Tourney of Victory
Robby: 10
Robby sighed as Yasmine came to his table. "Are you actually gonna order anything?" she asked.
"Just water." he said raising his cup.
"That's not actually anything."
"I'm thirsty. Been training since this morning." Robby said.
As she walked off, Robby stood up out of the booth seeing Hawk approach. "I thought Sam wanted to talk to me."
"She doesn't have anything to say to you. But I do."
Robby snorted. "I don't."
Hawk raised an eyebrow. "What you scared of just talking to me?"
"No. Just don't feel like talking to you."
"Sit. Unless you're scared." Hawk challenged.
Robby shook his head a bit, sitting down. "Fine. What is this about?"
"I want to apologize for what happened at Golf 'N Stuff," Hawk said.
Robby laughed. "You can shove your apology right up your ass. Lip."
"That's how we're gonna play this?"
Robby leaned back in the booth. "Yeah. You came all this way to apologize to me? Thought you were a self righteous prick about everything."
"I've changed. I'm turning the other cheek from now on. At school, and outside it. We settle this the right way. On the mat. At finals."
Robby shook his head. "You guys actually think you can win this. Who's our competition? Xander Stone? You? Miguel? You guys haven't lasted five seconds against us."
"Those weren't fair fights," Hawk said. "You'll find we aren't as weak when you surprise us."
"So you came here to brag then? Congrats, you've accomplished absolutely nothing." Robby sipped his water.
"I'm turning over a new leaf. And it all starts today." Hawk said. "I see you've been doing the same thing too." he noted Robby's black headband. "Thought that was Miguel's."
"He left it, and his GI back to us when he left. Unlike you I know the way real Karate works."
"Real karate? You mean bullying?"
"Look who's talking." Robby put his glass down. "Not bullying. I mean winning. You used to be in Cobra Kai. You know what it's like."
"Yeah and you guys bastardized its good name. You stole everything. Miguel's girlfriend, his dojo. And now his headband."
"I stole nothing. First this used to belong to my dad. Now it belongs to the dojo." Robby pointed to his headband. "Second-"
"A dad you sure as hell miss." Hawk said. "I'm sure you didn't join Cobra Kai because of Kreese."
Robby laughed quietly. "You don't know anything about me. About my family."
"I know that the only reason you've done anything this past year has been to piss him off. It's why you trained under Mr. LaRusso, why you train under Kreese. If you care about your dad so little, then why do you wear that thing?"
"It's a symbol of respect. It belongs to the top Cobra Kai." Robby said.
Hawk smiled. "Yeah. I'm sure that's what you are."
"You just come here to swap insults with me? Thought you were apologizing."
"Was here to drop this off too." Hawk pulled a stack of Cobra Kai GIs out of his backpack, including tournament ones. "We're all done with Kreese. Just hoping you can see him for what he really is before it's too late."
"You followed Sensei Kreese more than any of us. How could you just leave him like that?"
"He lied to me." Hawk said. "About Karate. About me. About everything. And he won't stop lying."
"How come his training paid off so well then?"
Hawk nodded a little. "Oh yeah. He can make you strong. But he can also turn you into an ass."
"Thanks for the GIs. I'm sure Sensei won't want these things from traitors." Robby said picking them up and leaving. "Thanks for the shitty apology."
…
In class Kreese watched his students progress, it had been about two weeks since Robby had returned the GIs and Doug and Lucas were quickly approaching their yellow belt test.
"Nichols. Presentation."
Tory bowed her head at the front of the class. "Yes Sensei."
The class broke out in a square formation as Kreese explained to his students. "You are all learning well. But with how important this tournament is to us, it's time I teach you all some old techniques. We used to call it Quick Silver, from an old buddy of mine from the war."
The class listened attentively. "Mr. Keene is the only one here with any notable tournament experience. He nearly won it all last year, and now he's fought his way out of prison. And proved to be a loyal student of this dojo."
Kreese approached Robby. "As customary with tradition. He has started wearing his father's old headband to mark himself publicly as my new top student. Much to my approval. However, he has much to learn. As do all of you. Your knuckles Mr. Keene."
Robby showed his fists to Kreese as he held them. "They're soft. Like all of yours. In a tournament, if you go for a Quick Silver punch. You will only lose a point and anger your opponent. But if done properly." Kreese let go of Robby's hands, turning to the class. "Your opponent will be disabled."
"But I thought we weren't allowed to cheat in a tournament Sensei." Shawn said in his new white Cobra Kai GI.
"It's not cheating Mr. Payne." Kreese said. "You may get a penalty, but your opponent's nose will be bloodied and broken. If your opponent is quick, and smart, he can avoid being hit like this, and give you a fair fight. But if he's slow and sloppy, you'll make quick work of him."
He turned to Tory. "Ms. Nichols. Prepare the boards."
In a small moment, he shook his head at how she and a line of students held them. "Uh uh. Wrong way." Kreese explained to the class moving his fingers down the board. "We're not showing off in this class. These boards are to condition your fists, not your social media posts."
"Yes Sensei." Tory held them properly along with everyone else.
"Begin." Kreese then yelled. "Aiheet!"
It was brutal work. The boards were made of oak wood, and most students were having trouble not hurting their fists, let alone breaking them. Kyler ignored the pain, hitting the board harder, this time striking hard enough to crack the wood back a little under Tory's grasp.
Robby visualized Miguel's face on the boards, hitting it as hard as he could. Despite bruising his knuckles, Robby made more progress than any other student, except for Lucas.
Expelling a loud kiai as he landed, Lucas broke the board open completely with the most solid punch the class had landed so far. Even the other Cobra Kais were surprised by this.
Chuckling, Kreese nodded. "The knuckles of a boxer. Consider it your yellow belt test at the end of this week."
"Thank you Sensei." Lucas said bowing his head.
Seeing this, Robby hit his board harder, making Doug's hands snap back. Robby was injuring both himself and his partner from how hard he was hitting it, growing more frustrated as time went on.
"Go on a quick break. Johnson." he nodded to a student Johnny used to have as well during the tournament in dreadlocks. "Take his place."
Rubbing the blood off his fists, Robby spoke to Kreese. "I can handle it Sensei."
"Clearly not. Your defeat at the hands of Hawk has your head spinning." Kreese explained. "Ignore Schwarber. Ignore Hawk and the GIs he brought you weeks ago. Ignore everyone and everything around you. It's just you. And that board. Got it?"
"Yes Sensei."
When it was his turn again Robby stopped hitting the board so angrily, as his strikes built, eventually he cracked it open completely.
"My top student indeed. Well done Mr. Keene." Kreese said.
"Thank you Sensei." Robby said.
The board breaking was mostly due to Robby's grit and how tough he was. Otherwise, he would not have been able to fight through the throbbing pain he was in.
After recovering, he and Lucas sparred, which showed the amount of progress both had since their first fight.
They both cut angles faster, they both weren't breaking it down into a dragged out brawl like before. The strikes were clean, and there was no clear victor. Robby still managed to land a solid hit after landing a reverse punch to the eye.
Despite this barely hurting him, Lucas stopped fighting seeing the flags raised.
"Attacking while your opponent struck." Kreese nodded his head. "Not much he could've done about it. You learn quickly. Both of you."
"But I lost the point." Lucas said, still in perfect condition to fight despite going multiple rounds with Robby.
"You did. But you didn't make it easy at all. The match was much more even than the first time. Nichols, take Schwarber's place."
Tory fought a bit differently than Lucas, not choosing to chain together strikes to create openings like he did and instead going right for the jugular. Tory was all over Robby at first, not telegraphing any strikes and landing a clean kick to the stomach.
When they resumed combat, Robby learned his lesson, keeping his distance better and choosing to pick his attacks better. Eventually the score was even 2-2 eventually, before Robby won his match.
He swept Tory's leg while she kicked, finishing the fight with a punch to the cheek.
"That's two opponents in a row. Schwarber swap in."
Lucas timed his wheel kick very well, right as Robby came forward, spinning into his attack to catch Robby right in the jaw. Flags rose as Robby stumbled back, not dropped despite the power of the blow. Eventually the class found that only Tory and Lucas stood a chance against both Robby and each other. Despite the fights being even, Robby won out 3-2 both times.
"Again, my top student." Kreese said as Lucas rubbed his ribs on the ground before standing up. "No mercy."
"No mercy." Robby bowed.
As the class ended, Lucas stood at the front of the class holding his white belt in his hand. Kreese tied the yellow belt around his waist before speaking to him. "You did well in sparring. Those were close matches, nice to see you learn how to use those legs now."
"Thank you Sensei." Lucas said.
Kreese turned back to the class before it ended. "What're the words of this dojo?"
"Strike first! Strike hard! No mercy sir!" they all said together.
Kreese walked forward. "Does fear, pain, defeat, or weakness exist at all in this dojo?"
"No Sensei!"
Kreese walked right up to Robby and then between his rows of students. "The fight at the school. The fight at the LaRusso's. Even last year's tournament to a degree. These were all failures. Even Miguel Diaz left this dojo along with Hawk, another semi-finalist. But more importantly, you will all fix Cobra Kai's greatest mistake, its largest embarrassment."
The class listened. "Nearly 35 years ago, I lead Cobra Kai to its first defeat in its history. You will all change that mistake. You will all defeat the same weaklings I lost to before. You all know these people. You have all lost and suffered humiliation at the hands of these people."
He walked between his students. First to Kyler. "Miguel Diaz."
Then Robby. "Hawk Moskowitz."
Then Tory. "Samantha LaRusso."
And lastly, the boy who had resumed his place in line wearing his new yellow belt. "And finally, Ali Mills." he made Lucas look away in shame at the mention of his mother. "These scars don't make you weak. They make you stronger. Our pain does not exist, instead it makes us strong, that is the very definition of Cobra Kai."
He looked out over his class. "You all trained well today, and you will continue to grow in the ways of Cobra Kai. But until we win this tournament, we will never remove the greatest blemish in Cobra Kai's history. The loss I endured under LaRusso and Miyagi. These people are weak, they train weak people."
Kreese roared as he walked between the rows. "They are weak of mind! They are weak in body! They are weak in every meaning of the word. You must show them no mercy. Our defeat in '84 does not exist! Repeat after me, defeat does not exist!"
"Defeat does not exist!" the class roared.
"I said! Defeat does not exist!"
Robby yelled louder than the rest of the class. "Defeat does not exist!"
"I can't hear you!"
"Defeat does not exist!" the class yelled so loudly together that the convenience store owner a few doors down heard them, almost jumping in surprise.
…
Sitting in the diner together, the Cobra Kais were clearly dead tired and had bruised knuckles and feet after the class. "Wow, that kicked my ass." Doug groaned as he pressed a cold bottle of soda to his knuckles.
"You did all right Taco Boy." Robby said. "Sensei said you could be the Bobby to my Johnny. Know what that might mean?"
"No idea man." Lucas rubbed the bruise over his left eye. "You still beat me in sparring."
"By a point. Like Sensei said." Robby responded. "Defeat does not exist. You didn't make it easy dude."
"Cobra Kai never dies." Lucas said going for a man grab that Robby happily accepted.
Robby looked at Tory. "After what Sensei said, we shouldn't just prank those idiots and then get drunk together."
"Well then what should we do?" asked Tory.
Robby explained. "Sensei said it best. That loss in '84 was bullshit. We should prove it to them."
"How?" asked Kyler.
"We need to take that trophy back. Sam's throwing a Valentine's Day party this Friday night. Thinking we should show her what Cobra Kai loves best. Wrecking their shit up." Robby said.
"That's our leader man!" Lucas laughed as he leaned forward to go for a Cobra Kai man-grab slash fist bump. "Sounds dope."
Tory raised an eyebrow. "Won't they be expecting us?"
"Oh they will. Their whole dojo will be there." Robby said. "Which is why we'll strike first. We go under this flag of truce."
"Won't they be expecting that too?" Tory asked.
"Nah." Robby said. "Hawk talked to me a few weeks back. That's what they're best at. Talking. First I go in. Not either of you two." he pointed between Kyler and Tory. "Then they'll know what's happening if you two come in. It'll be me, Doug, and Luke."
"Why Taco Boy and not us?" Kyler protested.
"Yeah why not us?" Tory asked.
Robby raised his hands a little. "Just hear me out. They're expecting us to swoop in unannounced. But if we show up under a white flag, wanting to party just like they did at Rickenberger's place. We might just relax them enough. We blend in, drink a little, and then we take that trophy."
Tory kept asking questions. "See this plan still sounds terrible. Wouldn't you all be drunk as hell?"
"Oh we would." Robby said. "That's the plan. To let the party go on as if nothing's happening. Then you and Kyler come in with Shawn, Big Red, Mikey, Johnson, Fields, as many people as you can."
"I thought you hated beer." Kyler pointed out.
"Not as much as I hate defeat. Besides, I'd drink a whole bar if it meant ruining their party." replied Robby.
Lucas agreed. "It's actually a solid plan. Didn't they show up at Doug's house party wanting to get drunk too? Wouldn't be too out of the ordinary if we wanted the same. We are under a truce after all."
"This truce is bullshit." Tory scoffed. "Sam probably is expecting something like this."
Robby looked at her. "You're not gonna join in?"
"I have nothing else better to do Friday night but graffiti Cobra Kai never dies everywhere." Tory said. "Still doesn't mean I think it's a good plan."
"You have a better idea?"
"Yeah Taco Boy I do." Tory made the table snicker at this. "We wait until after the party's over and everyone's either passed out or too drunk to do anything and then take the trophy."
Doug shrugged. "I've been checking out Sam's instagram. Party sounds too sweet to miss. Plus it gives us a chance to celebrate all our new yellow belts."
"Yeah that's even if you pass Dickenberger." Tory said. "Why am I the only one here who seems to have any sort of restraint?"
"Probably because you and Robby are Sensei's favorites." Kyler said before Tory angrily pushed his hat down to cover his eyes.
Robby turned to Tory. "So. Are you in or not?"
"Of course I am. We're gonna destroy them."
…
Seeing Robby knock on the door to Sam's house, Doug and Lucas waited around for a bit. No one answered the door and Doug instantly got nervous. "This was a shit idea."
"Calm down man." Lucas said. "Have some faith."
"Have some faith?" Doug's eyes widened. "Excuse me Mr. I don't care if we walk in to get drunk with nothing but Miyagi-Dos."
"Why're you such a pussy?"
"You're the pussy, pussy!" the two got into one of their classic shoving matches.
Robby turned to them. "Oh my god, for the millionth time can you two knock it off?"
Sam answered the door making the boys stop fighting. "Oh great. What're you guys doing here?"
"Uh." Robby cleared his throat. "Luke and Doug passed their yellow belt tests this week."
"Then where are Kyler and Tory?"
Robby chuckled. "Don't tell me you miss them."
"I don't. I just find it a little odd."
Seeing Robby struggle to give an appropriate excuse Lucas spoke up. "Kyler's studying for his calc test. And Tory's working doubles tonight at the rink."
"So then why aren't you helping him?" Sam asked.
Lucas shrugged a little. "It is a party. Sounded fun."
"Your guys' idea of fun differs than mine." Sam said closing the door.
Robby held it. As Sam sighed opening it Robby spoke. "Look you guys did the same thing to us when Doug threw a rager. What's so different about this?"
"We weren't being all weird about it. We're honest."
"You're right. You're honest." Robby swallowed his words and bowed his head. "Is it wrong to want to have an honest party?"
"After you burned down our dojo?"
Robby raised his hands. "Tory didn't tell us about the Molotov. I swear."
"She really didn't." Doug and Lucas agreed with him.
Sam rolled her eyes letting them in. "Don't make me regret this."
Miguel instantly watched Robby, Doug, and Lucas enter. "What're they doing here?"
"Probably think they can beat us at beer pong." Hawk shrugged. "Probably not gonna happen."
Demitri noticed something. "Is he wearing your headband?"
Miguel found it odd by how friendly and smiley Robby and his friends were acting. "Yeah he is."
Robby poured himself some beer as Miguel approached. "Hey. That's my headband."
"You gave it to us, remember?" Robby leaned back on the kitchen island. "But I'm happy to give it back to you. For a price."
"What price?" Miguel blanked.
"Beer pong. You against me. Only one condition. We use Jager bombs. Not beer."
"That's a little much don't you think?" Miguel asked.
Robby smiled at him. "What you scared Rhea?" he chuckled as Doug and Lucas laughed with him.
"Fine." Miguel said. "If I win you guys leave. And we use a bit of Jager, not pure shots."
"Deal." Robby said.
In Sam's garage, the whole party looked on as Robby and Miguel set up the game. "What even is this supposed to be?"
"How about Jaber pong?" Lucas suggested holding his beer.
"Ooh, that's a good one." Hawk said.
"Thanks."
"I was kidding. Dipshit." Hawk snorted as Mitch and Demitri laughed.
"What'd you just say?" Lucas sipped his beer before putting it down. "You want a rematch Lip?"
"Hey hey hey!" Sam said next to Moon and Yasmine. "Remember the truce!"
Robby and Miguel squared off across the ping pong table. "Since when do you call me Rhea?"
"Since I joined Cobra Kai. And you quit like a loser." Robby said, aiming his ping pong ball. "Figures this all started with Kyler calling you that. Now." he sunk a perfect shot. "It's gonna end like that."
"No way."
Miguel and Robby quickly got very drunk. Miguel laughed as he barely landed a shot. "That headband's mine!"
Robby won however. "Ha. Gotcha."
The two were clearly done, Lucas putting down Robby's drink before he could drink any more Sprite mixed with a strong hint of Jager. "Okay buddy, let's slow down. Long night ahead."
Robby shoved Lucas down. "Back off Taco Boy! What're you my mom?"
"I'm supposed to be your Bobby remember?" Lucas ignored this patiently as he stood up off the floor of Sam's garage.
"We don't even know that means." Robby said.
Doug cleared his throat. "Think it means you get into trouble, and Luke's gotta bail you out of it."
"Ah bullshit." Robby put down his cup. "I won."
"Still got kind of wasted." Lucas said. He happily cheered Robby on. "Great job though man!" he said clapping his hand with Robby to shoulder bump him. Doug just nodded quietly as Lucas spoke to him. "I'm so jealous dude. You're a better drinker than even me."
Miguel sighed as he returned to his friends. "Sorry about that guys. I suck at drinking games."
"You said it. But I got this." Hawk put down his drink. "Defeat does not exist."
Demitri watched him walk off. "What're you doing?"
"You and me Taco Boy." Hawk said to Lucas as he chatted with Robby on the other end of the ping pong table.
"Only my friends can call me that." Lucas said.
"Oh yeah, you've been here all of two months. I can call you whatever I want." Hawk said.
Lucas turned. "Yeah I got ranked yellow already."
"Oooh a yellow belt." Hawk laughed at him. "From Kreese."
"He was your Sensei too." Lucas said. "What do you want from me?"
Hawk explained. "Classic chair stand off. You against me."
"Why not?" he said.
…
Watching Lucas and Hawk drink, Robby sipped his own drink quietly. Sam approached him. "Hey. Glad to see you not start a fight with Miguel five seconds in."
"Surprised you let us into your party."
Sam confessed. "Yeah, I didn't really want to. But you and I used to date so. Bygones."
"Even after burning down your dojo? And ruined your date with Miguel?" Robby wondered.
"Forgiveness is all part of Miyagi-Do. You should know, you were with us." explained Sam.
Robby nodded. "Yeah I do know. Guess your dad couldn't forgive me enough to still get me in jail."
Sam looked at him. "I still don't understand why you did that. Were you just angry all along? Did you only join Cobra Kai to make me, my dad, and your dad mad?"
"I'm not that petty." Robby admitted. "I only sign up for something if I think it's the right thing for me."
"Then why're you going out with Tory?"
Robby turned to her. "So that's what this is about. You're jealous."
"No. Tory's a monster. She's even worse than Kreese. At least using a molotov wasn't his idea was it?"
Robby held his arms. "What do you know about her?"
"I know her better than you do. She's the worst kind of bully. She loves pain, she loves hurting others."
Robby spoke smugly. "At least she never cheated on me. I like it when someone's honest with me."
Their conversation was interrupted when Hawk fell off his chair.
Chuckling, Lucas jumped off his chair as he shoved Hawk's down in front of him. "Get fucked Lip. Bet the tournament's gonna go the same way."
Hawk sized himself up, before remembering he was turning over a new leaf. He turned the other cheek and left to go talk to Demitri.
"Huh. Thought he was gonna fight him." Robby said.
"He would've deserved it." Sam said. "How can you hang around people like that?"
"You were friends with Aisha. You're dating Miguel right now."
"We're still sort of figuring things out." Sam said. "And Aisha and Miguel are different. Or. Were different in Aisha's case. They might've been Cobra Kai but they're past that."
"Oh yeah? Then how come Hawk jumped me on my date?"
Sam crossed her arms. "He apologized for that."
"Hawk barely knows how to apologize. It was more of an insult if anything. He was there to give us back our GIs." Robby said.
Sam and Robby began to have a very loud argument. "So I let you and your douchebag friends in here for no reason? You really are worse than your dad."
"Worse than my dad? Your dad's a selfish piece of patronizing garbage. At least my dad's honest about how awful he is."
"Selfish!?" Sam gasped. "He took you into our home. He fed you, trained you, he was as nice as he could be."
Miguel appeared. "What's going on over here?"
"No one asked Rhea." Robby said.
"Hey." Sam stood between them. "You can't talk to him like that."
Robby smiled. "What? The lady can't talk for herself?"
"I think it's time you all left." Miguel said.
Robby left the conversation instead seeing Doug arm wrestle Chris. "Apparently not."
Miguel approached Sam. "What're you doing talking to him? What were you thinking letting him in?"
"My dad thought he could be changed. But it turns out we knew him all along." Sam sighed.
Miguel squinted at his kind of girlfriend. "Wait and you're sad about that?"
"You weren't sad when you found out Hawk broke Demitri's arm? When he trashed Miyagi-Do? When Cobra Kai was led by Kreese?" asked Sam.
"Of course I was. But that was different."
"How? Robby was just as much my friend as Hawk is yours."
"Hawk's way better than Robby."
Sam began to leave. "This quote on quote new leaf of his is just a farce. He just wants to beat Kreese at the tournament."
"Sam wait-"
Hawk appeared. "Hey man, having lady troubles?"
"Shut up man." Miguel said. "God how come, every party I get drunk at something goes wrong? Something gets seriously messed up?"
"Doug's party wasn't that bad. And neither is this one." Hawk admitted.
"That party sucked. This party sucks, this all sucks." Miguel threw his red cup away.
Hawk looked at him. "Hey dude, I know you're pissed about Sam but it's gonna be fine."
"Since when are you the patient one?"
Hawk sighed. "I don't know."
…
Lucas glanced watching Demitri and Yasmine make out for just a second while he sipped his beer.
Sam approached him. "Not one for a Valentine's party huh?"
"What're you doing talking to me?"
"Johnny talks about your mom all the time. Johnny talked to my dad, and my dad told me."
Lucas laughed. "Still."
"I'm just curious. How could you join Cobra Kai? Robby I guess makes sense, everyone else there is a bully. But you? After all the history your mom had with my dad?"
"Why do you even care?" Lucas swallowed his beer.
"Because Johnny does and he's partners at Miyagi-Do with my dad now. He's in love with your mom. And so was my dad at one point apparently."
"Ancient history." Lucas waved a hand. "They went on one date. Our parents don't get to decide who we are."
"No thank goodness. Otherwise you'd still be in college. Instead of bullying people every week. You pretty much indulge in this fratboy culture surrounding Cobra Kai anyway."
Lucas nodded seeing Robby hit on some girls out of the corner of his eye next to Sam's fireplace. "Ah that's why you wanted to talk to me. I see I'm being lectured by Sam the Queen of Morals and Honesty."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"That you cheated on Robby. When all he did was be honest to you. You broke the guys heart, and for what? To end up with the same guy who got him locked up and beaten at the tournament to begin with? If you hate Cobra Kai so much you shouldn't have cheated on Robby in the first place."
"You don't know about that." Sam leaned on the chair next to Lucas. "You weren't even here for that."
"I say what I see. And you probably can't stand either Robby or Miguel right now. So I'm guessing that's why you're talking to me."
"I don't like you. I just can't understand why you would join Cobra Kai still being your mom's kid."
Lucas left the table and their conversation. "And yet here you are all the same."
Clearly not needing a wingman, Lucas walked over all the same to join Robby's conversation. "Ladies, have you all met the new Ace Degenerate of Cobra Kai? Sporting this fabulous new black headband from the glorious age of the 80s."
"Wait so it is that old?" a girl asked.
"Yeah I just thought you didn't clean it."
Robby smiled. "No. It's a huge part of Cobra Kai."
"This guy's built like a bull." Lucas said leaning on the frame beside the chimney. "He always lifts more than any of us. He even lifts more than me."
"You look strong." a girl said. "Must mean a lot then."
"Thanks." Lucas said. "Might I interest you in a drink then?"
"Absolutely." the girl went off with him as Lucas put his arm over her shoulder.
Robby sipped his beer. "Classic Taco Boy."
"So…" the girl raised her shoulders. "You got a name?"
"Robby. Yours?"
"Anise." she said. "I was good friends with Aisha for a while."
"What happened?"
"We uh. Grew up." the girl said. "You seeing anybody?"
Robby scratched his ear nervously. "Yeah sort of. Why?"
"Then why isn't she here?"
Robby explained. "It's complicated. We like each other but, things kind of get in the way."
"Like what."
"Hawk. But I still like her. She's the only person besides Luke who can put up a fight against me."
The brown haired girl turned to see Doug lose in arm-wrestling against Hawk as Lucas chatted up her friend. "So then why're you here?"
Robby smiled. "It's a secret."
...
Hawk and Doug started finishing cans of beers together, lining up cans as they got drunker and drunker.
"Holy shit dude I totally forgot how much of a lightweight you were!" Hawk laughed.
"Me too." Doug burped. "I-I mean no man."
"Tory beat your ass twice. Remember when we'd get super wasted after practice every Saturday? She's beat you there too."
Seeing Hawk and Doug get along made Demitri speak out. "Hey, I drink beer too."
"Do you?" Doug smiled.
"Yes I do." Demitri said. "I drink all kinds of beer. Lots and lots of it."
"What like mead? And uh, butterbeer?" Doug laughed.
Hawk had to hide the fact that this still made him laugh. He could control his old ways, but that didn't mean he was a whole new person instantly.
"I'm amazed you can even make that reference." Demitri said.
"Hey Big D." Yasmine appeared passing him a can of soda and a kiss on the cheek. "Got you that low-cal Mellow Yellow."
"Babe!" Demitri whined as Doug snorted at this. "I told you I drink beer. Didn't I?"
"But then it makes your brain go all fuzzy wuzzy? Remember fuzzy bear?" Yasmine said, smiling at him.
"Fuzzy bear?" Doug exploded with laughter as Hawk held it all in, wincing through his smiles. "God that's way better than Big D!"
"Jerk." Demitri walked off as Yasmine followed him.
Hawk let out all his laughter with Doug. "Dude let's get drunker."
"Let's." Doug said, remembering their mission as well as speaking honestly. "I forgot how much I missed you at the dojo."
Hawk smiled at his old friend. "Dude I miss you too. Why don't you come with us?"
"What? Didn't you smash me into a table?"
"Water under the bridge." Hawk cracked open another beer before drinking from it. "Miguel and Demitri have been my friends for ages. I couldn't just leave them all behind."
"What about me?"
Hawk nodded. "That's what I'm saying. Join us."
"Nah. But Sensei'll let bygones be bygones if you come back. Only before the tournament though."
"After he sent Kyler and Robby to beat the shit out of me? No way."
Doug shrugged. "I don't know man, you're basically the only good fighter you have on your team. Plus I'm." Doug sipped his beer. "Pretty drunk."
"What I'm supposed to be scared of you all because you have your yellow belts now? I haven't lost a single fair fight to you guys."
Doug raised a finger. "Wait. Here you. But then. Yeah fair point. But you lost to Robby last year. And he's gotten way tougher."
"So have I. This year's gonna be totally different."
"Got that right." Doug agreed.
…
Robby nodded as the other party goer left. The girl nodded as Robby spoke to her. "I'll catch up with you in a second." Miguel stopped him from leaving. "What do you want?" Robby asked.
"We have to talk. About Sam."
"No. We don't." Robby said. "You still think this beef between us is about her?"
Miguel crossed his arms as he leaned next to Robby. "It started that way yeah."
"But it's not gonna end like that. That bullshit at the school, at that party last summer. It's all in the past. Cobra Kai never dies. And you'd laugh if it meant pissing on its grave."
"To be honest I would. I joined because of Sensei Johnny." Miguel agreed. "I only got that no mercy nonsense in my head when I got all jealous."
Robby chuckled. "Oh and you're past that? Which is why you got all pissy when I showed up and we had that drinking game? Which is why you've been all clingy about Sam since I got here. Cause let's face it. You're no All Valley Champ. You and LaRusso are a bunch of cheaters."
"Are we?"
Robby fixed Johnny's old black headband he now wore around his head. "Yup. You cheated on Tory and I with Sam at Moon's party. You can't stop lying about her."
"That thing was-"
"A mistake? Yeah definitely. I can't blame Tory for how she acted at the school. You guys basically exposed my dad for the dogshit teacher he was."
"Real mature." Miguel leaned off the wall. "So this is what I get for not breaking your arm huh? I get tossed off a balcony, thrown in a coma, a wheelchair, and for what? Just so you can insult me?"
"You insulted yourself. You stabbed Tory in the back, with basically the person she hated most in the world."
"And so that's where you stepped in huh? Talk about loyalty."
Robby sighed. "So that's why my dad chose you over me after all this time right? Because you can end up all like him? Lying. Cheating."
"You're the one wearing his headband."
"It's a mark of a true Cobra Kai. I'm tired of having to explain why. It means everyone in the dojo follows me. Respects. Me."
"In the dojo," Miguel repeated Robby's words. "It's a dojo of bullies. The worst bullies in the whole Valley." Miguel said. "Is that what you want to be a leader of? Is that who you are?"
Robby stood eye to eye to Miguel. "Yeah. That's who I am. You, Sam, and her dad and my dad took everything that ever meant anything away from me. And you won't stop taking things until the whole valley is stolen."
"You sound just like Kreese." Miguel exasperated. "I knew you were always angry but. I thought you trained with Mr. LaRusso."
"He lied to me as much as my dad did. My dad chose to find himself a son in the worst kind of person. You. Someone who cheats. On people. In tournaments. And probably in life."
Miguel shook his head. "I don't get why Hawk or Sam try to talk to you. It's a terrible mistake."
"I guess it is." Robby said holding his beer bottle. "About as big as a mistake as letting me in this party was."
"Why. You gonna fight me?" Miguel asked. "What're you gonna do?"
Robby shook his head. "This." he said, smashing Miguel's head right into a beer bottle. Having his legs swept out from under him, Miguel fell over as Robby knocked out Miguel with a full power blow to the face. "No mercy." Robby kicked Miguel's slumped unconscious body over the floor.
"Robby what're you doing!?" Sam looked away from her conversation with Moon.
Doug's attention moved from his own conversation with Hawk. "Oh shit it's starting?" He caught Hawk completely off guard, hitting him over the head so hard he fell backward out of his chair.
Robby yelled loudly as a much stronger tune came over Sam's playlist. "Luke the signal!" he yelled out.
"What?" He stopped kissing a girl.
"I said the signal!" Robby yelled again as he ran.
"Right!" Lucas nodded as Sam stood in Robby's way.
Sam shook her head slowly. "How could you? After I trusted you?"
"You should've known me better." Robby moved around her rushing out onto Sam's backyard.
Lucas ran to the front porch light, flicking them on and off repeatedly to alert the rest of Cobra Kai to attack Sam's party.
Demitri, Mitch, Chris, and a few Eagle Dos were ready for him. Robby saw how outnumbered he was but still struck first, caught off guard as he pushed party goers at them.
Using them as a spearhead, Robby ran right past them and into Daniel's backyard dojo.
Singlehandedly, Robby fought off Demitri and his friends. Showing no mercy, Robby bashed Demitri through one of the ornaments in the room. He had to use the numbers against him to his advantage, using his strikes to send Mitch colliding into Chris from how hard he could hit.
As Mitch and Chris collided over each other and fell onto the ground, Robby grabbed the trophy, kicking and punching away the Eagle Dos that remained.
Sam was in her stance waiting for Robby outside. "That's not yours."
"Isn't yours either." Robby put down the trophy, getting ready for a fight.
Sam was kicked in the face by Tory as she arrived. "No mercy bitch!" Tory said to her on the ground before looking at Robby. "You get the trophy?"
Robby held it up. "Let's go."
Back inside Sam's house, Hawk beat down Doug with a solid combination of strikes, only to be met by a truly ready opponent.
"What about the truce?" Hawk saw how the fight was relatively after one exchange.
Lucas chuckled. "A fight isn't a beatdown."
"Retarded loophole." Hawk said before Tory clocked him upside the head with a beer bottle.
Seeing him fall, Tory looked at Lucas. "Seriously?" she asked. "You just had to fight him?"
"What? You guys broke the truce too." he said.
"No we didn't. We beat them all down." Robby said as more Eagle Dos appeared. "We gotta leave."
They escaped running back to Kyler's Jeep and Big Red's car as fast they could.
...
Kreese stood in the back of the dojo, admiring his best students much how he did after Robby had stolen a snake for him months prior.
"We got the trophy Sensei." Robby planted it down in front of Kreese.
"A job well done." Kreese said. "As much as LaRusso might protest. I think we'll be holding onto it. Still, this is not what I meant by today's lesson."
"But we ruined their Valentine's Day party. We beat them hard, all of them." Robby said.
"You caught them by surprise again. You didn't fight them fairly. Again." Kreese looked out over Kyler, Lucas, Tory, Doug, and Robby. "You all basically just stole a symbol of LaRusso's dojo. Nothing more."
"But we-" Robby protested.
"Stop. Let me guess. This was your idea again?" Kreese asked.
Robby nodded slowly.
"Huh. You still remind me so much of your father. Quite the party animal as well. Still, you didn't ignore my lesson entirely. You're still preparing yourselves for the tournament in every way. Aren't you?"
"Yes Sensei." the group mumbled together.
"What was that?"
"Yes Sensei!" the group shouted.
Kreese shrugged at the trophy. "It might look pretty, but a trophy is just that. A trophy. If you truly want to steal a symbol that means something. You must steal something that is actually worth its symbolic value."
"Like what Sensei?" Robby asked.
Kreese explained. "An old student of mine told me there's a priceless bonsai that used to be hidden somewhere in the great sinkholes by the ocean. It was worth a lot then, must be worth more even now. You all have not disappointed me by how much you've destroyed."
Everyone stood in line as Kreese walked past them. "You've destroyed cars worth hundreds of thousands beyond repair. Not to mention an entire dojo, parties and gatherings and what not. But these things can all be rebuilt and replaced. LaRusso has money. Lots of it. But he can't lose something that can never be brought back. You must find this bonsai tree before the tournament. And crush it."
"But where exactly is it Sensei?" Robby asked.
"That much I don't know. That must be left up to you. But to destroy your enemies morale you must first destroy what is truly valuable to them. Bones can always be mended with time. But something like a tree. Hm, it can be destroyed forever if needed."
After a bit of silence Kreese looked out over them. "This will be your final assignment before the black belt tests and the tournament. Find, and utterly annihilate this bonsai. Then, drop it at the doorstep of Daniel LaRusso's home. Show him how much that old slope's memory is a pain to us, even now."
He turned his eyes to Robby. "Is that clear?"
"Yes Sensei!" they echoed.
"Perfect. You all have been growing and learning enough so that in time. You will all be ready for this tournament. So far, with the addition of Robby and Lucas. There hasn't been one major failure other than that small fiasco at the mini golf course. You all are learning as a team, you're even reminding me of the team in '84."
He looked at Kyler. "Tommy was a jokester much like you. Weakest admittedly." he said as Kyler looked down.
Kreese walked to Lucas. "You are much like Bobby. You have your mother's heart, but you're still a coldhearted Cobra. My second best student, er, second best male admittedly." Kreese said. "I just hope you don't prove as useless as he is to me now, runs a church out by Glendale."
Kreese smiled at Tory. "The most ruthless of the group. The wild card. Dutch. Poor man ended up in prison."
He sighed at Doug. "Jimmy. The one who everyone turns to when they need to be reminded of how not to act in class."
Kreese stopped walking at the end of the line of his students. "And finally, the most obvious one of all. The ace. The leader. Johnny Lawrence."
Kyler spoke up. "What happened to Tommy Sensei?"
Kreese walked back out in front of all of his students. "He died. Never got to say goodbye to him. Or any of my old students for that matter." he looked back over their faces. "But as much as I can draw parallels to you all and these men. They let me down."
He spoke a bit louder. "They let Cobra Kai down. They destroyed this dojo and left it shattered forever. If you see any of these men again, they mean nothing to me. And they should mean nothing to you."
Robby made eye contact with Kreese. "No matter how much they may mean to you. No matter how much these men might come and find you and beg you to stop beating on their poor poor students and church members. And family members. And friends. You won't stop. Because I won't allow it. Is that clear?"
"Yes Sensei!"
"I heard Johnny found his old friends and they went on one last ride with Tommy before he passed. I suspect if things don't go his way at the tournament, he can rally them against me like he did before. Only this time, he will try to put you all between us this time. Will you all let them stop me?"
The Cobras yelled together. "No Sensei!"
"Good. Even if that doesn't happen, remember. Failure doesn't exist in this dojo. To lose at the tournament is a fate worse than death. Never forgive our enemies for what they have done to you. You can taunt and harass them all year long, steal their trophies, break their cars, ruin their parties. But if you can't beat them into the mat like the filth they are, and humiliate them in front of the whole Valley as I was once subjected to, none of it will matter."
Rubbing his lip a little, Kreese spoke. "In a way. A reason why I see a bit of these men in all of you is because I know that you're all stronger than they were. That you won't fail me like they did. Second place is the equivalent of being burned alive and given one of those disgusting participation medals."
"Cobra Kai is a way for you to all grow into proper young adults. To strike our enemies so hard they will never want to rise up again. I expect you all here tomorrow morning, eight o'clock sharp. You will train until ten. And then from 4 to 6, and then 8 to 10. Is my schedule clear?"
"Yes Sensei."
"Never stop biting. It will only make the mice scatter faster." Kreese chuckled. "Dismissed."
Robby stayed behind as he knew he lived there now. "So you see us like your old class then Sensei?"
"I already explained this. You're far better versions of the Cobras than they once were. You know after 'Nam I thought failure was a lesson for humility. But it's not, is it?"
"No Sensei." Robby said.
"Then what is failure to you?"
Robby considered this. He thought what it was like to see Miguel and Sam again together after leaving prison, to see his father choose Miguel over him. "Only losers keep failing and never learn."
"Are you a loser? Or a winner?"
"I'm a winner!"
"A what?"
"I'm a winner!"
Smiling, Johnny put his hand over Robby's shoulder. "Come to my office. I have a story to tell you."
…
"One day." Kreese poured himself a drink. "Johnny was crying over something his step father told him. He was young, much younger than you. Must've been twelve or so. He had just advanced to purple belt, and this was strange because he was at the top of his class just like you are now."
Robby kept listening as Kreese sipped his scotch. "Johnny rarely cried in front of me. And instead of telling him to toughen up and stop crying like Dutch did. You know what Bobby did that day?"
"What?"
"He bought him ice cream."
Robby snickered. "Doesn't sound like Luke at all."
"I know. Which is why he's a much better Bobby than Bobby will ever be. When you made this plan to attack the party, who did you bring along with you in case you were surrounded?"
Robby nodded. "Luke."
"And if you needed a partner to demonstrate a technique in class, or spar if Tory was occupied. Who would you pick?"
"Luke."
"And if you needed someone to tell you that striking hard no matter what is what solves your problems. Who would you pick?"
"Tory or you Sensei. But Luke as well."
Kreese lit a cigar. "That boy will hit you harder than anyone else you know. Harder than Hawk. Harder than Miguel. Because he's your friend."
Robby thought about how Lucas was always happy around him when he didn't need to be. "My friend?"
"See Lucas' mother is Ali Mills. Desp." he emphasized the word more. "Icable woman. However your father loved her very dearly. The only day I ever saw Johnny lose focus in class was the day they broke up."
"Must have been some girl."
Kreese explained. "That cheery gusto he has. That quirkiness. He gets it from her."
"So then what're you trying to tell me?"
"That what I see in Johnny I see in you now. But like the rest of your class, my old students were much weaker. In every way. They were like my sons." Kreese puffed on his cigar. "But they failed me, unlike you have to yet. But you're an even better fighter than Johnny."
"Really?" Robby almost jumped in his chair.
Kreese nodded. "I didn't want to say anything in front of the class but I gave you that headband for a reason. You're everything Johnny was supposed to be. He betrayed me when I needed him most. And now you're there by my side."
"Thank you Sensei."
"Did you get a read for our top two rivals. Hawk and Diaz?"
Robby nodded. "That was a big objective of mine today."
"And?"
Robby looked up at him when Kreese sat on the corner of his desk. "They're ours."
"That's what I like to hear." Kreese smiled.
…
…
...