Passion in front of Principle

by Vaporwave Fan01

If Miguel was in Miyagi-Do and Robby in Cobra Kai at the start of season 1 of Cobra Kai. Direct sequel to Defeat Does Not Exist. Pairings: Miguel/Sam, Robby/Tory.

7. Stirring a Nest of Cobras

Chapter Seven: Stirring a Nest of Cobras

…

Karate Kid OST: Cruel Summer - Bananarama

…

Summer break was over and school resumed at West Valley High School.

Miguel Diaz rode his bicycle towards the school and went over towards the bike racks. He locked up his bicycle and gripped his backpack as he walked towards the front entrance.

There, all the Cobra Kais were leaning on their motorcycles and chatting.

Doug Rickenberger, Lucas, Robby, Shawn, Mikey, and Hawk all talked. Lucas smiled at a joke Hawk made kneeling by the back wheel of his motorbike, pointing back slightly at him with a nod.

Miguel turned away slowly from this with an anxious look on his face as he walked into the school.

There, Sam was reading from her History textbook seeing Miguel walk past her.

"Hey!"

Miguel smiled. "Hey there. I guess you'll be my tour guide of sorts today right?"

"Of sorts. You didn't get a look at everything during orientation?"

Miguel shrugged as he and Sam walked together. "Not really. Hey so. What's the deal with those guys out front?"

Sam sighed. "That's Cobra Kai for you. Feel like they need to strike first always. To them, showing the whole school who's boss means waiting until two minutes before first period starts being loud and proud. And dumb! And just reminding them they're supposedly tough."

"But they are tough right?"

"Well they sure act like it. I learned with karate there's no point in showing your toughness."

Miguel smiled. "I learned the same. So why haven't I seen you at the dojo then?"

"I mean, there's only one Miyagi-Do student," said Sam. "But if you really need to know. I've been spending a lot of time with my friends this summer. And with school starting up I'm probably going to be busy."

"Well, I was thinking."

Sam looked at him. "Thinking what?"

"I was thinking with Cobra Kais acting all dumb like you said. You help me put them in their place."

"You mean come back to Miyagi-Do? Come back to karate? Yeah. Not my thing right now."

Miguel was confused. "What? Why? My dad told you you were his best student."

"Yeah when I was like six years old!" Sam said. "I outgrew karate a while ago. Plus, it's easier for guys to fight you know. Girls aren't allowed to do that."

"What are you talking about? Like a quarter of the Cobra Kais are girls."

Sam laughed. "You're serious?"

"Yeah. Look."

Tory, Aisha, Mia, and Charlotte all walked past. Tory was proudly wearing a very bright Cobra Kai sweatshirt.

Sam did not like the look on her face that Tory gave her at all.

"I'll guess I'll think about it." muttered Sam.

…

After a few first classes went by Sam was getting something out of her locker.

Aisha was across the hall from her talking to Dieter and then Sam politely waited until Dieter walked off to join Big Red and Edwin's walk down the hall to another class.

"Haven't heard much from you all summer."

Aisha barely smiled back at Sam. "Me neither."

"So. You joined Cobra Kai."

Aisha shrugged. "I've been friends with Robby, Hawk, and Luke since the beginning of last year. And I like Sensei Lawrence and Sensei Kreese's classes. Why wouldn't I join?"

"Well. You know." Sam cleared her throat. "You and I have been friends since kindergarten too."

"I'm not your only friend though am I?"

Sam looked back at Yasmine, Moon, and a few other girls talking near her locker.

"Hey Yas has really changed. She said she was sorry."

"Haven't heard an apology yet and that was almost a year ago."

Sam scoffed. "Luke dumped a tray full of spaghetti and meatloaf all over her. You've joined Cobra Kai. She has every right to be scared of you guys."

Aisha looked at Sam. "What? You think I'm a threat to her or something?"

Sam sighed after Aisha grabbed her backpack, turned around, and slammed her locker shut.

"Aisha-. Damn."

Miguel walked over to her. "You two know each other?"

"We've known each other for ages," said Sam. "This is exactly why I didn't want to get back into karate and all this drama."

"But. You're still on good terms with her then?"

"Wish we were. Moon and Yas are just not the same people anymore. I don't need to make a case for them or whatever but Aisha joining Cobra Kai the moment it opened doesn't look good."

"Why not?" asked Miguel.

"Why not? I thought you hated Cobra Kai."

Miguel shrugged. "I mean. Hawk and his buddies harassed me over the summer. But I don't think all of them are bad?"

"Trust me. They're far worse than you think. You'll see."

…

At lunch, Miguel walked into the cafeteria and had no idea where to sit.

The Cobras took over all three of the main tables in the center of the whole cafeteria. Lucas sat in the dead center of it with an arm around Charlotte as he ate a sandwich with all his friends.

Miguel initially started to walk in the direction of Sam's table with Yasmine and Moon but hesitated when seeing Hawk in the chairs adjacent to where Lucas and Robby were sitting.

"I'm tellin' ya man. I bet that was the best yellow belt test pass Senseis probably ever took. Ever!" Hawk said loudly.

"Well you're the first to take it in over thirty years dude. So congrats." said Robby dryly.

"Yeah Hawk." Shawn laughed. "Congrats."

Hawk shoved Shawn's shoulder for this and the Cobras all laughed.

Miguel quickly turned around and found a different spot to sit.

Demetri, Chris, and a very short and small freshman with glasses, Nate, watched as Miguel sat down with them. "Those Cobra Kais sure are something," muttered Miguel.

"Tell me about it," Demetri muttered.

Chris sighed. "Mitch joined them. Basically treated me like I'm old news."

"Glad I quit," said Nate quietly.

"You quit?"

"Course I did. So did Frank and Abe," said Nate. "Soon as Shawn and Mitch joined we were basically cut out so the Cobras could all have sixteen of the best students they could train."

"How were you basically kicked out?" wondered Miguel.

"Well Cobra Kai has two Senseis. John Kreese and Johnny Lawrence. I never really liked either of them, so you could say they just pushed me away by being themselves." Nate said.

Miguel shrugged. "Then join my dojo. It's called Miyagi-Do. Doors are open to anyone who wants to train. Even having classes at the dojo's free."

"Free karate?" Chris laughed. "Get outta here."

"Yeah right. Free karate." scoffed Demetri. "Bet it's a scam."

"It's not. I actually know plenty of karate already. In fact, my teacher is someone you already know. Sam's dad. He's even trying to branch out and learn other styles."

"Really?" asked Chris.

"Well no he's just grabbing a drink with someone who knows a different style. But still, it could be great for you guys."

"Yeah I'm done with karate." said Nate.

Chris agreed. "Why bother when everyone and their grandmother wants to join Cobra Kai?"

"The moment it was announced that Lucas was joining them everyone I knew wanted to sign up," said Demetri. "No point at all."

"But you don't need to be an asshole or overly aggressive to learn how to defend yourself." Miguel chuckled quietly. "To do karate properly. Karate's for defense."

"Is that why they're awesome. And we're not?" Demetri muttered as Nate and Chris nodded quietly in agreement.

"We can be awesome!" said Miguel. "Look the dojo barely exists. No one will know what it's about until it's got more than one student. And that's me."

"Exactly. Why bother?" Demetri muttered.

"Look these are centuries of Okinawan tradition passed down through generations. This is really cool stuff and it does more than help you learn how to defend yourself. It makes you a better person." said Miguel. "What are you guys afraid of?"

"That the Cobra Kais will think we're stepping on their territory and come after us," said Chris as Nate and Demetri nodded in agreement too. "They're tough as hell. And they've got the best karate fighter in decades as their champ."

"Territory?" Miguel laughed loudly. "This isn't the fifties. We're not going to meet up at some warehouse and have a switchblade fight."

"So since you joined Miyagi-Do. All the Cobra Kais have. Completely, left you alone?" asked Demetri. "We don't want any part of that trust me."

Miguel was quiet.

Chris sighed. "See?"

"But we have to stand up to them," Miguel said. "Otherwise we'll never win."

"There's nothing to win," said Demetri. "Except a whole lot of embarrassment."

…

"What?"

Charlotte was noticing how I was looking at the table full of people I knew would become Miyagi-Dos.

Chris, Demetri, Nathaniel. All of them. From what I saw, Miguel was trying and failing to convince them of something. Likely to join Miyagi-Do.

I smiled at Charlotte. "Nothing."

"Is that Diaz kid getting on your nerves? I can go kick his ass sometime if you want." Hawk offered.

"Yeah like Rhea wants seconds." chuckled Doug.

"Hold up. You guys started calling him Rhea?" I asked.

Hawk shrugged. "Short for Diarrhea." he grinned like an idiot for the millionth time I saw him do so.

"We're eating here Hawk," Aisha said from across the table.

"Yeah really clever."

Except it wasn't. And it surprised me how much history could repeat itself. It was something incredibly odd about the Karate Kid and Cobra Kai worlds had.

I actually was still rather mad at myself for not stopping Hawk from embarrassing Miguel at the beach at the beginning of this summer. Punking Miguel was pretty pointless to begin with, but added to the fact I still considered Miguel to be the only person left who stood a shot at beating me in a fight.

Hawk, Tory, Shawn, and Doug were the best fighters who had started karate recently I think, and despite how well they were learning in class the sheer amount of experience I had over them would mean, at least not for a while. They had no chance against me.

Robby was the only person I thought as well who was on my level. He only lacked a strong bit of Miyagi-Do or counters and blocks and we could be pretty even in a fight.

After what I'd seen today. I was sure now that my suspicions over the summer were true. Because it was Miguel joining Miyagi-Do that bothered me.

Miguel Diaz in the first two seasons of the Cobra Kai series was as good as a fighter as I was now and he never studied Miyagi-Do.

Miguel didn't lose a single fair fight with any teenaged fighters in the entire time of the first two seasons of the show. In his first three months of training, he took down Kyler and his buddies, just like I did.

Then he became a champion in his first All Valley tournament ever and only really lost points to Robby, which I could've as well a few months back.

If he knew Miyagi-Do combined with that Cobra Kai training, that Miguel Diaz would be the only person I could genuinely say would beat me in a real fight. Or even a three point fight either.

I chewed my steak sandwich in silent thought.

That Miguel could do it all. And he had the same amount of natural talent as the Miguel I knew did if not more since he technically started training earlier.

Miguel was fast, skilled, decisive, and very strong for someone who only really gained muscle in about six or seven months. His fighting skill was something I honestly don't think a sixteen year old person with any degree of natural talent should be able to have.

What would a fight between Miguel and I look like if he trained as I did in both Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai for a year?

The first thing to consider would be my skill set and then his.

At that point. Or the point of the All Valley tournament timewise, I would have twenty four months of Cobra Kai training, twelve with Kreese and twelve with Kreese and Johnny. As well as twelve months of Daniel's Miyagi-Do with my extra training on the side to stay caught up on kata.

Overall that's thirty six months total of karate training, around a legitimate black belt level, the three year minimum the American Tang Soo Do Association strongly recommends.

Miguel would be behind by a solid twelve month gap, a year's worth of experience difference in our fight with a very similar training background, which wasn't as significant as I considered. Despite never training in Miyagi-Do himself, Johnny Lawrence was basically a demon on the mat and Daniel still beat him in a point match with just three months of Miyagi-Do with several things I knew Miguel had.

A gargantuan amount of natural talent, heart and courage, and even a strong skill base.

The moment Miguel figured out a way to deal with my jab I'd start to have trouble. And as much as I didn't want to consider it, he actually stood a decent chance of beating me as soon as he found angles on me.

Karate and combat sports in general are very skill and speed based sports. And no one was as fast as me yet. Except for Miguel Diaz possibly, because at its core, Miyagi-Do improved your speed on the mat tremendously.

He was the only person I hadn't fought yet. And I think, the only person left who could beat me in a fight.

…

After school the next day, I decided to relax a little after Tory and Shawn's yellow belt test that afternoon.

Donnie Junior rested on his little sofa in the living room as I watched TV and got ahead on some homework I was already given.

The doorbell rang and my golden retriever started to bark loudly.

"Outside boy. Go."

I opened the sliding door for him and Donnie panted and wagged his tail patiently.

I walked to the front door and opened it, seeing Charlotte standing there wearing shorts and a sweatshirt. "We planned a study date remember?"

"Study. Date?" I laughed. "Since when is studying a date?"

"Since we agreed that training at the dojo and walking around school together isn't spending enough time together."

"And when did we agree on that?"

"Yesterday. Remember?"

I quietly thought back to the conversation.

I think I was reading a book or something during lunch on Friday yesterday and I think she asked.

"Can we study together after practice tomorrow?"

I must've said. "Sure." without even realizing what she asked.

Soon I was sitting on the carpet beneath our couch in the living room leaning my head back onto her stomach. Charlotte was reading a book for English and taking notes occasionally running her hand through my hair as I checked my phone and studied Chemistry.

"Are your grandparents home?"

"No. But why is that an important thing to know?"

"Just asking in case we planned on making out later." Charlotte shrugged.

I laughed. At least she was honest about it.

"So wait. You wanted to mess around today. Or did you actually want to study together?"

"Both."

"Those two things are pretty different."

"I know. You're great at all the subjects I'm not at, and I'm great at the ones you're not. Plus we haven't really fooled around since that party at the canyon like three months ago."

I laughed. "Well I didn't know you missed it that much."

"Bet you probably missed it more." Charlotte pushed my head.

"Well I'm not the one showing up at your place pretending it's about studying."

We both laughed together.

"I did honestly miss it though," I said.

"The kissing?"

"No! Spending time with you, God."

Charlotte smirked. "Yeah well. We haven't had a real date since before the tournament."

"I know. How about we go to the movies?"

"How about. We go to the roller rink. I hear they're having 80s night pretty soon."

"How soon?"

Charlotte turned a page in her book. "The weekend before the Halloween dance."

"That's not soon at all Char." I said.

"Well Tory works there. Said we could get a discount. I bet you Robby will go."

"Why are you always talking about them? That's none of our business."

Charlotte sighed. "I'm not playing matchmaker. I'm just pointing out the fact that he'll probably be there. Honestly, I don't think Tory likes admitting she's into him too."

Change the subject Lucas. Now.

"I wanted to ask you something. You know that Latino kid Hawk beat up at that beach party this summer?"

"I don't know him, but I know of him," said Charlotte.

"Well. Do you think Hawk is trying to bully him?"

"Doubt it," Charlotte said. "Hawk can act like a dumbass like. Ninety percent of the time. But you've made it clear who's boss in the entire dojo."

"Guess I have."

"So if you have any issue with something someone does. They're not going to question it so long as you're our top student. Sensei Lawrence and Sensei Kreese already know you're the best they have, no one's gonna doubt it."

We studied together mostly in silence for about forty five minutes before we both finished what we needed to for everything we were assigned so far.

I found some random movie on my TV and started to watch it.

Charlotte snuggled up to me, and rather soon we started to kiss.

I ran my hands through her blonde hair after I pulled away and looked at her. Never would've guessed I'd be planning dates with a person as awesome as her.

She laughed. "What?"

"Nothin'. Just looking forward to that date at the roller rink."

"I am too. This week has actually been a bit tiring," Charlotte admitted.

"It actually really has," I admitted.

As soon as I realized she was nodding off I was doing the same. I think we must've fallen asleep on the couch together or something.

…

Bobby and Daniel had the most awkward time at the bar drinking beers together.

"So." Daniel went first after what seemed like ages of silence. "Are we going to address the elephant in the room?"

"Which is?"

"Cobra Kai is back."

"Yup. And Johnny and Kreese are running it together."

Daniel looked at Bobby. "Would you ever have guessed that might happen?"

"No. So what are we here for?"

"To make it clear who's going to be Miguel's teacher. And I think it should be me."

Bobby shrugged taking a sip from his beer. "You won't hear any argument from me."

Daniel looked unconvinced. "Really? So you have no interest in training Miguel?"

"I only did it because both him and Johnny asked."

"Johnny asked you to train him?"

"They're neighbors. Maybe he felt bad. Maybe, he just wanted to mess with me. I actually never would've thought I'd say this. But I don't recognize Johnny anymore."

Daniel was shocked. "What? You two were best friends."

"Practically brothers yeah," Bobby said. "Johnny might mean well in trying to teach those kids. But as long as Kreese is there that dojo is exactly what it was. Dangerous. For both its students and others."

"Then why try to teach Miguel everything about its karate?"

"Why else? So he can beat Cobra Kai. Those guys have it out for him."

Daniel scoffed. "I thought you weren't interested in training him."

"Dan do you think this is a joke? You could've almost died that night on Halloween. I had to snap your leg out of its socket. The same psycho responsible for all of that is teaching kids those same lessons."

Daniel sighed. "And the only solution is violence? So teaching Miguel their karate to be better than them?"

"The kid wants to beat them. He's the scrappy underdog from out of town. Remind you of anyone?"

Daniel drank his beer with a scowl.

"See?"

"We're not kids anymore Bobby. We can't be doing nonsense like this like before. The consequences could be disastrous."

"They could be if we don't take action."

Daniel looked at Bobby. "You've known Johnny since what. The eighth grade?"

"Ninth."

"Then go over to him and ask him to call off his students. Problem solved. And Miguel can go back to Miyagi-Do with me where he belongs."

Bobby glared at Daniel slightly. "Did you miss the part where Johnny and I are not on speaking terms?"

"No."

"I'm not saying Miguel can't need your karate. I'm saying he needs mine too. The kid needs to know what it takes to train like a real fighter."

"And I didn't?"

Bobby glared at Daniel. "The only Cobra Kai you know you never beat. Was me."

"Well, I seem to remember someone or other being disqualified."

"Again this isn't funny Daniel. I didn't make mistakes like Johnny when he fought against you. Fighting with far too much anger in a final match. Walking into the most basic of counters. I'm not saying I definitely would've beaten you. But Miguel's aggression is naturally a part of him."

"Which is why the healthiest thing for him is to control that anger. The moment you fight with hatred, you lose."

"Daniel Miguel doesn't seem like a hateful person. That competitiveness, that drive to prove those bullies of his aren't as good as he is. You know you have that too. And there's nothing wrong with letting that out."

"How do we do that huh? How can my karate and yours combine to help Miguel the best we can?"

Bobby sighed. "I guess we'll try to figure it out."

"So this is what it's come to."

They both turned around to see Johnny standing there.

"Johnny," said Daniel. "We were just-"

"I grab a beer here sometimes. Never would've guessed my best buddy and my worst enemy would be snagging a few cold ones together too."

Bobby sighed. "We're just talking Johnny."

"About training someone to beat all the kids at my dojo. Just like you did too?" Johnny nodded to Daniel.

"No. No no no no!" said Daniel. "About helping a kid reach his fullest potential. I bet even you could agree that Miguel deserves that. Aren't you two neighbors?"

Johnny looked between both of them. "Really. Because it sounds like you're trying to form a side against me."

"Johnny there are no sides here." insisted Bobby. "Sit down. Grab a drink with us."

"Look Kreese might've been no angel. But are you forgetting how this guy ruined the best years of our lives?" asked Johnny.

"Maybe the best years of your life," said Bobby. "The rest of us have moved on. You're stuck in the stone age Johnny. And that's not bad but when it starts affecting innocent children. Then yeah, it becomes a problem."

Johnny frowned. "I said I was sorry about the head injury."

"What head injury?" asked Daniel.

"None of your business LaRusso," Johnny said quietly.

"Hey!" said Bobby. "Cool it Johnny. You keep forgetting, I saved you from making one of the biggest mistakes of your life."

"Which was?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

All three men knew what it was.

Dutch was propping up a Daniel beaten up so badly that he was unable to stand at all and was propped up like a puppet with its strings cut.

"Johnny! Leave him alone man. He's had enough!" yelled a teenage Bobby in a skeleton onesie costume.

Johnny yelled back loudly. "I'll decide when he's had enough man!"

"What is wrong with you Johnny!?" barked Bobby.

Johnny sighed. "You know as well as I do I'm not that guy anymore."

"None of us are the same people we were in high school." Bobby nodded. "But the moment. You side with John Kreese. People can start getting hurt."

"So your solution is to go with him?" asked Johnny. "A complete stranger to you?"

"He's not a complete stranger to me. You know that." Bobby said. "We might've never really talked before recently. But still. Cobra Kai can be needlessly dangerous."

"Maybe it's you two who are making things needlessly dangerous."

Daniel sighed. "Johnny-"

"Save it. I can't even with this." Johnny waved a hand and walked away.

Bobby and Daniel watched him walk out of the bar, and then they looked at each other with slightly worried faces.

…

It was a Monday afternoon at West Valley High.

During PE, Miguel was lacing up his shoes with Chris, Demetri, Sam, and Nate.

Yasmine and the other cheerleaders had pom poms in the school colors, all of them in uniform.

"Soccer week. As much as I hate sports, can't say this one will be any different." said Demetri.

He watched as Lucas led, Shawn, Doug, Tory, Robby, Mikey, and Hawk all wearing red nylon mesh jerseys.

Yasmine and a few of the other cheerleaders smiled and waved as Lucas walked past, as he had a girlfriend he respectfully nodded with a wince and did nothing else as Hawk, Doug, and Robby all laughed at his embarrassment and shoved him around a bit.

"Those idiots." Demetri scowled at this.

"You know I met this guy who used to be one of them. He said the only way to stand up to bullies is to show them you're not afraid of them. To be tough." said Miguel.

Sam sighed. "Doesn't sound like my dad or Miyagi-Do."

"That's because it's not. All our lives we've been told to avoid a fight. But if you barrel right through it."

…

Cobra Kai OST: Rock 'N Roll Over You - The Moody Blues

…

"We can show the whole school we're not afraid of them. That there's no reason to be afraid of them." Miguel shrugged. "Cobra Kai might be all that. But it's actually not. Not if we challenge them. The last thing a bully expects is for you to fight back."

Lucas walked past the Teacher's Assistant on duty who was tapping away on her phone.

He picked up the ball and yelled. "Who wants to take on the Cobra Kai!?" Lucas shouted loudly.

No one moved an inch, except for Miguel and the people on his team.

And soon, Miguel and the not Miyagi-Dos faced off against Lucas on the soccer field.

The TA blew her whistle before going back to typing on her phone sitting on the bleachers.

Lucas took the ball so quickly it was clear he was trained competitively for years.

He flew past Sam and Chris in a flash and then was heading directly for the goal post.

Lucas looked like he was on the verge of scoring a goal powerful enough to tear a fireball through the net but Miguel appeared out of nowhere and headbutted the ball directly towards Lucas.

It hit him in the temple and he barely stumbled for a moment.

Miguel laughed running past him with the ball. "Thought you were a soccer champ. Or is karate all you're good at?"

Lucas gave him a wide grin. "It's on Diaz." he muttered beneath his breath.

Just now catching up to him, Hawk, Shawn, and Doug all looked at Lucas.

All it took was a nod and they were happy beyond words.

With the gloves off the soccer game was focused purely on scoring goals but with a very strong amount of physical contact.

Miguel was slide tackling through Mikey and then scoring the first goal.

He gripped Demetri's hand. "Let's go get another one-"

Hawk had tripped Miguel as he was running back to his side of the soccer field.

"Whoops. Watch where you're going Rhea," said Hawk.

Now Lucas had the ball as Sam moved to try to take the ball from him, and he casually let Doug tackle her out of the way to let him run right at the goal post.

Robby laughed with Tory seeing Sam brush grass off her knees recovering from the hard tackle she endured from Doug Rickenberger.

Lucas spun with the ball and dodged Demetri and then Nate with ease. Lucas showed off, he scored on the goalie Miguel's team had by hitting the ball of the goal post and then using the rebound he aimed to hit the soccer ball so hard through the net it made a loud 'swishing' sound.

Hawk gripped his hand and Lucas threw his nose up towards Miguel as if to say. 'Top that.'

Which he did.

Miguel wasn't remotely afraid of Cobras physically much larger than him.

He was faster with the soccer ball than everyone he faced.

Mikey missed the shot completely, and the score was now 2-1 in favor of Miguel's team.

Shawn scoffed. "You're a shit goalie man."

Mikey waved a hand, shaking his head.

"Fan out! Do none of you know how to play defense!?" barked Lucas, who after playing soccer for years could read the field in seconds. "Pick a man and stick to him!"

Now Cobra Kai was in full swing running directly towards Miguel's side of the field.

Lucas hit the ball through Chris' legs as he failed to tackle him. He kept dribbling down the field at full speed, he passed to Robby and Robby passed to Tory.

Sam was trying and failing to take the ball from Tory who easily held her back being much taller.

Most of the field was there around Miguel's goal.

"Here! Here!" yelled Hawk.

Tory faked a pass to Doug and then dribbled right towards the goal box past Sam.

She faked a kick at the goal, passed to Robby who buried the ball into the net.

Miguel started to use more teamwork to set up a goal. The first one failed, then Cobra Kai failed it's next attempt to break the tied score, and then when Miguel recovered the ball when he managed to play good enough defense to make Lucas miss he ran right past him.

Lucas couldn't believe he couldn't run fast enough to catch up to Miguel.

He then scored on him burying the soccer ball into the net as if Mikey wasn't even there defending the goal.

"That's three to two!" cheered Chris as he shoulder bumped Miguel and Demetri smiled and nodded.

Lucas panted quietly. "Thought he had asthma."

Trying to tie up the score, Lucas ran towards the goal and was about to both show off as much as he could and score a goal.

With just him and the goalkeeper, Lucas launched off the ground to throw a flying tornado kick with the soccer ball.

But even the local karate champ couldn't pull off one of the hardest kicks, an acrobatic flip combined into a kick.

With how strong Lucas' legs were he reached a very impressive height, much higher than the average sophomore his age could likely reach. The cheerleaders kept cheering on the game, the Cobras were ecstatic seeing another sure goal to tie up the match.

Lucas missed the ball completely and then landed hard onto his arm.

Miguel walked over. "Hey nice try good game."

He watched as Lucas rolled over, wincing.

"What the hell did you do!?" barked Hawk.

"I-I didn't do anything." said Miguel. "He just-!"

The TA got off her phone and blew her whistle loudly to announce the game was over.

She checked on Lucas and soon was walking with him towards the infirmary.

…

West Valley's nurse checked on Lucas' arm as he sat on the bed in the infirmary.

"Does it hurt here?"

With a pair of gloves, she lightly pinched Lucas' forearm.

He nodded.

"What about here?"

He nodded again.

The nurse sighed. "Alright. Looks like you've probably fractured your ulna distally."

"What?" he asked. "But I barely fell like two feet."

"Apparently from what a few people who were at the game told me. You jumped as high as you could in the air and then landed with all your body weight and momentum right onto your arm. This could've been a bit worse. I'm writing you a note dismissing you from any physical school activities. And also for you to visit your doctor and get an X-ray for your arm."

"Really?"

She shrugged. "You can't really do anything remotely physical except sports like soccer that only require you to use your feet."

"I'm reigning karate champ here in the Valley. I have to defend my title, I can't stop training."

"Then it looks your arm injury will probably take several months instead of just four unless you let your arm heal."

"Four months!? You're saying I can't train for a whole semester?"

"You're still young. If you weren't fifteen your arm would need to heal for more."

Lucas nodded. "Well, thanks."

"I have a sling and an ice pack. You should schedule a doctor's appointment within a week to get the proper X-rays, treatment, and cast."

…

I walked out of the infirmary and seeing the sling on my arm, Charlotte ran to me.

"Aw. My poor baby Luke." she pouted before kissing me and hugging me gingerly because of the arm injury.

I watched as Shawn, Doug, Hawk, Mikey, and Robby, all laughed quietly behind her.

I flipped them off behind Charlotte's back and Robby promptly returned that.

"How bad is it?" Robby asked with his hands in his jacket pockets.

"I can't train until the end of the semester," I said. "I'm useless now."

Hawk scoffed. "No dude. That flying spinning kick would've been awesome. And you fell like a man. Respect."

"Thanks Hawk."

"I'll um." Robby sighed. "I'll break the news to Sensei today."

…

In the Cobra Kai dojo right in its original location in the 70s and 80s on Lankershim and Magnolia in North Hollywood, there was a backroom.

It was used for storage when the place was used as a candle shop, but now Kreese regularly used it for cardio and muscle training with its own jet black mat in the center.

Hawk, Tory, Robby, Shawn, and Doug all stood in a line on the back mat as Kreese stood in front of them.

"What happened?" Kreese asked.

"There was a confrontation with Miyagi-Do," Hawk said. "Rh- Miguel Diaz challenged us to a soccer game. Lucas accepted."

"I wasn't aware Miyagi-Do had more than one student. Or any students at all."

Tory shrugged. "Then I guess it was his friends."

Kreese paced quietly. "Then what happened?"

"We were down one point. Lucas went for this crazy and wicked tornado kick Sensei." Hawk said. "And it looked like a spinning flying super move. It was insane-"

He saw the way Kreese was looking at him.

"And then he um." Hawk cleared his throat. "Landed right on his arm and now the nurse said he's out for the rest of the semester."

Kreese nodded slowly before speaking.

"I don't blame Schwarber. He had to pull off one of the most difficult and admittedly dangerous kicks to pull off while standing on a hard surface. Who I blame. Is all of you." Kreese crossed his arms. "When one of you is injured. All of you are injured. When someone attacks one of you, all of you are attacked."

"That's not what Sensei Lawrence says," said Doug. "Sensei Lawrence says that each man needs to take care of his own problems. Fairly, unless he asks for help. Luke made a mistake and got himself hurt. It was no one's fault."

Robby nodded. "My dad's right then."

Kreese sighed. "His heart is in the right place. But I'm afraid his judgment is off. Miguel Diaz has just become an enemy of this dojo. Accident. Or not. He challenged our champion, even if it was just a little game of soccer. But Schwarber walked away injured. And out of commission for over four months."

"What do you want us to do Sensei? If we break his arm in revenge we'll all just be suspended," said Hawk.

"Still. That doesn't mean you can't fight back at all." Kreese nodded. "I want you to fight smart. Our enemies deserve no mercy. But that doesn't mean you stomp them flat in the middle of the hallway at your school. That can lead to sloppy mistakes. Make it known what happens when you challenge Cobra Kai. But be. Smart. About it. This soccer game, was an embarrassment. We lost a soldier, our best soldier, and we lost the challenge."

"And defeat, does not exist." Kreese looked out over the Cobras. "Is that understood!?"

"Yes Sensei!" they all barked in unison.

"Miyagi-Do just declared war upon us, even if a challenge is tiny. It is a challenge. If Schwarber can accidentally get his arm hurt. What can happen next?"

Hawk stepped forward. "We won't let them get away with this." Tory nodded too.

"Good." Kreese smiled.

…

After class the next day, Robby wanted to speak to his father but was interrupted when he needed to take care of something and stepped out of the dojo and left.

A bit confused and worried, Robby went to the backroom to start hitting the back and working out his arms.

He curled a dumbbell, grunting as he wore a tank top and sweat pants.

"Looks like you're trying to pick up the slack Schwarber left behind huh?" asked Tory, still in her Cobra Kai uniform.

"Sort of," Robby grunted, putting the dumbbell down as he stood up off the workout chair. "Just trying to help out. With Lucas needing to heal his arm. I need to be the new top fighter for a bit."

"No one needs that."

"Who said they don't?"

"So you want his title then?"

Robby glanced at Tory. "I don't care about a stupid trophy. That's what has Sensei Kreese so obsessed he declared war on a harmless guy who did nothing to us. I get he means well, it's just excessive. Not to mention pointless."

"Really. So you think Diaz is innocent?"

"Of course he is." Robby stood up, wiping the sweat off his face and then his arms with a towel next to the water bottle he had on the ground. "A skinny ass Latino kid with no friends except the dipshits of the school won't ever be able to beat us. In a fight. In a tournament. Anywhere."

"You think No Mercy is a joke then?"

"At what point do you surrender yourself to being an animal? An asshole. For no reason?"

"Luke believes in no mercy. He's not an asshole in my opinion. Got a nice girlfriend. You're his best friend basically right?"

Robby sighed. "Then he's wrong."

"He's not. Neither is Sensei Kreese. Robby you and I live in a pretty poor part of town. We weren't given much. People who are handed everything. They don't understand what we struggle for. We can't just have a little fight when they challenge us. For, points." scoffed Tory. "We have to fight, to strike. For everything. Everything."

Robby frowned. "So the only thing that matters in life. Is winning?"

"Winning for what matters. Ourselves. Our lives. Look what might've happened. Let's say Diaz challenges us somewhere more dangerous. Like a junkyard or something, I don't know. Let's say we get into a fight. And instead of just losing him for a few months. Let's say the dojo champ is out for a year. Let's say he's out for good."

"You mean Diaz kills him?"

"Maybe not kill him but. Accidents happen when you're fighting someone. And you mean it." Tory emphasized. "The soccer match was just a glimpse of that. There's no such thing as mercy Robby," said Tory. "You should know that better than anyone."

Robby scowled down at his feet as Tory approached him sharing what he had shared over the months with her. "Did the world show you mercy when you basically had to raise yourself? With both your parents barely there? When you had to strike first and find your dad yourself? I've had it rough too believe me. And I don't blame anyone or anything but there being no such thing as mercy at all."

Robby nodded, looking at her.

"Do you get it?" asked Tory.

"Yeah. I get it." said Robby quietly as he looked at her blankly and nodded.

"Onto something more. Interesting." Tory walked rather close to Robby but he didn't recoil. "I think you're pretty ripped I'm not going to lie. There's nothing wrong with being proud of our dojo's strength. Should wear this tank top more often."

Robby laughed quietly. "Thanks. You're pretty strong yourself. Physically too I mean."

"Proud of that too." Tory shrugged. "Maybe during this eighties night coming up. You can swing around my work. Grab a few skates or some fries or something."

"You asking me out?"

"I'll be working so, not technically. But I think my work uniform is awesome. It'll be not really a date, but sorta."

Robby laughed. "Sounds nice. The. Roller rink. Not the outfit-"

"I got what you meant."

Tory kissed Robby on the cheek and walked out of the back room.

He nodded slowly, sat back down, and continued to work out his arms.

...

...

...

A/N:

Hey everyone. Next chapter can still come out today or soon I think, in the Cobra Kai mood lately to write. So there might be a possible D-D-D-Double Upload!

It'll be a few school scenes I think, the eighties night at the roller rink, and then the Halloween dance. Thanks you all for reading and commenting, peace.

Edit: Turns out there was a double upload. There's an eighth chapter out now.