Moxies and Orendas (Miguel Diaz)

Party Thirty: Honor and Mercy

MIGUEL, HAWK AND GWENDOLYN walked to karate.

"OK, I get my driver's license next week, my Mom's gonna give me her Sentra. I'm thinking of putting a blue strip, hood to tail," Hawk explained. "Subtle, I like it," Miguel said.

Their eyes drifted to all the new students. "Yo, fresh fish!" Hawk exclaimed quietly. They walked up to two boys who were waiting at the door.

"Look! It's the champs!" A boy named Chris said.

"Hey, watch this," Hawk said. "Hey, mouth breathers, move it!" He bossed.

"Yes, sir," Chris said, opening the door. "So," Hawk began. "You wanna be Cobra Kai?" He ended. Chris and Mitch nodded.

Hawk jumped forward, making a fist and they flinched.

"You've got a long way to go," Gwen said as Miguel, even though it was opened, held the door.

As soon as Gwen stepped into the dojo, she could smell the stinking stench of burnt things. She saw broken glass on the floor, which Johnny, unsurprisingly hadn't picked it up yet. "What happened?" Gwen asked, partly smiling.

"Looks like sensei threw a party," Aisha responded, already in her gi, like Gwen, who had already hers on but Miguel and Hawk, nada. "Must've been pretty sick if fire got involved," Hawk said, chuckling.

"QUIET!" Johnny sharply snapped at the colage of students. "The dojo's closed to new students today."

"We just wanted to sign up after we saw the tournament," Chris said. "Do I need to say it again? Get out!" Johnny snapped. "Yes sir... Sensei," Mitch said, walking out with his friends.

"Everyone, fall in," Johnny instructed. They were in formation, Gwendolyn in between Hawk and Miguel.

"Must've been a rager, sensei," Miguel said, chuckling. "Yeah, were you partying all weekend," Hawk said, also chuckling. "Celebrating what? My students are still pussies."

After a pause, Johnny spoke up. "Mr. Diaz, Hawk, and LaRusso, up front." They walked up front.

"Hawk, did you attack your opponent when his back was turned," Johnny briefly asked.

"Yes Sensei," Hawk said, but said it as if he was unsure. "Mr. Diaz, is it true that you purposely attacked your opponent?"

"Yes, Sensei," Miguel said it as if this was serious business. "Think that makes you badass?"

No answer from the boys. "What's the matter? Question too tough? Perhaps you need some help," Johnny said. "Ms. Robinson."

"Yes, Sensei."

"Three Cobras in the jungle. Two kills a crippled monkey, one kills the highest lion while itself is injured. Which lion do you wanna be?"

"The one that kills the lion."

"Why so?"

"Cause the one that killed lion may have a broken leg, but the jungle it will be known as the strongest animal in the jungle."

"Correct."

Gwen knew that the story was based on the tournaments affects. Gwen was the crippled lion that killed the bigger mammal, the lion. And the boys were the ones that killed the crippled monkey.

But she felt bad Miguel, he understood that he shouldn't have down that, dating Gwen or not. But he's happy she did, cause he would've learned it any other way.

"Cobra Kai is about being badass! And the baddest badass, is the one who beats on his opponent when his opponent is at his strongest! Not when his back is turned! Not when he's injured! That's mean no more cheating! No more fighting dirty! That's why I made you wear your white belts. From here on out, those are pussy moves, and you don't wanna be pussies, do ya?"

"No, Sensei!"

"We're starting over."

"Hawk, Diaz, 50 push-ups on your knuckles," Johnny said. Miguel and Eli got down on their knuckles and begun their push-ups. "Ms. LaRusso, warm them up!"

"Yes, Sensei," she answered. She began training them. After that, she went back to Johnny. "Sensei, I have to ask you something," she answered. "Yes?" He said.

"What was that? Punishing both Hawk AND Miguel? Miguel learned his lesson."

"The only reason I believe he followed your rule, Gwendolyn, was because he didn't want to break up with you," he answered. On some length, he was right. But Miguel really did think about it and in the end, he chose it cause he didn't want to lose the girl he loved most in the entire world. She WAS his entire world. She was as beautiful as the galaxy intermatched.

"On the other hand, why I did do what I did, was because I wasn't taught the difference between mercy and honor. When you yelled at him at the tournament, when he changed his mind, you talked about mercy and honor, you taught me that. If I'm ever hard on you or Miguel, just know that you both have the opportunity to be better then I ever could be," Johnny said, standing up and placing his hands on Gwen's shoulders.

"OK, I understand, Sensei," she said.

GWENDOLYN walked out with Miguel hand in hand, when she saw her sister talking to Aisha.

"Hey sis, watcha doing?" Gwen asked, walking over. "I was wondering if you and Aisha wanted to go to the beach club or go on a hike?" Sam said, obviously knowing the answer which she thought would be yes.

"Actually, we have to go to Hawk's to watch a movie called Over the Top. (really good 80s movie, totally recommend it!) You could join us," Gwen invited. "No, Dad would kill me, he's afraid that if I hang with Cobra Kai, I'll... change," Sam said, looking down.

"Oh, so your daddy's little girl, huh?" Gwen joked.

"Plus, I don't blame you. These kids are having an effect on me," Gwen chuckled. "Well, leave some dinner for me."

"Will do."

Gwen walked back to Miguel, but stopped halfway there. "I love you Gwendolyn!" Sam called back, with no answer. "I LOVE YOU GWENDOLYN!" she said louder. "i love you too Sam," Gwen said, barely audible. Sam, not realizing Gwen answered, screamed, "I lOvE yOu GwEnDoLyN!"

"I LOVE YOU TOO SAM," Gwen said. "Damn right," Sam said in a southern accent.

Sam pulled out of the lot, driving home.