#and then Daniel and Miyagi decide to stay out the summer or whatever

[luci3skydi]

I was thinking about my GI Johnny au (that’s the working title anyway) and I’m no closer to any actual plot, but I do know three things:

1. Johnny’s in Chozen’s military class:

2. The Air Force discipline is hard for Johnny to take seriously after Kreese’s betrayal.

(I tried color with this one and ended up with 2 alternatives:)

3. The Air Force definitely makes Johnny cut his hair :/ (but only so it doesn’t touch his collar, ears, or eyebrows apparently.) 

I--don’t know what actually happens, per say, but I definitely put him in the situation.

[ziltoidcoffee]

Feral Terry proves that he has those wolf vibes… and Daniel gets to be his little red riding hood… Terry can’t let such a sweet boy be alone, there are bad things out there, and he should be there to protect Daniel. And Daniel, so sweet and naive, trusts Terry and lets this wolf guide him, take him on the right path… they fit a little red and big bad wolf dynamic so well…

(This is so true! Everything! Anon, you are speaking my language. I have always wanted to write this literally as in werewolf Terry and red riding hood Daniel, so I did below. 🐺 If this isn’t what you wanted, I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist this dark fairytale drabble though! Definitely more like a prequel though.)

Last summer, Daniel moved to a new village with his mother where he befriended Mr. Miyagi, a laborer at the tavern who once fought as a soldier in a war. He took Daniel under his wing after the local kids bullied him and trained him in the art of karate, a style of hand-to-hand combat from a kingdom in a faraway land. But as the leaves began to fall and autumn arrived, Mr. Miyagi announced he would be returning to his home on the other side of the forest. Daniel was upset to see his new friend and mentor leave but ultimately decided to go with him. After eighteen winters, he still lacked a trade, and his mentor could teach him something useful beyond combat. Daniel’s mother agreed as long as he returned in the spring, and they left his village the next morning.

His first night at Mr. Miyagi's was difficult. He missed his mother and their home, his new bed was uncomfortably small, and apparently. His new roommate was a snorer. But most of all, a strange noise kept Daniel up at night, a low growling sound and huffs of air. But he was too afraid to investigate in fear that something, or someone, was truly outside waiting for him, a great danger he was not ready to face. Though Daniel convinced himself it was all in his head and kept quiet about the nightmare.

The next night was the same, only worse.

A strange silhouette accompanied the sound, passing the shuttered window several times but moving too fast to identify. Whatever it was strayed longer this time too. It waited to leave until just before the sun came up, and Daniel got no sleep all night.

In the morning, he finally asked Mr. Miyagi what was going on, hoping for a simple answer. Maybe an animal from the forest, like a raccoon or a deer, was trying to steal from their garden. But Mr. Miyagi didn’t explain, only offered a warning.

“Do not enter woods at night, Daniel-san.” 

It was terrifying and shook Daniel to his core. Since they became friends, nothing seemed to scare Mr. Miyagi, not even the high cliffs or the dark depths of the ocean. He knew to take the word of caution to heart but couldn’t help but feel confused. They had no trouble traveling through the woods during the day. That’s how they got from Daniel’s village to Mr. Miyagi’s, and he eventually had to return soon. But his mentor reassured him there was no reason to worry, as long as he stayed inside after the sun went down.

The next night was the same, but unlike the past few days, Mr. Miyagi stayed awake with him. This didn’t stop their adventures. After a silent breakfast, they visited the nearby town where Mr. Miyagi met up with his family. After briefly meeting them, Daniel left his mentor to explore the market square on his own. There were shops lining the stone-covered streets, selling food, leather, fur, and other merchandise produced by the locals. What caught Daniel’s attention the most was all the weapons being sold, something his own village lacked.

That’s where he met the local woodsman. Standing in front of the blacksmith shop was a tall man with long brown hair pulled back behind his head, wearing an all-black tunic and trousers with stitched-up leather boots. Daniel was inspecting a lance for sale when the man beside him first spoke. He asked what his purpose was for buying weapons, and Daniel described the situation, hoping the stranger would have some insight.

The man nodded at him after listening to his story. “I’m afraid I can’t help you,” declared the stranger. “I’ve lived and worked in these woods for many years, and nothing like that has ever happened to me.”

Daniel was shocked to hear this as Mr. Miyagi claimed his house was the only one around for miles, but the man had no reason to lie and offered an explanation. “It’s possible your mentor is mistaken. My house is far beyond the trees and easy to miss if you’re not looking.”

It made sense when he thought about it, and after a few more pleasantries, they exchanged names. But eventually, the blacksmith returned a newly-sharpened ax to the woodsman named Terry, and he informed Daniel that he had to go now that his weapon was fixed. He suggested Terry drop by Mr. Miyagi’s home and visit him some time, which the woodsman agreed to do. soon.

But Terry didn’t leave without first inquiring with Daniel about his garb. “Where did you get your red cloak?” he asked. Daniel laughed and said his mother made it for him many years ago so he would be easy to spot in a crowd. Terry agreed the red made him very visible, and he departed from Daniel with the ax slung over his back. Mr. Miyagi took him back home a few hours later, and on the way, he told him about meeting Terry, a man who claimed to live in the woods. His mentor seemed skeptical but didn’t say much else.

Daniel tried to stay positive that night and was pleasantly surprised. The noise occurred again, along with a familiar shadow, but did not stay long. He got a few hours of sleep before waking the next morning to something worse than a mysterious sound. When he opened the front door to begin his daily chores, a shout left his mouth involuntarily.

Waiting for him on Mr. Miyagi’s front porch was an animal carcass of a sheep or some type of deer. It was too mangled to tell, and Daniel felt sick. There were no puncture wounds from a knife or a sword, only slashes and bites. For a second, Daniel was hopeful. Perhaps the horrible nightly routine would be ending. But he turned to Mr. Miyagi who looked as if he had seen a ghost.

“What’s wrong?” Daniel asked.

His mentor frowned at him. “Hope it is not what I fear,” Mr. Miyagi whispered.

Daniel inhaled sharply. “What do you fear, Mr. Miyagi?”

“Beast has found mate.” 

His words were confusing. Nothing Mr. Miyagi was saying made sense. When Daniel told him as much, his teacher brought him back inside and sat him down.

“Time to learn truth about danger in woods,” he said. 

But even before Mr. Myagi began his story, Daniel’s first thought was if Terry knew about all this too. He would have to visit the woodsman later and share.