Tourney of Victory
Robby: 07
Robby Keene tapped his foot along to the music Kyler played in his Jeep. Despite being your Valley's average "fuqboi" as Doug and Tory liked to call him, Kyler had an above-average taste in music. He loved playing Japanese 80s classics as his father was Korean and his mother Japanese. Robby rode passenger side as Doug and Shawn sat behind them.
They pulled up to the Drive-thru as Kyler rolled down the window.
"Hello there welcome to Taco Bell how can I help you today?" a familiar voice said.
"Hey is this Lucas?" Kyler asked.
There was a slight pause. "Er yeah why?"
"Okay." Kyler said smiling knowing Lucas' managers could hear him. "We'll have an order of extra spicy hot milfs. With a side of double Ds."
As the car burst out into laughter the employee on the line sighed. "Very funny guys. What'll you actually be having?"
"Two crunchy tacos and a side of nacho cheese sauce." Kyler said as he chuckled.
"2.98 at the window."
Kyler pulled forward as Robby stopped laughing. "We got him good." he said.
Lucas rolled the drive-thru window aside as he grumbled. "2.98 please."
As Kyler swiped his dad's credit card Robby spoke out. "Hey man what time do you get off?"
"7 O'clock why?"
Kyler flicked his eyebrows up. "We gon' light this city up man. Itsa Friday."
"K, I'll be there." Lucas said handing Kyler his food. "Have a great day."
Kyler pointed at Robby before he could reach for his taco. "Don't eat in here. Just got the upholstery washed."
Doug sighed from the backseat. "Just checked Yas' story. What's she doing with a loser like Fairy Queen?"
"Her loss." Robby shrugged. "Even my drunk ass loser dad had a girlfriend that hot in high school."
"He was a Cobra Kai right?" Kyler wondered as he drove towards his house.
"I don't know why we even bother pushing those losers around." Shawn said in the backseat. "We haven't lost to them yet."
"You weren't here for this." Kyler admitted. "But before you got here Rhea and his gang of fairies beat us. Hawk was a real one, but he ended stabbing us in the back."
"A real one?" Robby looked at him. "You serious?"
Kyler nodded. "He was stupid fast, and pretty funny. Y'know, aside from the lip he was pretty cool."
"Besides smashing me into a table he was cool yeah." Doug agreed with him. "I got along with him pretty well. Sensei liked him too. Shame about what happened."
"Hawk was an asshole. He hit me in the shoulder at the tournament."
Doug looked at Robby weirdly. "Uh, it's a tournament dude."
"When my back was turned and we were out of combat. That's not allowed." Robby leaned back in his chair. "So what're we doing tonight then?"
"First we can go back to my place and play some 2k. Then we can go grab Taco Boy and prank those losers," explained Kyler. "One by one."
"Sounds like a jam." Robby nodded with a slight chuckle. "Taco Boy. I love that. Hey Kyler, how come you got an accent if you grew up in the valley?"
"Oh I was born in Korea. My dad came from a military family, traveled for a bit before he settled down here. Runs a stock trading firm, mom's a lawyer." Kyler said.
Doug chuckled from the backseat. "Yeah no wonder you're so rich. Sam must've been a step down for you even."
"Nah not really. She was an eh bang." Kyler shrugged.
Robby looked at him. "Sam doesn't get down that easy. You guys went on like one date."
"Tell my dick that." Kyler laughed.
"Uh uh."
Kyler raised an eyebrow. "How'd you know?"
The tone in the car changed when Robby spoke. "We used to go out. Or did you not know?"
"Oh shit man." Kyler gulped. "Sorry I didn't mean it."
"That's what I thought," Robby said.
Trying to break the awkward air Doug spoke up. "So you guys catch that Lakers game?"
"The only person allowed to rip on Sam is me or Tory. They have serious beef. As do we." Robby made it clear to everyone in the car he was the true leader of the group, not Kyler. "Got that?"
Shawn and Doug nodded as did Kyler.
"Good." Robby rolled his eyes. "You guys keep acting like this beef we have with Miyagi-Do is some dumb sports rivalry. It's a war, it's gonna decide what Karate's like for the next ten years."
"Ah I wouldn't go that far." Kyler said.
"If we lose Sensei Kreese is gone. Cobra Kai is gone. No more tournaments, no more training, nothing. Real karate might as well never happened." Robby said.
Doug nodded. "On that we can agree. Cobra Kai for life, real karate, real shit."
"There we go." Robby leaned back and clapped Doug's hand for a man grab. "Real shit. Cobra Kai never dies."
"Mitch was such a weak fighter." Doug said. "Glad he left."
"Who's Mitch?" Kyler wondered.
Doug explained. "Oh you beat him on the day you joined."
"Yeah he was pretty slow. And fat." Kyler said.
"I noticed that." Robby watched as Kyler pulled up to his house. "Everyone at Cobra Kai already did sports. Kyler did wrestling, Luke boxed and did soccer, Doug I think you did football right?"
"Baseball," Doug said as he left Kyler's Jeep.
"And uh Shawn. Did you do a sport?"
"Nah." he said. "Been fighting since day one though."
"And Tory was a kickboxer." Robby smiled walking towards Kyler's front porch. "Guys this tournament's in the bag."
"What about you?" Kyler asked.
"You kidding? I did Karate, way before any of you. I almost beat Miguel at the tournament." Robby said reaching for the tacos Kyler ordered as he felt hungry.
"Rhea. We call him Rhea." Kyler tutted as he entered his house.
Robby swallowed some of his taco. "I'll call him whatever I want to call him."
Kyler nodded turning away slightly. "Okay man sure."
The boys flopped down on the couch as Kyler started up his playstation and started up his game of NBA 2k.
"So when's Tory coming over?" Robby wondered.
"Said she worked till 6:30. Why man?" Kyler asked.
"Oh no reason." Robby said.
Before Kyler could say anything Doug laughed a bit. "Bet she works at Hooters or something. With a rack like that she'd fit right in."
"She's our friend man. Don't talk about her like that." Robby said passing the ball to Shawn in the video game.
"Right. She's just your friend. Chill." Doug said seeing how quickly he reacted.
"Dude you totally like her." Kyler said stealing the ball and sneaking it to Doug's character. "Just admit it."
"Oh shit you totally do man." Doug laughed as he dribbled towards the net. "How long before you two y'know." Doug tutted his tongue and flicked his eyebrows upward.
Robby rubbed his eyes. "God you guys really have the maturity of three year olds. Just because we get along doesn't mean we like each other."
"Dude she used to date Rhea. Sure you should like her?" Kyler said.
"You tried to ask her out." Robby countered.
"Yeah one time." Kyler grunted as Shawn flicked a perfect three pointer. "Fucks sake. Bullshit!"
"I play just as good in real life man. I swear." Shawn admitted.
Kyler looked at him. "Wait. For real?"
"Yeah dude. I grew up in Crenshaw, think I don't know how to play basketball?" Shawn said.
Kyler stood up. "Bet. Got a ball in the garage, hoop's outside."
"Let's goooo!" Doug said getting off the couch.
Robby sighed at the attention span of his friends. He knew they'd just play for a few minutes before getting bored.
...
He was unfortunately mistaken. All four of them were athletes and Cobra Kais best students, the game went back and forth and got intensely competitive.
Kyler ducked under Robby before slipping the ball to Doug. Shawn captured mid-pass before landing a great two pointer.
"Nice shot Payne-Train," Tory said as she walked up to their game in the street. "What's the score?"
"37-43." Kyler said as he pressed Robby back.
Shawn shook his head. "Nuh uh! 38-43!"
"It's literally one point man." Doug tutted.
"One point can be win or lose in a tournament." Tory put her hands in the pockets of her skeleton jacket. "We ready to go?"
"Nah gotta wait a bit, Taco Boy said he'd meet us at Golf N' Stuff." Robby explained. "Plus I'm not leaving till I win this game."
"Taco Boy? You mean Luke?" Tory asked. "He already earned his white belt guys. Come on."
"So?" Shawn flicked a three pointer. "He's one of us now. Gotta act like one to him."
Tory sighed. "It's already getting dark guys we should go."
"Whoo!" Kyler sunk a dunk shot, high fiving Doug. "Tor's right we gotta go."
"What about Taco Boy." Robby said trying to continue the game before Kyler swiped it out of his hand.
"Better luck next time man, let's go."
Robby and Shawn protested. Shawn sighed. "Come on we were so close."
"Not really," Tory said getting in Kyler's Jeep as Doug nearly ran.
"I call shotgun!" Doug said.
As Tory and Robby got in it looked like they were gonna sit next to each other, the two smiling at each other for just a second. But then Shawn moved in front of Robby. "Excuse me guys." Shawn plopped in between them after putting his seatbelt on, looking between them as he smiled. "So wassup?" Shawn said as he put his arms up behind both of their heads.
"Um. Nothing." Tory said. "You two really got sweaty. Must've been some game."
"Yeah we destroyed you fools." Kyler laughed and fist bumped Doug as he pulled out of the driveway.
"I remember you on the first day of class. You nearly shat yourself after Hawk pummeled your fat friend. Shyber." Tory said.
"Shyber." Robby raised an eyebrow. "Not the best."
"Better than freaking Taco Boy." Tory said.
"Speaking of which if we're heading out early shouldn't we go pick him up?" asked Robby.
Doug shrugged. "Let him take the bus. No mercy."
"Yeah no mercy." Kyler nodded.
"Right but then he'll take forever to get to Golf 'N stuff." Tory noted. "It's only 6:45."
Kyler groaned. "Crap. Lucky he works close."
"Also why are we even going to Golf 'N stuff?" Tory wondered.
Doug answered texting Lucas to let him know. "Remember? That fat dipshit Chris works there."
"Yeah but we already won there. Remember?" Tory said.
Doug shrugged. "Not really. Hawk broke that fags arm. And that girl you hate um, forgot her name. Yeah she didn't even fight."
"Yeah you can get scary sometimes Tor." Kyler said. "Don't blame her."
"Scary? When?" Tory asked.
The whole car said nothing.
"Uh guys? I asked a question?"
"Well you forgot to tell everyone you brought a freaking molotov to Miyagi-Do." Robby shrugged. "Then you almost snapped Doug's wrist in class."
"Gave Kyler that black eye in the gym." Doug added.
Kyler nodded as he drove. "Plus you've pretty much left your mark on everyone in class. Even Taco Boy."
Tory looked at Robby. "I told you guys. Right?"
"Uh no." Kyler said. "You really didn't. Thought we were just gonna beat 'em up then trash the place. Doug nearly wet himself."
"Shut the fuck up man!" he said. "Who isn't afraid of fire?"
"I'm not." Tory brushed her blonde hair back. "Seriously? No wonder when you guys jumped Hawk you ended up fighting anyway. You all suck at planning." Tory tutted.
Kyler pulled up to Taco Bell's parking lot with a small sigh. "Now. We wait."
Robby complimented Tory. "Yeah that was kinda odd, brave but still odd. How come you weren't afraid of the fire?"
"Well apparently I was the only one who knew. Lucky you guys actually caught on quick enough." Tory said.
"You probably should've told us though," Doug said this painfully.
Tory sighed. "Wow guys. Just wow. Someone must've forgot because I did tell someone."
The whole car talked over each other along the lines of "No you didn't!"
"Okay jeez." Tory asked.
Lucas walked out wearing jeans and a jacket with his work clothes folded into his backpack.
"Get in Taco Boy!" Kyler rolled the window down.
"Yeah, you bring Tacos Taco Boy?" Tory asked.
Robby noticed how just a moment ago she was against using the name until he approved of it.
Lucas stopped. "Wait. How am I gonna fit in? There's five of you."
"Wait really?" Kyler looked around his Jeep. Clearly it was full.
Tory looked out the window at him. "Just get in anyway."
"What I gotta go in the trunk? What am I a dog?" Lucas complained.
Robby looked out of his window. "Just get in man."
"Seriously guys?"
"Get in!" the entire car of Cobra Kais said together.
As Lucas reluctantly got in the trunk he complained. "Guys this is really unsafe."
"Just get in the stupid car Taco Boy!" Robby sighed. "God! For breaking a guy's arm you really can be a pussy."
"Hey don't go around telling people that." Lucas said as Kyler began to drive toward Golf 'N Stuff.
Doug spoke up. "Dude I'd wear that shit like a badge of honor."
"I'm not. No one actually knows how to fight underground. They're all just body builders or bikers." Lucas said.
"Bikers are cool." Kyler countered. "I thought Tory was a biker chick at first."
"Bikers suck ass at fighting." Tory lightly kicked his seat. "Our old traitor Sensei kicked a group of bikers asses no sweat."
"Wait when?" Robby wondered.
Tory sighed. "God I'm the only person here who stayed in Cobra Kai longer than last semester. It was when his friend died. He was a Cobra Kai too, think his name was Tommy."
"Yeah my mom used to mention him." Lucas said.
"No one cares about your mom Taco Boy!" Kyler countered. "Stop talking about her!"
"Dude this is like the first time he's mentioned her," Robby said.
"So? Seems like all we talk about is Karate, Basketball, or work." Doug sighed. "Wouldn't mind changing the topic."
"Bruh would you rather talk about the weather?" Shawn raised an eyebrow.
Doug tutted. "No. But what about movies?"
"I twisted this guy's arm during Happy Hour last night?" Tory offered.
Lucas smiled. "Ooh that sounds fun."
"Yeah he was drunk as hell. Touched my ass. Manager was happy I took him outside, made sure then I sprained his wrist."
"That's no mercy right there!" Robby high fived her as the car chuckled.
"I wedgied a freshman." Doug offered. "Plus I stole Hawk's chem binder during fifth."
Kyler nodded. "Not bad not bad. But I dumped Rhea's backpack in soup during lunch. How about that?"
As everyone shared stories of bullying others, everyone noticed Lucas had said nothing. Looking to him, Lucas shrugged. "What? I just work at Taco Bell. If I bully anyone I get fired."
"I once beat a guy's ass so hard my mom wouldn't talk to me for a week." Shawn offered all of a sudden.
The tone of the car was dead silent...before erupting into cheers and congratulations.
...
The night was bombastic, the gang laughing at Chris as they spray painted "Cobra Kai never dies" all over the golf course.
"No mercy!" Tory said.
"O for 4!" laughed Robby knocking over a tower and a rack of putting clubs.
Lucas flipped off Chris making an L sign on his head as they ran off laughing.
Kyler laughed as he shut the door to his car. "That was great! Who's next?"
Doug checked his phone. "Sam and her gang of bitches are at that hipster cafe on Palm."
"Let's strike there." Tory smiled.
Dumping hot coffee over all of them, Shawn and Lucas laughed and high fived each other. Lucas laughed at Sam, Yasmine, and Moon as he ran off. "Cobra Kai never dies!" he said.
Sam watched as Tory flipped her off, spray painting these exact words over her car.
"I hate them so much," Sam said as coffee dripped off her dark brown hair.
"This is designer!" Yasmine complained loudly.
Kyler laughed harder. "Who's next now?"
"That skinny guy loves the comic book store. The totally weak one whose arm Hawk broke." Doug offered.
"Oh yeah yeah yeah!" Robby snapped. "Demitri! In that spot at the mall!" he said remembering him third-wheeling during his "date" with Sam.
Demitri was too busy reading a comic book when Cobra Kai struck first. In the comic book aisle, Kyler shoved Demitri forward as Robby pulled Demitri's hoodie over his head, shutting it tight with the straps.
"No mercy." Tory socked him in the stomach, making him cough and wheeze for breath.
On the ground, Lucas pulled Demitri's underwear up as high as he could. Kicking him on the ground he laughed and high fived Tory and Robby. "No mercy." he said as the gang ran off.
Outside, Lucas saw Hawk and Miguel approaching from the food court. Using food, they blasted both of them before they ran off. "Cobra Kai never dies!" Robby chuckled.
Covered in soda, Hawk shook his head. "Pussies! You all don't know shit about Cobra Kai!"
Laughing, Robby just shrugged. "Then why are we still in it!?"
Outside a convenience store, Lucas, Shawn, and Robby grabbed Bert, Nate, and a ginger Eagle-Do with an afro. Tory and Kyler covered them all completely in mustard and ketchup before stealing their hot dogs.
"Enjoy!" Tory joked as they ran off.
Eating his hot dog along with Shawn and Robby, Lucas chuckled in the trunk as Kyler drove off. "Ah, tonight was great guys." Robby wondered as he chewed. "Where to next?"
"That's pretty much all of them." Tory said. "Miguel, Demitri, Hawk, Sam, those tiny dudes, and the afro kid. Plus Chris. Everyone else isn't doing anything tonight right?"
Doug nodded after putting his snapchat away. "Yup."
"Plus they've probably wisened up by now. Likely staying indoors." Tory suggested.
Robby smiled. "Let's grab some drinks. I know the last place we should go tonight."
...
At the LaRusso dealership well after it was closed up for the night, Robby fiddled with the lock as Tory looked at him. "You sure about this?"
He smiled as he successfully picked it open. "Trust me, I know how security works here. We can wipe the feed when we're done."
Cobra Kai utterly trashed everything they could find. Cars, papers, anything they could get their hands on. When they were finished, they began spray-painting everywhere they could.
Robby offered a soda to Tory watching Lucas, Doug, Kyler, and Shawn continue to trash everything. "Tonight was super fun." Tory admitted. "Thanks Robby."
"Ah it was nothing." Robby shrugged as he offered to clink his can of soda to hers. "To...being cheated on."
Clinking it with a smile, Tory drank a bit of her Cola before dunking the rest of it on the expensive carpet. "God this feels really good watching this happen. We must be wrecking hundreds of dollars worth of windows and stuff."
"Yeah probably." Robby chuckled. "I made sure to let them know not to leave any Cobra Kai stuff anywhere. As far as my bitch ass old Sensei's concerned, this could've been anyone."
Tory looked with pride seeing Doug and Lucas throw bonsai trees around and crash them about getting dirt everywhere. The boys chest bumped as Tory spoke. "Nice to see those two getting along finally."
"Ah, but they're idiots."
Shawn and Kyler both destroyed various glass windows of many cars, fist-bumping afterward.
"Would you look at that." Tory pointed. "Crenshaw and Encino fist-bumping."
"Don't see that everyday." Robby smiled too before looking at her. "And what about us?"
"What about us?" wondered Tory.
Robby shrugged. "Don't you think we make a pretty good team?"
"Yeah. Yeah we make a great team. You're a natural Cobra Robby. You always were."
Robby frowned.
Tory shook her head. "No, not because of your-"
"It's fine. I got what you meant." Robby smiled at her. "I never thought tonight would come along this well either."
"I'm glad it did." Tory said leaning back on her arms. "After such a shitty semester, you guys really turned it around for me."
The two made eye contact. "I knew how hard things have been for you recently. Want to put that all past us."
Just when it looked like they were having a moment, Doug interrupted. "Hey guys. Luke just found something."
...
"What is it Taco Boy?" Robby asked as Lucas explained.
"See for yourself." he said.
He turned on the lights, revealing a whole hidden room full of expensive cars. Robby would've known about it, but he knew Daniel'd never trust him with a secret so valuable.
"Whoa. Just, wow." Doug said looking around.
"A 1979 Porsche Carrera S series. Has a rare as shit Vetti-58 Turbocharger." Lucas noted how rare the fender and side bumper were. "Only 597 of these were ever made."
"You know about cars?" Robby asked.
"What kinda man doesn't?" Lucas snorted. "It's gotta be worth a solid quarter mil without any mods at least."
Tory looked at Robby, "What do you think?"
Everyone waited for his approval. "Wait what?" he asked.
"This was your idea man." Kyler said. "What do you think?"
Robby nodded slowly. "Cobra Kai never dies guys. No mercy."
"No mercy." they echoed instantly.
Releasing unrelenting fury, they destroyed the cars. Robby kicked a side-view mirror off the S Porsche as Kyler and Doug took turns denting as much as they could. The gang used nearby mechanical tools to dismember everything they could find, down to the last tire on the last car.
After a solid three minutes of bashing everything in sight, Robby was satisfied.
"Let's go guys." he said.
Everyone left, Robby not even looking twice at the cars he destroyed. The boy he knew a year ago would've rather died than lay a finger on them.
Robby chuckled as Tory wrapped her arm over his shoulder on the walk to Kyler's car parked well out of sight and far away from the dealership. "How times change."
"How they really do." Tory said agreeing with him.
In his car, Kyler spoke. "Well. We owe that all to you Robby."
"Yeah dude." Lucas bumped fists with him. "No mercy. Absolutely brutal night."
As Kyler began to drove away Robby noticed how they all waited for his approval at the room of rare cars. He could barely believe it, but his group of friends was really looking to him to lead them.
"Guys. Do you think of me as a leader?" Robby wondered.
"Definitely." Doug agreed. "You did Karate longer than any of us. The only person who can really take you in a fight is Tory, even then she loses. It's hard to give you shit, and when you dish it out, we just have to take it."
"Yeah, just look at Taco Boy. That got your stamp of approval." Shawn said. "Now everyone calls him it."
"Hey!" Lucas complained.
Robby smiled as the Jeep kept driving. "Thanks guys."
Tory nodded her head along the music lightly as Kyler kept driving. Robby had to admit, he enjoyed seeing her version of a relaxing Friday night be bullying everyone they could find.
As Lucas began to sing along with everyone in the car, he pointed to Tory who joined in as well, pointing back. Robby took a moment before he realized how he was staring at his own friend. Something began to happen where he began to realize something Doug said to him stuck with him like glue.
'She's just your friend. Chill.'
...