"Today you will all experience Shochu-Geiko," Daniel said we were all slowly melting under a tree, it was so hot out
"Like the car insurance?" Chris asked and I laughed
"Shochu-Geiko is a Japanese exercise where you train during the hottest days of the year, it's about pushing yourself to your limit," Daniel told us
"My limit has been pushed," I said "I won't let anyone hug me and that's a very weird thing for me because I love hugs"
Daniel laughed "the fight isn't always going to come when it's 75 degrees and breezy"
"Aren't we supposed to avoid fighting?" Sam asked
"Sometimes you can't someday the fight may come to you and I want to make sure that you are ready so today we are going to see what Miyagi-Do is made of" Daniel made us get into a circle, he gave us numbers and put Robby in the middle
"Two" Daniel called a number and one of the guys lunged at Robby but he took him down, Robby got in a fighting position "five" he yelled and I went in after Robby I kicked him in the ribs
"Got you" I laughed
"Alright Demetri's turn, come on Demetri get in there" Daniel was trying to hype him up "three" Chris ran at Demetri and punched him in the stomach
"Sorry Demetri you gotta block that," Chris told him
"Six" Demetri's feet were swept and he fell on the ground
"I hate this" he groaned
"Alright come on get up" Daniel instructed
"Can we please take a break" Sam whined "this heat is brutal"
"You guys want to cool off," Daniel asked
"YES" I yelled and everyone laughed at the way I bounced happily
"Alright, I think I can accommodate that" Daniel grinned, something was wrong this was not going to be simple
"This is not what we meant" I shivered thirty minutes later, Daniel had basically thrown us in a giant freezer
"So you couldn't take the heat of Shochu-Geiko perhaps you'll find Kangeiko more to your liking," Daniel said "look it's not about the heat or the cold it's about adapting to the environment around you and using that to your advantage look around what do you see"
"Freezing cold people" I muttered
"No, look past that, I see the exhalation of breath the twitch of a muscle the shift of a stance, if you lean into the cold it will heighten your senses, and then you'll anticipate the moment before your opponent strikes and you will always be ready"
"Alright Aella, start us off" I jumped into the middle of the circle and looked around waiting for someone to lunge at me "seven" I heard Chris's breath quicken and I quickly turned around kicking him backward
"That's what I'm talking about" Daniel smiled "eight" Robby went to kick me but I blocked him and was able to get rid of all of his punches that were thrown at me, he tried to kick again but I was too fast he swung a fist and I blocked it trapping his arms
It was then that I realized how close together we were, I had the urge to just lean in and kiss him but that would be totally inappropriate
"Alright, let's get Demetri in there" Daniel laughed
"Alright here goes nothing" Demetri mumbled as he walked into the circle
"Five" I lunged at Demetri, I went to punch him but he blocked my first two attempts and punched me in the stomach
"Wooo, I did it" Demetri yelled happily I gave him a huge hug
"You did it" I squealed and clapped my hands
"one" someone lunged and kicked Demetri in the gut ruining the moment
"Oh come on" I shouted
"Ok, that's ok, baby steps," Daniel said making Demetri feel better, my phone buzzed and I looked at it, I had a text from Tory I had asked her what she was doing today
Coyote Creek, I'll send you the address in case you want to join the game
Tell them not to start without me
I texted her back. I knew this would be my last chance to get the medal of honor from Hawk for a while.
"I gotta go," I said quickly and ran out of the fridge we were in, I got in my car and started driving to the place Tory had texted me, I knew I wasn't part of Cobra Kai but I'm sure Kreese wouldn't deny Tory because he wanted me as part of Cobra Kai.
I got there ten minutes later and ran towards the voices I heard, I made it to the group taking deep breaths so I didn't look like an idiot.
"Ms.Stone, nice of you to join us" Kreese smirked and I just nodded, I could feel Hawk's eyes on me but I didn't dare look at him I was handed a red headband, I saw Hawk was handed one as well
"Actually I would prefer to be on the back team," I said and since Kreese was desperate for my allegiance he handed me a black headband
"Gentlemen, Ladies welcome to Coyote Creek," Kreese said "you have been split into two teams, red and black, the goal is to capture as many headbands as possible from the other side" I glanced up and saw Hawk's blue eyes, I did everything in my power to not show weakness
"Today the people across from you are not your friends, they are not your brothers, they are the enemy, the last team standing wins"
"How do we get the headbands?" Miguel asked
"By any means, possible" Kreese told him
"Use judgment this is just a training exercise," Johnny said
"But remember" Kreese held up a headband "this is your life, if you lose it you die" I gulped at those words
"Hey guys, sorry I'm late" I turned around and saw chubs "traffic on the 118 was a real bitch" my eyes widened at his appearance
"What have you done to yourself," Johnny asked
"Oh, yeah ya know what I decided to flip the script Hawk style, respect" I was struggling not to laugh "you can refer to me as stingray" I let out a tiny giggle
"Yeah alright chubs," Johnny said
I walked off alone and I knew exactly who I was going for, I wouldn't let anyone stop me I had to get the medal from Hawk. An hour later it was just me and Hawk left, I waited for him by a tree
"Finally a worth opponent" he smirked
"I was right, you're the one who trashed Miyagi-Do"
"They're the enemy, I had to put them in their place" he spat
"So that means you had to trash our dojo and steal our medal of honor?"
"Just because you were in Miyagi-Do doesn't mean I had to go soft," he told me "if you want the medal so bad, come and take it"
"Gladly" I spat we got into fighting positions and then Hawk ran at me I blocked his kicks and rammed him to the ground, he let out a scream I shoved his stomach
"is that all you got?" Hawk yelled flinging me into a tree, I cried out in pain but I got back up and kept fighting, I flipped him over again and held his chest down, I took the headband and the medal
"That's all I've got," I told him, I turned around and saw everyone watching me "black team won" I shouted
"Finish him," Kreese told me, I looked down at Hawk
"I won't," I told him
"Finish him"
"I said no" I shouted
"Diaz finish him" Kreese growled at Miguel
"No, Miguel" I ran at him and shoved him to the ground, as much as I hated Hawk right now I would always have a soft spot of him, I heard a few rustling leaves and turned around punching chubs right in the face, he must have tried to be a stingray but that didn't work out so well
"Adapt to your surroundings" I growled then I faced Hawk "thanks for the medal" I took off back into the forest, I'm sure I just made one hell of an impression.