choices //

chapter three

Daniel and Jessica were out on a walk, through a whole bunch of trees, and it was cold. Super cold. The two of them just wanted to at least spend time together. They do spend a lot of time together, there was no denying that. It was just nice for the two of them to be with somebody.

Daniel was ranting, though. A lot. About Kreese, about how dead he probably was. He felt like he was dead already.
"If I thought Kreese wanted me dead before, holy shit, only imagine now. Might as well get my grave ready. These are my last few days on Earth, everybody! It has been one hell of an experience!"
Jessica sighed and caught up with Daniel, grabbing his arm. Daniel shut up, looking over at her.

"Daniel. Relax. It's okay." Jessica tried to calm him down.
Daniel pulled his arm away, "no. No, it's not okay. You don't understand these guys yet. Clearly you don't. They want to kill me. This is the same guy that said he'd make me suffer, and then feel the pain."
Jessica nodded a little, "I know, and I know it's not easy, but Mr Miyagi is here for you and you know that. He wouldn't let anything happen to you. That's why you're still alive now." Jessica laughed slightly, causing Daniel to smile a little.
She was right - there was no denying that truth. Mr Miyago would not let anything happen.

Daniel prayed that was still true.

Later that night, Daniel and Jessica were out at a party. They were dancing together, just having a great time. Daniel almost forgot about the whole situation with Kreese, and well, Ali, too.
Soon enough, they were going to take a break from all the dancing.
As they were walking off, some guy came up to Jessica. He was clearly hitting on her.
Daniel chimed in, not going to let that happen. "Hey, she's with me, man."

All of a sudden, the guy looked familiar. Too familiar.

Mike Barnes.

Daniel felt fear and anger hit him. He suddenly punched Mike right in the face.
Everyone at the party stopped and started shouting, some encouraging the fight, some against it.
Jessica grabbed Daniel's arm and turned him to face her, "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! What are you, nuts?!" She exclaimed.
Daniel looked shocked and confused. He looked back at the male, but it wasn't Mike. The guy he hit wasn't Mike Barnes.
It was a poor stranger.
He was seeing things yet again. The stress was taking over.
Daniel broke away from Jessica's grip and just ran out of the building as fast as he could.
He stopped out back and leaned against the wall, catching his breath.
"Fuck." Daniel muttered, resting the back of his head against the wall.

Mr Miyagi came and picked him up from the place. He did not want to walk home alone. Especially with everything going on.
Daniel was quiet in the car, seeming pretty pissed off.
"Daniel-San, something wrong?" Mr Miyagi asked, not taking his eyes off the rode.
"What do we do if he comes back?"
Daniel asked.
Mr Miyagi shrugged, "who?"
Daniel looked at him, "Kreese. What do we do if he comes back?"
Mr Miyagi laughed. Does anything bother that guy?
"Mr Miyagi, no, what do we do if he comes back?!" Daniel raised his voice.
Miyagi's smile didn't break.

Daniel had maybe the worst idea ever that night. Once Mr Miyagi was asleep, he decided to sneak out and go somewhere.
Where?
The Cobra Kai Dojo.
It was a terrible idea, he knew that, but he wanted to see what was going on with the place. Maybe nothing would be there, and he was worrying about Kreese for nothing.
Was Kreese a vision - like Mike and Ali?
He needed answers, and the best place was at the Cobra Kai Dojo.

He pulled on a jacket and snuck past Mr Miyagi, going slow and being as quiet as ever. Finally he got out of the house and hurried to his car.
Daniel climbed in and started it, driving off.

Pulling up to the dojo, Daniel had a bad feeling. Maybe it was because, oh, it's the place owned by the guy that wants him dead. Anyway,
Daniel got out of the car and quietly walked inside. He switched on the lights, looking around. There was nothing. The place looked normal, though. Untouched.

The same as when Miyagi and Daniel went to ask for peace, but ended up being challenged in a tournament by John Kreese.

Daniel turned his head and saw a bunch of frames on the wall. One was something with Vietnam, and it had a picture of Kreese.
Daniel reached out to touch the picture, when somebody came out from behind a cardboard cutout of Kreese. It was Kreese himself.

Daniel gasped and took a few steps back, but Kreese only stepped forward. His eyes were huge and he looked mad. Not mad as in angry, but mad as in crazy.
How's bloodthirsty?

"Did you miss me, LaRusso? Cause I sure missed you and that old man."
Kreese continued to back Daniel up against the wall.
"W-what- how- what do you want, man? Leave it alone, you lost twice, isn't that a message of give up?" Daniel exclaimed. That must have angered Kreese, cause Daniel was suddenly shoved against the wall.

Daniel grabbed Kreese and kicked him in the stomach multiple times, but Kreese grabbed Daniel's ankle and pulled him to the ground.
Daniel went to get up,
but Kreese had him pinned down, laughing in his face.
Daniel felt as though he was losing air, since Kreese's knee was pushing against his stomach.
Suddenly, Mr Miyagi walked in.
He pulled Kreese off and slammed him against the mirror, causing the mirror to shatter and Kreese to fall.
Daniel quickly got up and left with Mr Miyagi.

They got back home, and Daniel really wasn't happy.
"Dammit, why am I so stupid! He's gonna kill me now, dammit!"
Daniel kicked the wall.
Mr Miyagi was washing his hands, "everything will be okay, Daniel-San. Promise."
Miyagi tried to comfort him.
Daniel looked over at him, "how are you so sure?"
Mr Miyagi shrugged, "you defending champion."

The next day, after work at the shop, Daniel and Jessica were at Golf n' Stuff. The two had made up over the phone. Luckily Jessica was a super understanding girl. She couldn't stay mad.
They were playing a few games, having fun. This time Daniel didn't rant. He wanted to get his mind off of everything.
They finished up a game together, and then went to find a seat.
"Everything going good?" Jessica asked with a smile.
Daniel lied, nodding, "yeah. It's all good." He smiled back.
Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of somebody.
A blonde.

Ali playing a game with some friends. Daniel knew he wasn't seeing things, because Jessica saw too. "That's the girl," Jessica told Daniel.
Daniel nodded, "I know."