𝖫𝗈𝗏౿ᑲ𝗈ოᑲ -𝖤ᥣꪱᜒ 𝖬𝗈ડƙ𝗈⍵ꪱᜒ𝗍ʑ

2.10

The students were in the midst of stretching when Johnny entered the room, prompting the twins to immediately gravitate towards him. "Hey, Sensei. Sorry for your loss," Miguel murmured, his voice filled with sympathy. "Yeah, Sensei. Our condolences," Hazel added, nodding in agreement.

"Thanks, kids," Johnny replied, acknowledging their words as he continued walking. Miguel and Hazel fell into step beside him, their movements synchronized with his. "How was the funeral?" Johnny inquired, casting a glance at Miguel. "About as good as any funeral can be. And things around here?" Miguel responded, matching Johnny's pace.

"Great, Sensei. Tough, but Kreese knows how to push us," Hazel chimed in, offering her perspective.

Johnny paused momentarily, then resumed his stride. Moments later, he emerged from the back room, with Kreese trailing behind him. "Alright, everyone, get your gis on! Training starts in five," Johnny announced, prompting a ripple of confusion among the students.

"What's up?" Johnny inquired, sensing the unease. "I thought we were heading into the woods for special training today," Hazel questioned, voicing the collective sentiment.

Johnny glanced back at Kreese, his gaze filled with suspicion. "What's happening in the woods?" he inquired, eyeing Kreese warily as the older man stepped up beside him. "I thought it was time to separate the men from the boys. And the girls too, I suppose," Kreese replied cryptically. Johnny's brow furrowed in response. "How?" he pressed further.

Kreese leaned in, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Coyote Creek," he revealed, his tone laced with challenge.

"I don't know if they're ready for that," Johnny murmured, turning to face Kreese directly.

"There's only one way to find out," Kreese asserted confidently.

Eli stepped forward, his resolve evident. "We're ready, Sensei. We want to prove ourselves," he declared, his hands clasped behind his back.

Johnny glanced at the hopeful faces of the students, then sighed. "Alright, if Sensei Lawrence approves, then and only then, it's a go," he declared, emphasizing the importance of Johnny's consent.

Hazel rolled her eyes at the dramatic exchange unfolding before her, but the other students seemed eager for the challenge. With Johnny's approval, they wasted no time in preparing to venture into the unknown depths of Coyote Creek.

The Cobra Kai students stood amidst the dense forest, divided into two distinct teams. "Welcome to Coyote Creek, gentlemen. And ladies," Kreese announced, pacing down the middle while hoisting a red strip of cloth. Johnny mirrored the action with his black counterpart, a symbolic gesture of their divided loyalties.

"Your objective is simple: capture as many headbands as possible from the opposing team. Today, those across from you are not your friends or your brothers. They are the enemy. The last team standing emerges victorious," Kreese declared, his words carrying an air of intensity.

Miguel, positioned on the black team, raised a question. "How do we acquire the headbands?" he inquired.

Kreese fixed him with a stern gaze. "By any means necessary," he replied, before Johnny interjected with a more tempered response. "Exercise your judgment. This is merely a training drill."

"Indeed, but remember, in here, it's a matter of survival," Kreese emphasized, brandishing his headband as a grim reminder. "Lose it, and you're out."

A late arrival interrupted the tension as Raymond made his entrance. "Sorry, guys. Traffic on 118 was brutal. I punched Coyote Creek into my GPS, but it led me nowhere," he explained, sporting a new look complete with a jacket, braided beard, and sunglasses.