country of karate, to the homeland of Mister Miyagi, his sensei, his mentor, his friend.

Even if Mister Miyagi was not around any longer; he died about two years ago. It had taken a while until Daniel was ready to accept that his grief about losing him would never go away completely. But with the help of Amanda, his wonderful wife, and his two great children, he finally learned to move on. After the long days at his car dealership, he had even started to do karate more often again. And it had felt good.

But his life came apart at the seams during the last months. He had never thought that Cobra Kai and his former enemy, Johnny Lawrence, would ever play such a decisive role in his life again. Threaten his family, the business he had started from scratch some years ago, all he did believe into.

Feeling tired and broken, he was sitting on the porch one evening, let his eyes wander to the small pond, taking in the ruined surrounding which had still been his dojo only a week ago — an eon where he still had believed in karate, in honor and respect. Everything gone. Even Amanda, who had never hesitated to go through thick and thin together with him, started to doubt his decisions lately.

Finally, his eyes stopped at the sign on the wall, the rising sun with the bonsai in front of it, and the label Miiyagi-Do Karate. Suddenly he heard a voice in his head. „Daniel-san, you need to go back to the roots, and you will find out what to do next!“

For a short moment, he closed his eyes, breathing in deeply, before going over to the baggage claim area to grab his small suitcase. Already now, he could feel the tension inside him vanishing. Where, if not here, he would be able to get a clear head again?

Title: Respect and Honor
Character: Daniel LaRusso, mention of Mr. Miyagi
Word Count: 122
Prompts: moon
Written: 20.03.2023

:::

Daniel stepped onto the porch, looking up at the sky. The full moon bathed the surrounding in a mysterious light, which made him smile. Even after all the years, he could picture Mr. Miyagi doing his kata in the garden of his beloved dojo at night. „Best way to get rid of evil thoughts, Daniel San,“ he would tell him now, „and to remember respect and honor.“

Daniel sighed silently. After all that had happened lately, it was necessary to remember this. Cobra Kai was out of control and a real danger to the people he loved. All he wanted was to protect them at all costs, and it was so easy to forget everything his old sensei had taught him once.

Two 3-Sentence-Stories

Title: Killer Machines
Character: Johnny Lawrence
Word Count: 102
Prompt: family
Finished: 17.4.2021

Johnny was shaking inwardly when Robby suddenly stepped beside Kreese, staring at him with cold eyes. He had thought to be ready for the fight against his old sensei, after he finally had to admit it, that all the years hadn't changed the man in the slightest; rather the opposite, back then he had taught his students to fight hard and merciless because every fail was out of question. Now he seemed to be resolved to make killer machines out of them, and it got Johnny choked all up to realize that his son had decided to be one of them.

:::

Title: No mercy doesn't mean no honor
Character: Miguel Diaz
Word Count: 182
Prompt: misery
Finished: 17.4.2021

Miguel turned his head away when Johnny Lawrence entered the hospital's room; the last one he wanted to see, he was the one responsible for the misery he was in now; as his sensei, he had taught him from the beginning the three mottos of the Cobra Kai Dojo: strike first, strike hard, no mercy; and Miguel had taken it in like a dry sponge the water.

Then he did win the All Valley Championship, but instead of celebrating sensei Lawrence had suddenly changed his position to point three and told him that fighting hard was okay, but some lines one should never overstep because there was a difference between no mercy and no honor.

Today Miguel wished he hadn't listened to him; the tiny bit of hesitating when he did remember his words during the probably hardest fight he had ever had, had brought him here, into the hospital, and when he did read the considerate looks of the doctor and the tears of his mom right, the chances one day to stand on his own feet again were not very good.

Title: Mercy and Honor
Character: Johnny Lawrence
Challenge: Fandom Battle
Word Count: 629
Finished: 10.04.2021

:::

The All Valley Championship. The day which was supposed to be the one of his greatest triumph. The day which had shattered all his dreams into pieces. When he crept out of the hall defeated, he had lost every hope.

The last he had thought was that he would ever stand here again, years later, enjoying the heated atmosphere and the tension before the last fight. Miguel, the best fighter of the Cobra Kai Dojo against Robby, his son, who refused to have any contact with him.

A part of him knew that it wasn't fair to blame him for it; he had never been a good father. A good husband, neither. Maybe he deserved it that his son only showed disdain for him, but it did hurt anyway that he preferred to practice karate with Daniel Larusso instead of joining his father's dojo.

With a stony face, Johnny watched the two rivals stepping onto the mat, a short introduction by the referee, followed by the classical bow to show each other respect. He could see the fierce determination in Miguel's posture; yes, he was his best student, willing to follow the dojo's rules. Strike first! Strike hard! No mercy!

His eyes wandered to Robby, and he knew this would not be an easy win. He had made the mistake once to underestimate Daniel's way of karate, a way of harmony and self-composure but not less powerful than his way.

:::

The door closed behind him, and he rested his head against the mirror. Inwardly he was still shaking. The fight was over, as expected, a long and hard one; for a long time, the score had been even until Miguel finally made the chop which could bring the decision. Robby was lying on the ground, struggling for air, a part of him still not ready to accept the defeat, when Miguel jumped forward again. The kick into Robby's ribs was hard and ended the fight.

The referee lifted his hand to announce the winner; the other Cobra Kai students stormed the mat to celebrate Miguel, the audience was clapping and hooting. Miguel had lifted the trophy over his head when he came over to him. „Cobra Kai, Cobra Kai,“ he shouted, „No mercy!“

Johnny forced a smile on his face and slapped on his shoulder. „Good job,“ he murmured,“ I always knew you would make it.“ Then he turned around and rushed into the washroom.

The cold glass of the mirror finally allowed it to breathe again. „No mercy!“ Miguel's word still in his head, he did remember the grimace of pain in Robby's face when he finally did stand up again, looking for a hold at Daniel Larusso's arm. No mercy!

This was wrong. Suddenly the scales fell from his eyes. Miguel's behavior had shocked him; Robby would have lost the fight anyway; the last brutal attack had been totally unnecessary.

But he couldn't blame him. He was a teenager, all of his students were, and they looked up to him. Because he was their sensei. They did believe every word he told them. Without thinking about it, he had drum the old dojo's rules into their heads. Strike hard! Strike first! Losing a fight is not an option; gaining victory at all costs is the only target.

What has he done? Afflicted he squeezed his eyes shut. His dojo did carry home the All Valley Championship trophy tonight, something he had always dreamed about. But instead of celebrating with his students, it felt as if he was the loser, again, the one who had failed entirely.

Because as a good sensei, he should also have told them that fighting hard alone was not what made you a winner. Karate was also a question of respect and honor.