Johnny was starting to feel like something lower than dirt; he brought back Cobra Kai for himself more than anything else. A way to prove to everyone he was more than a fallen elite, more than a skilled handyman, more than some scuzzy looser eating pizza in a mini-mall parking lot. He was a sensei, he had a dojo full of students, and the tournament was quickly approaching. He had enjoyed the look on Larusso's face when he came in to the dojo in the beginning; the guy was dealing with demons of the past. Johnny smirked knowing that what Daniel was feeling was nothing compared to darkness he had lurking around in his own past. It wasn't a surprise that he felt the need to sabotage his own happiness, he made sure his marriage failed, but he thought his kid would be better off with his Mother. Up until now he thought she was the more stable of the two of them; the call from the school had thrown that assurance out the window. Johnny took another swig of his beer and tried to figure out how he was going to fix this new problem. Fixing up a building was one thing; he brought this pit up to code, and made it a respectable place. Could he do the same with his own kid; Robby wanted nothing to do with him, and he did not blame him. What did he know about being a Father? Hell he couldn't stop himself from falling into his asshole persona with his students; he brought back the Kai to be more than he had been back at that time in High School. He winced as he remembered his Stepfather's treatment, and not to mention Sensei Kreese's methods. He shook his head and rubbed his neck; he went to get another beer but stopped nothing was helping, but did alcohol really help.
"It never did help, not then and not now." Some on spoke up behind him.
The blond whipped around, and saw a medium height girl with brown hair.
"The golden haired boy, is for once speechless." She shook her head. "You're losing you keen edge Bro, you used to be so full of vim and vinegar, now you're slow, and full of regret and pissy beer." She said as she sniffed the squat beer bottle on his desk.
Johnny blinked and then folded his arms over his chest. "What the hell are you doing here?!"
"Such a greeting." She smirked. "Your manners, haven't changed, still an obstinate little punk." She commented.
He rolled his eyes. "What do you want?!"
"Thanks for all the letters by the way; it was so nice keeping in touch with you while…well you know." She said and met his gaze with her own steely one.
He slammed the mini fridge door. "I don't need this now; I got my own problems you know!"
"Yea I can see your all tore up about something, doesn't take crazy person to see that." She held up the bottle and shook it. "But this won't help solve anything; drinking alone and miserable never did anyone any good, but if you still insist on drowning your liver, let's make it fun." She said with a smirk.
He signed and rubbed his face. "I really don't…."
"I CHALLENGE you! For every point I win you drink, for every hit you land I drink. I suppose you have some GOOD stuff, not that piss." She said. "Knowing you probably in the desk drawer, or filing cabinet, just like someone else we know." She commented snidely. "Now fasten your bra Jayne, bring the booze, and meet me on the mat, unless you're chicken." She threw down the gauntlet.
Johnny felt a twist in his being; he could never back down from a dare. "He pulled open the desk draw and pulled out the bottle that was in it. "You're on!"
"Duh…I've always known how to push your stupid Alpha Male buttons." She held up her bag and pulled out her own bottle. "Least mine is full, so I see you and raise you." She turned and left to go change.
Jonny put on his gi, and headband; he always liked the way the uniform made him feel, like he was powerful, unbeatable. She came out in her own gi, hers was purple, and her hair was tied back.
"I can't believe you still have that head rag." She commented. "Ali played you and the Jersey boy like puppets, and yet you STILL carry a torch for her." She added. "She did the same to some football player at UCLA, got him in trouble, and he was all moonie over her and they lost so many games." She said with a chuckle.
Johnny sighed. "Are we going to fight, or this some type of stupid therapy thing?"
"Keep your pants on Agnes, I am stretching, I unlike you have kept up with my training, and I'd rather not pull something while kicking your butt!" She said with a smirk.
Johnny met her smirk with his own. "No one trained you back then, you just mimicked what you saw us do when you followed us around like a little dog.
"Let's do this!" She said as she stepped on to the mat.
They bowed to one another and started in; when they were done they were both drunk, and laughing. They had their share of cuts, bruises, and other injuries since neither of them were holding back.
"So then they haul me in, and I was laying out everyone that touched me, it was all fun and games until they shot me full of whatever and I was off to the land of Nod." She was giggling. "Oh but you should have SEEN the look on Step-shits face when I punched through the first guy's nose." She was cackling. "You've been to that…that PLACE…" he had grabbed me and was all up in my face.
Johnny was laughing too; it had been a long time since he had a good belly laugh. "Did he call the dojo a dogo? He never cared to pronounce it right."
"Think that time it was a dodo, or dorko, yeah unless it was to do with his business all other titles were to be mispronounced.
Johnny laughter died down. "They told me they sent you off to boarding school, sorry." Johnny then added. "Yea, you know I am disowned now."
"Ha, figures. So what, I was disowned ages ago, after they hauled me off to the loony bin." She said and burped loudly. "You're better off without him; he is an ass hat, always was and always will be!"
There was a long silence between them for a little bit.
"Do me a favor; make this place respectable, and not feared. Be a better sensei than Kreese, that dude had major issues even a blind man could see that." She said. "…and change that, the whole 'no mercy' that bull that is the past, come up with a Johnny Lawrence original, if you haven't pickled your brain too badly." She finished.
He sat up. "Any other orders?!"
"Don't be a defensive ass!" she snapped at him. "Listen I believe in you even if it takes you forever and a day to get a clue, and as shitty as this sounds, I am the only family you have left." She said and got to her feet. "I never STOPPED believing in you even when you were being a stereotypical bad movie bad guy, least back then you were under the influence of hormones and youthful idiocy." She grabbed a bottle and took a long swig. "Ugh this is crap, ANYWAY, now you have a chance, you're free. Time to fly beyond this dumb valley; head up, strive to be a mountain." She took another long pull.
Johnny stood and grabbed the bottle. "What's wrong with the Valley? I had some of my best time here." He took a drink. "All Valley Karate Champion several years running."
"Lot of bad times too. The problem with a valley is it is a low point between high points." She said. "Strive for a higher point Bro." She finished. "Just here, not City, State, National, or World Champ." She found the bottle she brought and took a drink.
Johnny looked at her, he hadn't seen her in so long, and he knew what she was saying was right. They were no longer the abused kids trying to hide their bruises from the world. They had become adults still carrying around their scars, and issues. Johnny had joined Cobra Kai to become tough, it was an escape, but sadly he ran from one abusive person into another. Their Mother was never any help, her social drinking became covert alcoholism until she openly fell into a bottle and never climbed out, and she died not too long after Johnny had gone off to University. Johnny sighed and took a step towards her. She stiffened and assumed a fighters stance.
"Don't you even THINK about hugging me! Ugh you are such a GIRL!"
Johnny assumed one of his own with a smile. "What NO I wasn't; you're such a psycho bitch."
"You better believe it! EEEYYAAAHHHH!" She yelled and lunged at him.
Johnny spun around. "EEYAAAAHHH!"
The homeless woman outside peered around the door art watching the two fight; it was a break from the normal goings on in the valley.