𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧, Axel Kovacevic

𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗚𝗨𝗘

Okinawa, Japan. 1986

Cat Blanche had forced her father to take her to Japan, in hopes of learning Karate from a skilled Sensei, named Sato Toguchi. And she did, after showing her kung fu skills to the him. Martial arts had always fascinated Cat. She had gone to Beijing to learn Kung Fu. It had been difficult to find a Master who would teach her because she was a foreigner. But she eventually found one, Master Wang. He had a son who was about Cat's age and she found him quite charming. However her father disliked China, so they had to leave.

Because her mother had died, Cat knew that her father would do anything to make her happy. And she used that to her advantage. They ended up at a Okinawan dance which took place in a castle. Cat had seen better castles back home, in England. But the whole thing was still pretty. 

Cat carefully, studied everyone's dance moves. She did not want to look like a fool. Her father on the other hand, sloppily tried to copy what everyone else was doing. He looked like a crazy man trying to regain his balance. Their time in Okinawa had been quite an adventure, from almost dying in a thunderstorm to witnessing Sato's nephew, Chozen, run away mid-storm.  Cat had crossed paths with a girl named Kumiko and an American boy named Daniel LaRusso. Who had broken 6 pieces of ice with just one strike. Pretty impressive.

After the dance was finished, everyone found their seats. "Finally." Cat's father complained as they took a seat down on the stairs, which felt like they were made out of stone.  "What are they doing now?" He, suspiciously, asked Cat.

Kumiko was going to do a dance performance. "It is a performance, father." Cat responded.

Cat carefully studied Kumiko's hand movements, the way she elegantly picked up the fan and moved it around. Cat looked amused while her father looked confused. "Is that some type of Karate?" Cat's father asked.

"No, Father. It's an Okinawan dance." Cat whispered. Every time they traveled, Cat's father always found a way to embarrass her with his foolishness. Suddenly, in the background, Cat spotted someone sliding down the string of balloons. She was sure that wasn't part of the dance. Then she realized who it was, it was Chozen. 

"Behind you!" Daniel LaRusso shouted. Chozen jumped down and grabbed Kumiko, he put his arm around her neck. "What is going on, now?" Cat's father asked, cluelessly. "This isn't part of the dance." Cat said, furrowing her eyebrows. 

"Get back!" Chozen shouted, while pulling out a small knife, towards the small group of people in front of him. "Get back or I'll kill her." He said, putting the knife near Kumiko's neck. Anger was shown in Chozen's eyes. The castle filled with tension, the faint sound of everyone's gasps and shouts. 

"You did not tell me this was a play. Bit extreme, don't you think?" Cat's father, still clueless. Cat's mind was racing, was this really happening right now? "Chozen." Sato said in a stern tone. "Don't do this. I was wrong. Hate is wrong. It's over." Sato admitted.  "I cannot hear you, Uncle." Chozen responded, his voice filled with rage. "I am dead to you, remember?"

"Chozen, you are your uncle's finest student. No disgrace him here." Mr. Miyagi told Chozen.

"Your student disgrace me." Chozen barked back. "I have been dishonored all because of him." Chozen said as Kumiko continued sobbing. Cat did not understand the obsession with honor.

"For whatever happened, I apologize." Daniel said, in an attempt to save Kumiko. "Apology will not give me back my honor!" Chozen said, bitterly.

"Neither will this." Daniel protested. 

"In their eyes, it will." Chozen said. "No more talk. You cross bridge or I kill her!" Chozen said, gritting his teeth and tightening his jaw. There was no way he would actually harm Kumiko, was there? "This is certainly only for show." Cat's father was sure of it, there was no way this could actually happen.

"Now!" Chozen shouted, seeing as Daniel was still on the other side of the bridge. Daniel slowly walked over to them. "Oi, no bridge." Chozen said. Cat's father furrowed his eyebrows, with curiosity. Daniel hesitantly picked up the bridge, made from long sticks, and threw it into the water.

"Now I dropped the bridge, let her go." Daniel told Chozen. "Come on!"

"Now we fight to death!" Chozen declared. Cat and her father shared a confused look, both were in denial about this being real. Were they actually going to witness a death? Chozen threw both the knife and Kumiko to the ground. He wasted no time to start attacking Daniel.

"Wait, is this real?" Cat's father asked. Seeing as it was real, Cat's father placed his hand over her eyes. But Cat lowered his hand, seeing how Chozen almost pushed Daniel into the water. Kumiko wrapped a cloth around Chozen's neck trying to choke him.

Chozen forcefully removed the cloth and punched Kumiko, knocking her out. "Bloody hell." Cat's father said, in shock. While everyone else gasped.

Cat watched the fight with anticipation, she wasn't sure who was going to live and who was going to die. But, she was rooting for Daniel. So far, it didn't seem like he was going to win. Next to Cat, her father watched with wide eyes. 

Suddenly, the sound of small drums grew louder. Everyone had taken out their small drums. Cat and her father looked confused. Were these people gonna join the fight or something? Were ninjas going to come out of nowhere and stop the fight?

Cat watched Daniel and Chozen intensely, with her sharp eyes. Daniel started punching Chozen repeatedly, before Chozen dropped to his knees. Then, Daniel grabbed the back of Chozen's head. "Live or die, man?" Daniel asked.

Cat's father placed his hand over Cat's eyes. But she anxiously pulled it down, just enough so that she could see what was happening. "Die." Chozen answered.

"Wrong." Daniel said, before squeezing Chozen's nose. "Honk." Then, Daniel dropped Chozen to the ground as the crowd began clapping. He went towards Kumiko and hugged her.

"Outstanding!" Cat's father laughed. "That was a great play. Who knew Okinawa had such a passion for theatre." He said as he smiled at Cat, who was clapping her hands.