The Foundation

SIX

"Everyone closed the book on us. They thought we were done. But now they see... that the real story has only just begun."

"I thought I told you to never contact me again."

The older man across from Johnny looks at him, confused.

"When I heard you brought back Cobra Kai, I figured that this was a shot I could redeem myself at."

Johnny charges the now-identified Kreese with an attempt of knocking him out, but the more experienced Vietnam veteran was able to overpower him with ease.

"Remember, it was I who taught you everything you know."

"You never taught me how to fight honorably."

"I made you what you are now. Before coming to me, you had no life. You were an incompetent loser."

Johnny tries to attack his former sensei and father figure once more, but his attacks are deflected.

"Enough with this childish banter. Even though you lost that day, in my eyes, you were always the better fighter. Furthermore, I've taken the liberty to fix up your second-place trophy."

Johnny's anger deflates slightly at the sight of his restored trophy.

"You can kiss my ass all you want, but there's no way in hell I'm letting you back in here. Not after everything you've done."

"But, Johnny—"

"Get out of my dojo. Cobra Kai needs one sensei, and that better be me." Johnny responds icily, not even batting as much of an eyelash to his former sensei. To his surprise, Kreese relents and starts out the door.

"One more thing before I go, if you change your mind, you know where I am."

With that, the older man left the premises. Johnny made sure that he was gone before shutting the door.

The next day...

"It must have been rad if a fire was involved."

"Indeed."

We'd just walked into the dojo only to find out that no celebration had happened. Instead, Johnny appears with a conflicted look on his face.

"This is about your old sensei, isn't it?" I deduced, reading his glum look.

"Looks like someone did their homework." He responded sarcastically; "but yes, it is."

"I have a question. If you had a daughter, would you let Ted Bundy near her?"

"Like hell, I would."

"Then I'm sure you know what your decision would be."

***

Throughout the course of the week, things went really well for the dojo. For a while, I was even able to forget that I started as a common orphan who had no friends and was struggling with depression for quite some time.