The Serpent Queen

Strike First | Part One

Two days later, Phoebe and Miguel stood facing Johnny in the new karate dojo named Cobra Kai. According to him, the name wasn't brand new and some parts of the dojo weren't either, it just made a comeback from the 80s.

A few stickers were stuck on the walls of black karate silhouettes. The large foam mats in the centre of the room was also the colour black, however a few mats were red. Those red mats were placed in a rectangle that outlined the centre black mat. A stack of white cubed shelves sat in the far left corner. Next to it, sat a station for cold drinkable water. A small collection of foldable chairs were huddled against the left wall, which was entirely covered in large mirror panels. The main office was behind the shelves, indicated by a medium sized window that could be looked through. The door into it just happened to be a few steps away from the water dispenser. To the right of that door was an emergency exit door, but it was also the door that lead to a back room and a small bathroom and an actual exit door. To the right of the fake exit door was an American flag that hung on the wall. At the very top of the wall, just below where it met the ceiling, two thick lines ran the entire way around the dojo. One was red and the other was black. On the wall behind their teacher was the dojo's mantra painted with jet black paint in capitals and block font.

STRIKE FIRST

STRIKE HARD

NO MERCY

Johnny dressed in a black karate outfit with a skinny black headband tied around his head. He stared at them while standing as still like a statue and the teens stood opposite him in the black centre of the mat with their shoes off, staring back at him.

Miguel wore a blue LA Dodgers jersey and maroon shorts, while Phoebe wore black gym leggings with a hot pink vest and a light cropped grey cardigan.

"So, are we going to get the karate pajamas, too?" Miguel spoke breaking the awkward silence that filled the room.

"Quiet!" Johnny yelled. It made the two teenagers immediately flinch and become startled out of their skin. "The student only speaks when spoken to. Is that understood?"

"Uh, yes." Phoebe nodded. She understood that and the style of karate she was about to learn would be the exact same style that was taught to her dad by his and Johnny's teacher. The look on Johnny's face had her add, "Yes, sir?"

"You will always address me as 'Sensei', is that understood?"

The teens nodded, "Yes, Sensei."

"These aren't pajamas. This is a gi." He explained, "And you'll get one when you've earned it." Johnny stepped over to Phoebe and sized her up, "There are no girls in Cobra Kai. You're an exception. You are here because you're doing this behind your parent's back. You're a rebel. I respect that."

"Uh, thanks?"

The man took a step back from her and looked between his new and only students, "All right, are you ready to begin your training?"

"Yes, Sensei."

Out of nowhere, Johnny grabbed Miguel and flipped him over so he landed on his back.

"What the-" The boy groaned, clutching his stomach.

"Lesson one, strike first. Never wait for the enemy to attack."

Phoebe helped Miguel up from the mat, "You could have given him like, a warning."

"Quiet!" Both teens flinched again and shut up, so the Sensei circled them, "We do not train to be merciful here. Mercy is for the weak...."

Phoebe eyed Miguel taking something from one of his pockets on his shorts and shook it. It was an inhaler. She looked ahead to the mantra on the wall in front of her, as she heard Miguel's inhaler being used twice.