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𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀 woke up to the loud ringing of her phone. Groaning, she turned over on her back, grabbed her phone, and saw the caller id which read, Lori 💛.

"You realize the time right?" Stella said as she answered her best friend's phone call

"Well, good morning to you too, babes." Lori said as she made herself a cup of coffee. "I'm glad you're awake."

"Actually, I was still asleep. I was up late studying." Stella said as she ran her hand through her long brunette hair

"Well time to get up sleeping beauty. There's a Halloween party coming up, and we're going shopping. You in?" Lori asked as she stirred creamer into her coffee

"Yeah. I'm helping Johnny out at the dojo this morning, but I'm free at noon. I'll be there to get you and Kara." Stella said as she got out of bed, and put her brunette hair in a bun

"Ooooh, helping the hot sensei. Don't let things get too steamy." Lori teased

"Oh will you be quiet?" Stella laughed. "Sensei Lawrence and I are friends. Besides, he's like 50 something."

Lori playfully rolled her eyes on the other line and said, "Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. You don't see how your face lights up when you talk about him."

"I'll see you later." Stella laughed

"Alright, bye." Lori said, and Stella ended the call

──────

At the dojo, August practiced punching the dummy, while Johnny watched and Stella sat in the office and sorted through the bills and paperwork.

"So, Johnny have you thought about bringing in more students?" Stella asked as she placed a folder in the filing cabinet

"Yeah, I have a plan. Don't worry your pretty little head about that." Johnny smiled

Pointing her finger at him and smiling, Stella said, "You're flirting with me, Johnny Lawrence."

"You're pointing your finger at me, Stella Walker." Johnny flirted and Stella playfully rolled her eyes at him

The pair walked out of the main office and into the main dojo, where August continued to practice his punching. Turning to August, Johnny said, "Hey, you don't happen to have friends who want to learn karate do you? What am I saying you don't have friends."

Stella rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Rude. Looking great, little brother."

"Thanks sis." August said as he took a break from his punching. "Hey sensei, when am I going to get to learn some kicking? I saw this video on YouTube of some guy breaking boards and it looked really badass."

"Yeah, no shit. Kicking is badass, but you're not ready. Besides if I don't get more students, there's not much I'm gonna be able to teach you." Johnny said

"Haven't you thought about advertising?" August asked

"Yeah, duh." Johnny lied. "Of course."

"You might want to think harder. Anyway, while you two figure this out, I promised Kara and Lori I would meet them at the mall. See you after while little brother." Stella said as she embraced her brother

"Bye sis." August said

──────

Stella, Kara, and Lori arrived at the mall and browsed the stores for the perfect costumes. As Kara and Lori looked for costumes, Stella looked for accessories for her goddess costume, which belonged to her mother.

"What about this one?" Lori said as she held up a playboy bunny costume. "You're always saying you wanted to be a playboy bunny."

"I mean, it's cute, but I'm not digging the pink color." Kara said. "You should give it to Stella over there to wear for sensei Lawrence." she teased

Stella's face turned a deep hue of red, then turned to her best friend. "Will you cut that out?"

"What costume are you planning on wearing, Stell?" Lori asked as she found a cheerleader costume for herself

"Mom's old goddess costume." Stella said as she placed her accessories in her basket. "It was always one of my favorites, and she wore it almost every Halloween."

"Your mom was a literal goddess, with a personality of Princess Diana's." Kara smiled

"Yeah." Stella smiled sadly. "Anyway, you girls find anything exciting?"

"I think I'll go with the playboy bunny one, but in blue." Kara said as they walked to the register to pay

After the purchases were secured, the girls headed up to the food court for a bite to eat, and got their favorite cuisine, chinese.

"So how's it going at Cobra Kai? How's August doing?" Lori asked as she took a bite of her fried rice

"So far, he's the only student. We told Johnny it might be a good idea for him to advertise." Stella said as she bit into her orange chicken. "When August brought up the idea, Johnny was clueless."

"Maybe you two could help him." Kara said as she ate her kung pao chicken

"Maybe." Stella said. "Especially since August is the computer wiz. Anytime I have a question, he's the one I go to."

"So, is he going to a Halloween party?" Kara asked as she ate her rice

"The school is throwing a dance for the students. He wanted a Deadpool costume." Stella said. "But he's always changing his mind at the last minute."

"Kind of like his older sister." Lori laughed as she sipped her pepsi

"Stella playfully rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, you girls ready to go? I better get back and pick him up."

"You just want to see the hot sensei." Kara laughed as the three girls stood up to dump their trash, and Stella blushed. "But yes, I'm ready."

"I do have to pick him up, and I don't just want to see Johnny." Stella said as she placed her purse over her shoulder

"Yeah, okay. Whatever you say." Lori laughed as she placed her purse over her shoulder

──────

The next afternoon, Stella and August sat in front of the dojo at 5pm, but there was no sign of Johnny. Last night, August worked on a website to promote Cobra Kai, the finished project was actually quite good. At least Stella thought so. It was nearly 6 when Johnny's red Firebird pulled into the strip mall.

"Hey sensei, you said to be here at 5, right?" August said as Johnny unlocked the door

"Yeah, but today's training's canceled." Johnny said, as he walked into the dojo, leaving the Walker siblings confused.

"What? You told him to come by, now you're telling him it's cancelled? Why?" Stella questioned

"Cause I said so." Johnny said, as he walked into the dojo

"No, you don't get to just walk off." Stella said as she briskly followed the blonde into his office. "Tell me what's going on."

"Wait, sensei, there's something that I want to show you." August said as he unzipped his backpack to look for his laptop.

"Look, I'm really not in the mood." Johnny said as he grabbed a beer from the fridge.

"But, I think you'll like it. It's a Cobra Kai webpage,
right? I made it last night. Click the snake." August said, and Johnny clicked the snake, which brought up the sign-in page. "Okay, this is the sign-in page. Now I was thinking, maybe we can make an app where you track your progress, get a social media campaign going, get it out to the whole school. The possibilities are endless."

"Johnny, you can't back down." Stella said, as Johnny turned to look at her and smiled fondly. "Not now."

August's phone began to ring, which was Ratt's Round and Round. "Oh, that was my dad. I'll call him back later."

"Hey was that just—" Johnny said as he pointed to August's phone

"Ratt? Awesome right? Stella was listening to Poison and I decided to look them up and I ended up going on this whole '80s rock rabbit hole. That shit is dope." August smiled as he turned back to his computer

"I tried to tell you how awesome it was." Stella smiled as she answered a text from Kara and Lori

"Alright, meet me at the high school at midnight. Don't be late." Johnny said as he looked at both siblings.

"What? Why?" August asked as he stood up

"You wanna learn how to kick ass don't you? Well, first you gotta learn how to kick." Johnny said

──────

True to their word, the Walker teens met Johnny at the high school at midnight. Stella parked her car next to Johnny's Firebird. "Be careful alright? I'll be right here." the beautiful brunette said as she put her car in park

Before August could respond, a knock was heard on Stella's window, startling the two. The siblings turned their heads to find Johnny. Stella rolled her eyes and rolled down her window. "Don't you know better than to come up to someone's car and knock on the window? Back where we come from, that gets your ass shot." Stella said

"Oh, yeah, I'm so scared." Johnny sarcastically said, and Stella rolled her eyes. He genuinely enjoyed getting a rial out of her. "You remember the plan?"

"Of course, I'm the look out. Take care of him, Lawrence." Stella said

August placed a small kiss on his sister's temple, then got out of the car. "We'll be back." he said as he closed the door

Stella smiled at her brother as he closed the door, then watched as he and Johnny walked into the building. She turned on the radio which was playing Lorrie Morgan's Go Away. The brunette sang along to the song, which was one of her favorites. Normally, she would choose the 80's rock station, but she absolutely loved Lorrie Morgan, and when she came to Austin in the early 2000's Nathan and Ava took her to see Lorrie. After hearing a truck pull up, she panicked and quickly called Johnny.

"C'mon blondie." Stella said, but no answer. The brunette tried calling her brother as well, but he left his phone in the passenger seat of her car. "August, you idiot." the brunette thought to herself

After trying to call Johnny, Stella saw the blonde and her brother, who was soaking wet run out of the high school. "Sensei told you to call him." August said as he opened the door.

"Okay, before either of you get your granny panties in a twist, I tried calling both of you. But August, you left your phone in the passenger seat, and Lawrence, check to make sure your ringer is on." Stella said. "Second of all, why is my little brother wet?"

"Kicking excerises." August said

"Next time, make sure the ringer is on." Stella laughed as she looked at Johnny who looked at his phone

"Sensei, your ringer is off." August said as he turned the ringer on.

"Night!" Stella said as she rolled up the window and pulled out of the parking lot and drove to the apartment complex

──────

As the week progressed, so did August's kicking skills. Maybe, in Stella's opinion — there was a method to Johnny's madness. Even if it was truly mad. Another thing that happened over the past week: Stella and August's grandmother from Austin, Janette, who is Nathan's mother, moved in with them.

"I wish I could show my dad what I did to those boards, but if he knew where I was, he would kill me." August said as he put on his shoes, and Johnny walked out of the office, holding a past due utility bill in his hands. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Johnny lied. "Put your costume on, I'm driving you to that dance and we're picking up some more students.

August grabbed his costume out of his backpack and began to put it on. "What the hell is that?" Johnny asked

"It's my Halloween costume. My grandma made it. It started out as Deadpool, then I think it was Spider-Man, now it just became some generic superhero." August said

"Yeah, a poor one at that." Johnny said. "You're a poor-man."

"Yeah." August said

"I can't let you go out like that, we have a reputation to uphold." Johnny said

"What do you suggest?" August asked

──────

Flashback
— October 31st, 1995, Austin, TX

It was the night of the annual Halloween party at the Texas Ranger department. Ava stood in the bathroom applying her brown eyeliner, after smoothing out the wrinkles in her goddess costume, while Nathan stood in the bedroom getting ready.

"You look beautiful mama." Stella smiled as she laid her little chin on her arms and admired her mother

"Thank you my darling." Ava smiled as she finished her makeup. "One day this costume, as well as my other dresses will belong to you."

"I'd love that mama, but you always look so beautiful in the dresses." Stella said as she watched her mother do her makeup. "Mama, is it fun to wear makeup?"

Ava smiled at her daughter, then sprayed her favorite perfume, Penhaligon's Bluebell on her pulse points. "Thank you baby. To answer your question, it makes a woman feel better about herself when she wears it, but no woman truly needs it as they are beautiful with or without it. But yes it's fun to wear it. Take Princess Diana for example, she wears it, but doesn't need it."

"You don't need it either mama, but I love watching you put it on." Stella said

"You know what, I think it's time you wore a little bit." Ava said as she grabbed her favorite blush

Ava carefully and lightly added blush to the apples of her daughter's cheeks, then added a clear lipgloss to her lips. "Blush is applied to the apples of your cheeks. It gives a little bit of color." the blonde smiled. "What do you think my precious angel?"

"I look just like you mama, and Princess Diana." Stella smiled.

"Well, princess Diana is beautiful, but you are gorgeous my love." Ava smiled as she held her daughter in her arms

"I love you momma." Stella smiled

"I love you too, sweetpea."

──────

Stella, Lori, and Kara arrived at the party. Lori's boyfriend Carter walked to the bar to grab their drinks while the three best friends found a table.

"Well, you look beautiful in Mrs. Walker's costume." Lori smiled.

"Thanks hon." Stella smiled. "And Kara, you look great in your playboy bunny costume as well."

"Thanks." Kara smiled

"Your beers ladies." Carter said as he gave the three best friends their beers

"Thanks." Stella said as she opened her beer and flicked the cap like Johnny showed her

"Where did you learn how to do that?" Carter asked as he opened his Budweiser bottle

"Johnny taught me." Stella said as she took a swig of her Michelob

"Who?" Carter said

"The hot sensei she talks about all the time, and is teaching August karate." Kara said as she took a swig of her Miller Lite

"Oh, yeah, by the way, how did the advertising go?"  Lori asked as she took a swig of her beer

"So, August stayed up late making a webpage for the dojo. Johnny drove him to the dance to see if they could get more students." Stella said

As Stella and her best friends continued drinking and chatting, her phone began to buzz with a text message from August.

Little Bro 🙆🏻‍♂️

Attachment: 1 photo
Check out this dope costume sensei
let me borrow 🔥 He said he and his
buddies all had matching ones at their
Halloween dance

Wow! How cool is that! But you look like a
toddler in footie pajamas 😏😂🤣

Stfu, you know I look badass. 👊🏻

Yeah, whatever. Stg if you were trying to punch me through the screeen. 👊🏻 It's cool he let you borrow that though. Have fun tonight and be safe. Love you lil' bro.

Love you too sis.

"What is it?" Kara said as she sipped her beer

"Well, instead of the Deadpool costume that grandma made, blondie let my lil' bro borrow one of his old costumes from back in the 80's." Stella said as she showed her best friends the picture

"Okay, first of all, that's badass. Second of all, why didn't I think of something like that?" Carter asked

"Because it's an original from the 80's genius." Kara said as she rolled her eyes. 

"Well, the night's still young. Let's go dance." Lori said as the best friends got out of the booth and threw their beers away then hit the dance floor

──────

"Thank you for offering to chaperone Daniel, that was so kind of you." Counselor Blatt smiled.

"Well, I just want to make sure the kids are having a good night." Daniel said

"I was kinda hoping you would show up in costume. Maybe a karate gi?" Counselor Blatt said.

"No, oh, God. I haven't worn one of those in a while." Daniel said

"You know I still can't believe you and Ali broke up after high school." Counselor Blatt said.

Daniel chuckled. "Things change." he said. He looked over Counselor Blatt's shoulder and saw August dressed in the same skeleton costume that Johnny wore in 1984. "Sometimes. Hold on a sec."

Daniel walked in the hallway to see about the Cobra Kai flyers. As he turned the corner, he found Johnny taping yellow papers which were advertisements for his dojo.

"What do you think you're doing?" Daniel asked

"Promoting my business. Why don't you try minding yours?" Johnny sassed.

"Minding mine? You know what? Look, this is...this is ridiculous, OK? We can both be adults here. I just don't know why you'd ever wanna bring back Cobra Kai after what your sensei did to you." Daniel said.

"Cause I'm not Kreese, and the lessons worked." Johnny said

"Strike first, no mercy. Real good lessons." Daniel said sarcastically. "If you think I'll gonna let you fill these kid's heads with garbage, you're nuts, man."

"Is that why you're following me around?" Johnny asked as he looked at Daniel and smiled slightly

"I'm not following you around. I'm here to— you know, you gotta get off school property, ok? Listen, you...you can't be here." Daniel said before he rushed down the hall. "I'm serious."

"I know you're serious." Johnny said and then chuckled

Johnny continued putting advertisements up until he came across the trophy case with pictures of athletes and cheerleaders past. Among those cheerleaders was a photo of Ali. He smiled as he thought of the blonde, but then his thoughts went to Stella.

The door to the locker room opened, making Johnny turn his head. "We sure showed Rhea!" Kyler whooped happily, his friends praising him

Johnny walked into the locker room and looked around. He heard a low wheezing sound and looked down an aisle. He found August lying on the ground with lacrosse sticks around him and his face covered with bruises. He was clutching his stomach in pain and his eyes were closed, his chest rising very slow. Johnny picked him up and carried him out of the locker room and out to the parking lot, where he placed him in his Firebird

──────

"Next party we go to, you're driving." Carter said as he dropped Stella off at home.

"Nah, I hate being the designated driver, because it means I can't drink. How are you so sober? You had 5 beers and 4 shots." Stella said as she got out of the car

"He's a sober drunk." Lori giggled as she leaned on her boyfriend. "And he's so hot." she laughed as she caressed her boyfriends cheek

"Hey, let's find another party man!" Kara drunkenly slurred as she leaned her head against the back seat.

"Nope. Go home and sleep it off." Stella laughed. "Love you guys." she said as she closed the car door

"Love you too!" the trio said and Carter rolled up the window

As Carter drove away, Stella grabbed her keys from her clutch wallet, and walked in the house, where Janette and Nathan were sitting.

"Hey honey." Nathan smiled as he embraced his daughter

"Hi sweetie, how was the party?" Janette asked

"Hi daddy, hi grandma. It was good. It was nice to go out with the girls and Carter." Stella said. "Daddy, how was work?"

"Good, I have the day off tomorrow, which will be nice, because I need the rest." Nathan said

Outside, Johnny parked his Firebird and got out. He picked August up from the back seat and carried him up to the apartment. He knocked on the door and was greeted by Stella's beautiful smile. The smile was short lived, though, as her beautiful blue eyes landed on August in Johnny's arms.

"August!" Stella cried

Hearing the commotion, Nathan came to the door, and saw his son, who was hurt in Johnny's arms. Stella carefully took her brother out of Johnny's arms, ignoring the jolt of electricity she felt when the blonde's hand touched her's.

"I don't ever want you coming near my children again, do you understand me?!" Nathan said

Johnny looked guilty as his eyes locked with Stella's, who had tears brimming in her beautiful blue eyes. "I'm so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen. You have to believe me." he apologized, but he was mainly looking at Stella.

As Johnny was leaving, August pushed himself off the couch, and shouted. "Cobra Kai never dies!" but the blonde was already gone.

Stella carefully wiped the makeup from her brother's face, then tended to the wounds. "You need rest, August. Change out of the costume and go to bed." she said in a motherly manner. Truth is, after the death of Ava, Stella had taken on the role.

"I just want to make one thing perfectly clear: No more karate. Is that understood?" Nathan asked August as he gave Stella bandages

"But dad—" August said

"But dad nothing, I said, is that understood?" Nathan said

"Yes." August said as Stella bandaged his face

"Both of you, go to bed." Nathan said

After telling their father and grandmother goodnight, Stella and August walked to their rooms. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Stella asked

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Night sis."

"Night little brother."