Chapter Nine: You're the Champ

…

A/N: I don't like repeating OSTs but for any chap, but this will be the rare occasion that it works.

…

I woke up looking directly at Moon's forehead. Odd way to start the day.

I'm sure we moved around a decent bit while we slept so she was a decent bit further apart than I remembered being when we were awake enough to still be talking.

I didn't want to just lie here staring at her strangely, but I didn't want to wake her up either. So I tightened my arms around her slightly and I listened to Moon stir in my arms.

"Mmm….."

Moon groaned quietly and she looked up at me. "Morning."

I nodded. "Good morning."

"How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty alright. Actually just woke up."

Moon smiled. "Are you hungry?"

"Sorta."

"Let me rephrase that. Are you. Hungry."

Fun way to suggest I start the day.

"Kinda."

Moon took a quick gander beneath the covers. "Oh I'd say you are."

"Sorry but. Can you blame me?"

"No. I take it as a compliment if anything. Besides I'm a little hungry right now too." Moon laughed before kissing me. "Hungry for something I just woke up digging into my leg," she muttered.

Moon's hands shifted beneath the covers and that was enough to get me to agree.

I didn't have a choice to having her wake up like that. I had a girl this kind, awesome, and beautiful in my arms and sleeping next to me for hours.

…

"That was very fun."

I nodded. "Hoping we can. Catch up again sometime."

"I do too," said Moon. "You kinda did what. I needed so well last night I woke up sort of wanting more."

"So it was the bike race? That got you like this?"

"It was a lot of things. Mostly the bike race. Again I just found it to be very expressive of you. Also I just. Got in the mood."

I smiled at Moon as she put a shirt and panties on. "Do you get now why we're just sitting on the couch or something and I try to give you tells. Touching your stomach with my nose or whatever, touching your leg."

"Well still. Guys' needs are a little different. Not saying you drive me crazy with how much you want it. Or it's more frequent for you to." Moon sighed. "Spring." I laughed. "But yes. We're different in that aspect."

"Agreed. Not bad. Just different."

"I need some breakfast." said Moon. "As do you."

"Didn't I just get some?"

"Some actual food Lu."

I stood up off her bed wearing the same cargo shorts and t-shirt from last night. "Oh we're shortening each other's names now. Would you appreciate it if I called you Moo? Like a cow?"

Moon laughed. "Okay. Nevermind."

"No it works. Works when you say it, just not the other way around."

"So you're cool with Lucas. Luke. But Lu and Lulu feel. Weird?"

"Sort of. I've never had anyone call me anything like that."

Moon smiled. "Bet you never woke up with a horny girl in your bed either."

"You were horny? Again it's not that common for you. Not saying it's uncommon but still."

"Of course I was. You're great."

"Appreciate it."

…

In her kitchen right before I left, Moon walked around the kitchen island and was reaching for a bowl.

It pulled up her shirt and revealed her ass clad in her light blue lace panties.

Moon was on her tip toes and still couldn't reach it.

She sighed, turning around at me. "Enjoying the view?" she asked in slight annoyance.

Redirect the question back to her. Fast.

"Would you if our situations were reversed?"

Moon seemed to think for a moment. "Seeing your rear like this? Actually. Yeah."

"Alright let me help you."

I walked around the kitchen island and pressed myself against her. I kissed her neck tightly and rubbed my hands over her bare ass, circling my hands around her hips too.

Moon seemed to moan for a second. "Luke wait-"

She still turned around and kissed me with a sharp change in breath. "Luke we have to-"

I kept kissing her.

"Eat breakfast. Please."

"You got me like this."

"We just had sex," Moon said.

I nodded. "Okay." I easily handed the bowl Moon was failing to reach for.

As she ate her breakfast and I found a decent bit of whole grain bread to make toast from, we sat next to each other.

Moon smiled, putting her spoon down for a second. "How was it? Everything?"

"Pretty great actually. You?"

"Like you say sometimes. Mindblowing."

"Same. We have been. Practicing. For almost a month at this point. It's almost Valley Fest in a few days and this whole time since the start of summer we've been. Exploring each other." I said, making her laugh. "Sorry I just. Don't know how else to say it."

"It's okay. Honestly. It's been great yeah."

I checked the time. "Dang."

"What?"

"In two hours I have to teach basics to all the new people and people who need the training. I'm running a class on fundamentals at the dojo for extra practice."

Moon smiled. "It looks like you Cobra Kais never stop training."

"More or less. We're known for it."

We had one last quick makeout session after breakfast.

Moon was using a fair bit more tongue for this morning, which I quickly reciprocated. I didn't say anything.

"Come back soon. Please." Moon said.

"I will. Wouldn't miss the best part of my summer so far for anything."

…

I explained to Rob, Piper, Sarah, Shawn, Hawk, and Tory.

"If you're not new here. You're here because Sensei Kreese said you needed the fundamentals right now. Based on tournament performance or otherwise."

"Since when are you our Sensei?" asked Shawn.

Hawk smacked his elbow with the back of his hand. "Since he became a two time champion and Sensei Kreese made him a brown belt. Keep up."

"Right so. Today is just all footwork, stance work, and striking. Just. Working on simple points. Jab punch to the head, reverse punches to the body and head. Your combos, and how you move around the mat. Pick a partner, warm up."

The front door to Cobra Kai opened.

And through it walked a very familiar face.

"Hi there," I said. "Can I help you?"

He looked around the dojo on the corner of Lankershim and Magnolia as if his childhood was on the mat. "Just wanted to. See it with my own eyes."

One last time for sure. I remembered who he was.

Tory stopped warming up with Sarah. "Hey Luke can we-"

"Eh. Keep practicing." I looked at him. "Are you who I think you are?"

"Depends. We sort of met at your last tournament."

I smiled. "Tommy. You used to train here. Looking to hop on the mat? We don't really teach adults but for today we can make an exception."

"Nah. I'm just here to ask for a favor."

"What favor?"

Tommy looked at me up and down. "The kind you ask when you're looking at the end of the road kid."

I nodded slowly. "Sensei Kreese will be back later for an extra class in the afternoon."

"No I just. I wanted to talk to you."

"Come back in about an hour."

…

"Should you be walking around?" I spoke to him in Cobra Kai's waiting area after the class I led was over.

Tommy shrugged. "Won't change a thing at this point. Meds. They do their job."

"What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to talk. To you and my old Sensei," said Tommy. "Head up to Big Bear. Talk about, everything. Does your Sensei own a car?"

"I don't know. I think he might still use the bus or something."

Tommy smiled. "We should go up on bikes."

"We should. Isn't that. Not a Sensei thing?"

"We're not going for a Ride kid. It'll be just us."

I smiled. "Why us. Why not. All your friends? You know. The first class?"

"Because we've been doing this sort of thing for months now. Then. I got worse. And we stopped. I want to."

I knew what it was. This was the last time he might ever have the chance to feel like a Cobra Kai again.

"I want to talk everything out. Talk to you. Be talked to."

Go out on a high note. I appreciated that.

"Do they. Do they know?"

Tommy nodded. "They knew I said goodbye in a way and all that. Sort of. They'll appreciate it. Even if you and John are still feuding with Bob and Johnny. They'll get it. Don't worry."

The front door to the dojo opened.

"Tommy." Sensei Kreese said quietly.

"Sensei. Uh. Hey." I said.

"Wanted to see how class was going. Your first class led by you." said Sensei. "How have. How have you been?"

Tommy stood up and offered a hand to shake. "I'll tell you in a second. How have you been?"

Sensei seemed to not know what to think. "I've been fine. And you?"

"We'll talk."

…

John Kreese and his old student, Tommy, watched as Lucas set up the camp in the forests by Big Bear Lake, their three motorcycles parked nearby.

"A real go getter ain't he? Reminds me of his mother." Tommy said.

"I never liked her that much but in your case. Same here." Kreese smiled. "Hey listen. About your. Problem. Why didn't you talk to me earlier? I've been back in town for almost two years now. Made it public I ran the dojo last year."

Tommy nodded. "Well look. I imagined you were still sore about the whole thing. The last I remember of you was smacking me with like a. Backfist or something for trying to protect Johnny after the tournament."

Kreese frowned. "I went too far that night. But you gotta understand. I never wanted any of you to lose."

"I was worried you were still the same person. Afraid. I might just get hurt again for reaching out."

Kreese nodded in return to his old student. "Fear. Does not exist."

Tommy seemed to smile like he was seventeen again in Kreese's dojo.

"So. You just let the dojo run on its own today?" asked Tommy.

"It's a Saturday." Kreese shook his head. "No. I just. Said there won't be extra class today."

"The John Kreese. Cancel extra practice?" Tommy chuckled. "That's a first."

Lucas wiped his hands clean and walked over to the two men. "That's camp set up."

"You taught him how to make a fire?" asked Tommy.

"Yeah. Did he teach you too?" wondered Lucas.

Tommy nodded slightly. "He might've. Coyote Creek was technically meant for special training of all sorts. Not just the challenge."

"Speaking of which we still need to put the class through that challenge." Kreese said to Lucas. "Why don't we go on a little hike? We can talk all about. The old days?" Kreese said to Tommy who smiled and obliged.

…

Tory answered the door to her house.

Hawk was standing there, hands in the pockets of his shorts.

"What?" asked Tory.

"Should we. Maybe discuss what we're gonna do?" Hawk wondered.

"Do what?"

"What else? Get Miyagi-Do back for what happened with the bikes. Luke lost a race. We don't lose."

"First off that was the Eagles. Secondly." Tory scoffed. "That was a dumb guy thing. No one cared."

"Everyone cared. Did you see the look on Luke's face? He will not let that happen again. And we won't either."

Tory sighed. "What did you have in mind?"

"We strike back. And get Steel Eagle back too."

"We don't have Luke."

"What is he, our babysitter?" Hawk scoffed.

"He's our very best fighter. Striking when you're not at your fullest capacity is a bad idea." warned Tory.

Hawk sighed. "It won't matter. Robby Keene made us look weak."

"By winning a bike race, get a hold of yourself Hawk!"

"Since when are you about restraint?"

"Since when are you starting fights we might actually lose? I don't even like Diaz at all, but if he's with them. We lose. It's that simple. How do you even want to strike back?"

"Just remind them we're the champs. However that goes."

Tory stepped out of her house. "I better not regret this."

"Oh you won't." Hawk said.

…

"Then there was the '83 San Jose Fall Classic tournament. Tommy drew Vidal in the semis. And guess what. He won." said Kreese with pride.

Tommy and Lucas smiled at each other.

"Old habits die hard. I saw you knock around another stylish and flashy guy at the Valley too."

"Yeah you took those pictures with us at the tournament," said Lucas.

Tommy chuckled. "And that Topanga Sensei had to concede the match. Hilarious."

"You still believe in No Mercy?" Lucas asked.

Kreese listened carefully despite pretending like he was still hiking up the forest trail calmly.

"Of course I do, er, sort of. I just never wanted any of our friends getting hurt. Johnny, Bobby, the rest of us." Tommy said. "I mean. I wanted them to get LaRusso a body bag for crying out loud."

Kreese smiled widely, still with his back to both Tommy and Lucas a little farther ahead as if he was out of earshot.

"But I was young, a bit different in a way. What about you. How long have you lived Striking First?"

"Two years. But the first year doesn't count. I was lying to my Sensei. That was wrong of me. Wrong to not trust him. Wrong to not tell him I was going behind his back."

Kreese was grinning wider than ever but still hid it.

"Glad you've been able to put that behind each other. I never knew Ali even had a kid before I heard about you," said Tommy. "Never would've imagined I'd meet him or her either."

Kreese stopped walking uphill and spoke to Tommy when he and Lucas caught up to him. "Wait a minute I think I know that hill."

Tommy watched Kreese point to another part of Big Bear Lake. "I took you all as part of a camping trip in '82 with a bit of hunting."

"You took the class hunting back in the day?" Lucas asked. "I didn't even know there were hunting grounds near Big Bear Lake."

"Plenty. There's Zone 14 and a few others." Tommy almost seemed to reminisce.

Kreese saw the look on Tommy's face. "Our camp's not far from where we used to go. Should we maybe teach him a few things?"

Tommy seemed to smile very widely. "I don't know. How about we make it a little harder for him? As hard as it was for us?"

Lucas was confused seeing the looks on Kreese's face and Tommy's.

"What? What is it?"

"Finish the hike first." Kreese said.

Lucas began to run a little and outpaced Kreese and Tommy in seconds.

Tommy and Kreese panted about ten minutes later.

"Kid's fast. To be young again." Kreese coughed.

Tommy looked upwards seeing Lucas smile, laugh, and wave much farther uphill. "He's so much like Ali it's almost scary."

Kreese cleared his throat. "Now. The Zone 14 Challenge."

…

"A bow? A bow and arrow?"

"It's how we all started." Kreese shrugged after a very quick trip to a nearby Sporting Goods Store. "I wouldn't let the class touch a rifle until they passed two tests with a bow and a knife."

Lucas sighed. "How am I gonna kill a deer. With a bow and arrow, with far better alternatives? You do know guns actually guarantee a kill almost?"

"Who knows about hunting here?" asked Tommy. "You. Or us?"

Lucas looked around the nearby forest. They had already checked in to the hunting grounds.

"Fine."

…

Kreese, Tommy, and Lucas went on the first official Cobra Kai hunting expedition in decades.

They stayed dead silent. They looked for deer tracks, signs of any movement of animals. And then eventually came across a buck.

"Look at him," Tommy whispered in the bushes with Kreese and Lucas, all three of them camouflaged. "He's grand ain't he? This isn't a video game Luke. That over there's a living breathing animal."

"Majestic," Lucas said looking at it step slowly through a clearing before standing still, holding the bow. "But it's prey."

Tommy nodded.

"Just like we taught you." muttered Kreese. "Don't hesitate. Aim with technique."

Lucas notched his arrow. The pulleys on either end of the bow creaked and Lucas slowly drew the bowstring back.

"That's it," said Tommy.

Lucas back was working the most to pull the bow, his elbow was high, but no muscles in his upper body tensed at all until he drew completely. And the moment he did, he trusted where his eye was aiming already, and loosened the shot.

The arrow whizzed instantly through the air, and the next sound that was made was the deer grunting suddenly.

The arrow was stuck directly into the deer's hide just behind the shoulder, a perfect shot to the animal's lungs.

In disbelief, Kreese and Tommy looked at each other in surprise he was able to pull it off so well as Lucas approached the fallen buck.

It was panting quietly, blood oozing from the arrow wound.

Tommy saw the blank look on Lucas' face. "Don't let the poor thing suffer. Here." He handed Lucas a sizable hunting knife.

Lucas unsheathed the blade and looked at it, and then muttered, despite clearly looking hesitant for a moment.

"No mercy," he whispered to himself.

Kreese and Tommy didn't so much as blink when Lucas knelt and ended the buck's suffering.

Lucas wiped the knife clean and looked at both Tommy and Kreese. "What now? Do I hang his head on a wall or something?"

"Now we flag an attendant over in a moment to take care of the corpse. Maybe get a few dollars for the pelt and such. You did well." said Tommy. "Very well for a first time."

…

Night began to fall over the San Fernando Valley.

Tory Nichols, Mia, Sarah, and Piper were standing near a cafe.

"What're we doing here?" asked Sarah.

"It's time to teach you newbies about what Cobra Kai's all about." said Tory. "I'll tell Sensei you can earn your white belt if you follow along."

Mia could clearly see Sam and Miguel talking at a table inside.

"White," Tory said calmly.

Mia reached into her backpack and tossed Tory a can of spray paint.

"What the hell are you doing?" asked Piper in complete surprise.

"You wanted to be my sparring partner? Well. This is step one. To be a Cobra Kai you have to be aggressive." Tory walked over towards what she knew was Sam's car. "You have to show our enemies we mean business."

Tory smiled, spray painting the side of it. "This is us. Striking hard."

Tory wrote the letter C and Mia wrote the letter K.

She offered the spray can to Sarah. "Your turn."

"Wh-What do I write? What does this even mean?" wondered Sarah as Mia was on constant lookout to see if someone saw them.

"It'll make sense later don't worry. Write just the letter N."

Sarah wasn't that hesitant, clearly used to breaking rules and being aggressive. She knelt and spray painted the letter N on Sam's door.

"Elswith. Write the letter D next to it." ordered Tory, as Sarah looked a little nervous and handed the spray, can towards Piper, who didn't take it as Mia rubbed Sarah's shoulder and back in approval.

"I don't know Tory this seems kind of like an overreaction to losing a motorcycle race don't you think?"

"You're either Cobra Kai for life or you're not. Sam's dad's totally rich this probably won't even last a week. Just a message." insisted Tory.

Piper took a quick look around the parking lot and then knelt to write the last letter.

"Great, let's get outta here," Tory said quickly as the girls ran as fast as they could away from the cafe.

Soon after, Miguel and Sam walked towards her car and were shocked.

"What the…" muttered Sam seeing the letters CKND spray painted on her car.

…

Nate smiled at Demetri and Chris after practicing more kata with them and a few of the other Miyagi-Do boys at Demetri's house. "Bye guys! See you all tomorrow!"

He hopped onto his bicycle and began to ride down the street for a bit before the familiar roar of motorcycle engines were heard.

Nate tried to pedal away faster but Hawk and the other Cobra Kais surrounded him.

"Wassup?" asked Hawk as Nate looked ready to wet himself in fear.

Mitch smiled. "Yeah wassup?"

"N-Nothing. What do you want?" asked Nate.

"You probably think you're hot shit after you guys all won that race against Luke right?" asked Hawk, Mikey crossing his arms behind him.

"Robby didn't even want anyone to say he won," Nate said, looking more nervous by the second. "Besides. The Eagles want nothing to do with us."

Before he could react Mikey grabbed Nate from behind. "Hey! Wait!"

The Cobras moved Nate away from his bicycle and Hawk nodded to Mitch and Rob.

They began doing their very best to destroy Nate's bike, and within two minutes it was ruined.

"Guys look-"

Hawk elbowed Nate directly in the cheek. When he fell, he kicked him in the nose with a front kick.

Nate was leaned over on the ground as Hawk spoke. "Send a message to everyone at Miyagi-Do! Everyone who thought they beat us last night at the race! Defeat. Does not exist! Cobra Kai Never Dies. Tell them. Cobra Kai Never Dies."

"This isn't fair! What's wrong with you!?" asked Nate in shock, holding his nose.

"Don't worry. You're not being singled out. We know Steel Eagle needs to be knocked down a peg too." said Hawk. "We're out."

"Yo." Hawk spoke to Rob as the boys all started to mount their bikes again. "You definitely earned your GI man. That was initiation. Nice."

"Respect." Rob bumped fists with Hawk and they all left, Nate in no condition to move very much from the sidewalk.

…

Night had fallen.

Lucas was tending to the campfire after Kreese and Tommy finished eating a simple dinner of steak sandwiches and beer sitting on a log upon the forest floor next to each other.

"I'm sorry."

Tommy was surprised. "For what?"

"For what I did to you boys. You were all young. And I went overboard, and that was wrong of me."

Tommy chuckled. "You did overreact. But Johnny shouldn't have questioned you. You were our Sensei. What you said. Went."

Kreese frowned. "I don't know what I was thinking. Johnny was the best student I ever had. Well. Besides him of course." he said as Lucas made sure the camp was all in order and the fireplace was fine.

"That kid is your best student. Ever?"

"Beyond a shadow of a doubt," Kreese said. "He's humble enough to admit Cobra Kai is the right way. But it's not perfect. He knew LaRusso and Lawrence were the best fighters ever known to the All Valley. He was just the first to be smart enough to combine their styles. That I know of."

Tommy smiled. "I missed it you know."

"What?"

"Having you as a Sensei. You were tough but. Those lessons. They followed us for the rest of our lives. I told Johnny you know. If he trusted you. Then it was the right call to bring Cobra Kai back."

Kreese chuckled. "Johnny walked."

"I heard. Bobby joined him. And now LaRusso thinks the best way to end this madness is to keep his Miyageee stuff going too."

Kreese and Tommy looked in silence at the fireplace.

"There was a reason I joined Cobra Kai. One I never told you. One I never will tell you." said Tommy. "But it changed. I walked away with friendship. Honor. Strength. Stuff that helped me for decades after I stopped doing karate. You were more of a father to me. Than my real one ever was."

"I remember your father, met him at the '82 All Valley. I liked him."

Tommy shook his head and shrugged. "He tried his best but. Work. Never let him stay around."

Lucas walked over. "I finished. Finished my dinner too."

Tommy smiled. "Why don't you let your Sensei sleep? Old man needs his rest."

Kreese stood up off the log. "Sure do. It was nice to see you again Tom."

He offered a hand to shake.

Tommy refused it, but he hugged John Kreese instead.

He respectfully pushed Tommy away slowly but Tommy gripped his arm. "If you're sorry." he looked right into his eyes. "I forgive you. For everything. I forgive you."

Kreese quickly looked around at Lucas and Tommy and went to rest in his tent.

Lucas sat down on the log next to Tommy and he handed a beer to him. "Cheers kid."

"Cheers."

"To Cobra Kai," said Tommy.

"Known statewide, as the number one dojo in the Valley." Lucas used his thumb and index finger to flick his beer cap towards the fire pit but it missed.

Lucas and Tommy drank beer in silence for a moment. An owl hooted in the distance of the forests of Big Bear, and crickets sang lightly.

"We've got a whole day to know each other. And I know you're smart. You're good in school. You're great at karate. But what's been going on in your life. What do you want?"

"To know what I want to do after high school."

Tommy blinked, listening.

Lucas looked at Tommy. "You're dying. Soon aren't you?"

"Yup."

"How soon?"

"So soon that I knew if I waited any longer to meet you. And reconcile with John. I might not ever get the chance again."

"But your brothers. Johnny. Bobby. Jimmy. Even Dutch who I heard is in jail. They needed to say goodbye if that's the case. How are you strong enough to walk and hike and hunt? Today. But not see them?"

Tommy stared in the fire blankly.

"Because they knew I was gone. They know the past is what it is. And besides from Bobby and Johnny. To influence the future. There's almost nothing I can do. That's why I wanted to talk to you."

"Talk to me about what?"

Tommy pulled a small necklace from his pocket. "I engraved this while John was in the bathroom and you were on your phone. I carved a pendant, out of the horn of the first buck you shot down. So you can always remember."

"Remember what?"

"That Cobra Kai Never Dies."

Lucas smiled, even the letters CKND were carved into the elk antler pendant by Tommy.

"These traditions out in the forest. I'm sure they bring back bad memories for Johnny and especially Bobby I'm sure. I don't regret them at all actually. But while we've spent plenty of weekends this past year drinking and getting in bar fights and Riding like we're kids again. That's all done."

Lucas watched as Tommy went on.

"I don't regret most of my life. The best parts of it. Were spent learning under that man sleeping in that tent over there. I convinced myself that if you sought his lessons. You'd end up in two places. Like LaRusso, a winner at life a champ who followed up his wins. Or Johnny, a loser admittedly."

Tommy smiled. "Like a brother. I love Johnny. But what we had. Is gone. Not because we're older. But because I'll be gone. Dutch will die in prison at this point. To make matters worse for carrying on the tradition of Riding, Jenny has such a tight leash on Jimmy's nutsack that he might as well wear it in public."

Lucas laughed quietly at this.

"And I'm the first to go. One by one. No one will remember the first generation of Cobra Kai's classes."

Lucas listened.

"But they'll remember you kid."

…

Cobra Kai OST: You're the Champ

…

"You're probably going to win this next All Valley trophy. After that happens. They'll write books on how you revolutionized karate and changed the name for it. You'd hold every single record there is in competitive karate for under eighteen year olds at that point."

Lucas smiled.

"I loved your mother at one point. I see so much of her in you it's almost frightening. Ali might be a doctor now. But when we were your age, she could heal just about any bad day I had just by walking into a room."

Lucas stayed as silent as possible.

"So what do you want? Who do you love?"

"I just don't know. I know it's Cobra Kai but. I might start to like something else seriously too. There's a girl. She's not perfect. Who is, but. It'd never work."

"Why's that?"

"Our families. Our goals. Everything about us. Complete opposites. What we started. It wasn't meant to be real. If it is or it starts to be. I don't know what might happen."

Tommy placed a hand on Lucas' shoulder. "Hey."

Lucas turned and was shocked to see tears in Tommy's eyes.

"Whatever you want to be real. Friend or not. Girlfriend or not. Can be real."

"Will tonight be the last time we ever speak?" Lucas asked, starting to cry as if he knew it was.

Tommy smiled. "No."

Tommy curled the necklace he engraved for Lucas into his hand and patted it.

"You can always talk to me." Tommy gripped Lucas' hand tightly. "In here!"

Tommy looked directly at Lucas.

"Your eyes are a little bluer. But other than that. You look so much like your mother. So much like her. You have her kindness. Her intelligence. So I want you to know that whatever you end up doing. Commit to it. Whatever it is do you hear me? Commit. And you'll be great at it."

Lucas chuckled, wiping his tears aside. "Thanks."

"Fear. Does not exist, for a reason. Don't be afraid of what you can accomplish. I'm done. Ready to move on. Close the book. You're what? Sixteen? Whatever you do. It's gonna be great, legendary."

Lucas nodded. "But how do I know. If what I'm doing. Is the right thing to do?"

Tommy chuckled, keeping a hand on Lucas' shoulder. "I'll tell you what I told Johnny. The truth applies to both of you having done it two times."

"You're the champ. I promise you always. You're the champ."

Lucas smiled. "Y-yeah." his voice shook.

"Tell your mother. Tell her I always enjoyed having her in my homeroom. I know your childhood was rough over in Denver. And your family was hard. But your family. Will always be Cobra Kai. It'll be me."

Tommy kept staring directly into Lucas' eyes, but then he couldn't as Lucas was sobbing into Tommy's shoulder.

Tommy cried quietly too as the Champ cried in his arms.

Lucas began to sob so loudly he had to dig his face into the jacket of Tommy's shoulder. And he cried too listening to him sob.

…

It was the only time I could genuinely see John Kreese crying.

And he didn't.

Tommy had passed away silently in his sleeping bag the next morning.

We called an ambulance, and Sensei Kreese watched Tommy's body be hauled away.

Sensei looked at me. "You alright kid?"

I lied.

"I'm fine Sensei."

…

It became hard to say anything for about an entire half hour.

After I finished speaking to the paramedics. They told me there was nothing we could do. Tommy had no remaining family left and his body, as he requested, would be cremated and disposed of by state services.

I found Sensei sitting on a rock by the water of Bear Lake, close to where we camped.

He looked almost exactly the same way Mr. Miyagi did when Daniel found him looking over the ocean after his father died.

Except there were no tears in Sensei's eyes.

There was nothing.

I decided to try to comfort him.

"Uh, Sensei."

He didn't say a word.

"I think he always forgave you," I said as strongly as I could.

Sensei Kreese frowned.

"No. No he didn't. The horror and the shock in Tommy's eyes when I struck him for defending Johnny that night. I'll never forget it."

"He told you he forgave you. He told us. That we were doing the right thing."

Kreese smiled and spoke dryly. "The truth is Lucas. I've only done one thing right since the last time I ran Cobra Kai."

"Which is?"

"Training you. Watching you grow up."

I smiled too, listening to the waves of Big Bear Lake lightly hit the bank nearby.

Sensei continued to stare out over the water. "There's no other way to say this. You are the only real person. Who ever truly believed in me."

It took everything inside me not to cry after hearing that.

"I had Terry in the past. But we fell apart." Sensei said. "Bobby and Johnny have allied against me. Jimmy will never talk to me. Tommy just passed. And Dutch has been in prison for decades. I failed every single one of my students. All of them. Except for you. And there won't be much time left for me. Before I'm moments away from hoping all I've done was enough to feel pride in what I've done in my life."

Kreese nodded. "I'm getting old."

I nodded as well.

"Very old." he said. "Soon. Maybe within a decade. Maybe two if I'm lucky. You'll see me in one of those." he pointed down the forest path the ambulance left on. "I turned seventy four years old last month. Seventy four. By the time I'll be ninety four. You'll have a house, kids. A family. And I'll be ready to move on to being in the back of some ambulance like poor Tommy just was."

I kept listening.

"I think I forgot to tell you something. People used to believe I was evil and called me so all the time. LaRusso and Johnny still do. All I wanted was for people to finally show some strength. Some courage. Some power in their lives in who they were. And they called me cruel and a monster for doing so." said Sensei Kreese. "You never called me that. In fact. You made me proud of what I did."

"I haven't felt pride in what I've done for decades. Not since Johnny and the old team swept the tournaments back in the days. You've brought back those days. That pride. In my life. In what I do. And I thought I would never in my life get it back again."

Kreese sighed looking directly at me.

"Which is why I'm doing the following. There is no one I know. More capable. More respectful. More honorable. Stronger. Or wiser. Or more loyal to me. Than you. At the mere age of sixteen, you've accomplished more with Cobra Kai with me, than I ever did on my own in the forty years since it's existence."

Kreese smiled at me. "Lucas Gregory Mills-Schwarber. As of today. You have been chosen as having the honor of being my successor as being the Sensei of Cobra Kai one day after I retire. From teaching, or from life."

John Kreese bowed his head to me for a moment.

"You are more than my assistant. You are more to me than Johnny ever was, which as you can imagine is saying a lot." he looked upward at me, right in my eyes. "You are the future of Cobra Kai. For now and forever. You are like my family."

"And you." I gulped, because I was doing everything I could not to cry. "Are like my family too."

I wanted to hug him. Moon always told me to follow my heart.

But for the life of me I couldn't hug him, because then I would cry in this man's arms.

Because I just respected what Sensei Kreese taught me just that much.

…

Class the next day went well.

No one knew of what happened with Tommy. No one but Sensei and I.

"Fall in." Sensei Kreese said.

We got into our rows, and nearly four minutes through warm ups, Daniel LaRusso stormed through the front doors to the dojo.

"Well I'll be damned!"

Everyone turned when Sensei nodded to us and he almost ran onto the mat.

"Take your shoes off the mat right now. Or we'll make you take them off." said Sensei Kreese.

"Try me."

We made him step off the mat just by looking at him.

"Don't play dumb. Why has one of my students been assaulted? For the second time? Third actually this summer. Why has my daughter's car been vandalized?"

I had no idea what he was talking about. But I wouldn't be surprised.

Sensei shrugged. "I swear. I have no clue what you're talking about."

"You didn't order these attacks?"

"Class," Sensei said firmly but calmly. "Who moved against Miyagi-Do without my say so?"

I saw several fellow Cobra exchange glances and mutters.

Slowly, Tory and Hawk raised their hands. I actually respected them a great deal for doing this.

"See? Even they admit I had nothing to do with it." said Kreese.

"And that makes it all okay?" Daniel scoffed. "What you're doing to these kids isn't technically illegal. But it's wrong. It's twisted. It's-"

"Evil?" I asked. "You don't know who he is."

"But neither do the rest of you!" roared Daniel at the entire class. "Johnny Lawrence was a real idiot back when I went to school. A champion of this dojo. And even he saw your Sensei for what he is. This will end badly. You're turning into criminals."

"No proof. Until right now. I had no idea any of this even happened."

"But-"

"Didn't I?"

Daniel frowned and nodded slightly.

Kreese bowed off the mat and we watched as he approached Daniel.

"You might not be a kid anymore but you're still stepping on a Cobra's tail. And then whining. When you get the fangs. Kids fight. It's inevitable. But I suggest you try mentoring them better. Being there more for them. I know I was. If you were, maybe you would stop complaining so much."

Daniel looked around the dojo.

"Class! Is it clear, that Mr. LaRusso's assessment is based purely in falsehood. And weakness!?"

"Yes Sensei!" we shouted together.

"Is it clear. That in life, you get what's coming to you after you confront someone!"

"Yes Sensei!"

"Then this is over right?" Kreese shook his head at Daniel. "Wrong. Careful now. Be really careful."

He turned around and left the dojo.

We returned to our rows and I spoke. "I'd like to say something."

Sensei Kreese nodded. "Go ahead Mr. Schwarber."

I stood next to him at the front of the class.

"No more games," I said. "I'm tired of any of you thinking I'm not behind every part of this dojo one hundred and fifty percent. We're going to fight. And we're gonna win. But we're gonna be smart about it."

I saw Tory, Shawn, and Hawk smirk faintly for a moment between the rows.

"We are all Cobra Kai. Like Sensei Kreese said. We're one unit. You make a move. We all make a move. We're attacked. We're all attacked. Until now you've probably assumed I didn't approve of fighting our enemies on our terms."

"That I walked into this half baked. Just skimming along the top every year to get a trophy. A third trophy, third magazine cover, and third year of fame. As Sensei's favorite. Well no more."

I could see Hawk smile widely.

"No more. This fight isn't over. Until we say it's over." I said. "Steel Eagle. Miyagi-Do. They're not gonna forget what happened. But neither will we. I'm ready to truly be part of this family here at Cobra Kai."

I said everything Tommy told me. "Whatever we do. It's gonna be great. It's gonna be legendary."

We were gonna win.

"What do we do then?" Rick asked dumbly.

"We're gonna strike first after they try to promote their karate as being better than ours," I said. "At Valley Fest."

...

...

...

A/N:

Because I've been asked twice. Tory and Robby don't really have a relationship and never did, not saying they can't in the future. But for now they have bigger fish to fry.