Chapter Ten: A Fourth of July Like No Other

…

"An Angus beef hot dog please," I said, reaching for my wallet.

"Wait a minute are you Lucas Schwarber?"

I nodded.

"My sons are huge fans of yours. Think I could get a picture with you?"

"Sure."

I posed for a selfie with him and the hot dog vendor smiled. "Awesome. Uh. Here. It's on the house."

Tory walked by speaking to Sarah, which was odd to see them getting along since in another turn of events Tory would've chipped her tooth when trying out for Cobra Kai.

"Shouldn't someone as rich as you actually pay for stuff for once?" asked Tory.

"Some people know what's worth fame. Some people like it." I smiled, Sarah was brushing her hair back and I could've sworn she might as well have turned red.

Tory did not appreciate this.

"Can you give us a second?"

Sarah nodded and walked off. For a basketball player, she was cute. An addition to the dojo as competent as Piper and Rob.

"Mind telling me what your deal is?" I asked.

Tory shrugged. "How about you not taking anything seriously?"

"A week ago I said I was ready to fully embrace Cobra Kai and you guys as my family."

"And you're making eyes at Goldstein?"

"Oh my god Tory. Can you lighten up?" I chewed my hot dog and swallowed. "Have some fun for once. Grab some food, go on a ride. This is Valley Fest."

"Weren't we here to Strike First or something here?"

"After sun down. For now I'm gonna enjoy the fair. Come on, it's the fourth of July."

Tory rolled her eyes.

I couldn't believe she was jealous.

"You do know I don't actually like Sarah right? Just joking around."

"Very mature then," said Tory putting her hands in her jacket pockets. "Is your whole summer going to be like this? Casually flirting and free stuff?"

"You are actually jealous of me right now. Why Nichols. God. You do realize-"

"You're still talking to Yasmine aren't you?"

I did almost daily. "That's. None of your business. It's summer. Time to enjoy ourselves."

"And how much have you been enjoying yourself? With you know. Two girls? Three?"

Just one actually.

"Again. You need to mind your own business."

"So you have then?"

"Tory if you went out with someone. I honestly wouldn't care-"

"Really?" Tory scoffed. "Why bring it up?"

"Because I don't get what we're arguing over." I finished my hot dog. "If you'll excuse me I got a fair to enjoy."

…

I did ring toss, I even did the old water gun games.

I only won a couple but I didn't care. As time went on I saw more familiar faces.

A face that was too familiar actually.

Bobby Brown's. He was talking to Daniel and Amanda.

I caught Bobby's eye and decided to speak to him.

"Hey. Don't think we've met."

Bobby crossed his arms. "Think we have."

I looked around the fair. A pair of little kids laughed and they ran past us.

"I uh. I said goodbye to Tommy last week. He wanted you to know that. He wanted his last moments to be with us."

"Us?" Bobby was surprised. "What do you mean by us?"

I frowned.

"With Sensei Kreese and I."

Bobby looked extremely upset but hid it. "If that's what he wanted then I'll accept it."

"He said that that might happen."

"Look-"

"I'm not joining Steel Eagle. Or especially Miyagi-Do."

"I wasn't going to talk to you about karate. I want to know how your family's doing. I know Ali meant a lot to Tommy."

I looked away from Bobby. "You knew?"

"I always did. I think I was the only one back in the day who knew. Did you tell her?"

"It's not something you can tell someone over text," I said.

Bobby nodded quietly.

"I'm sure both Johnny and Daniel have told you this already. But now is the part where I warn you about John Kreese."

"Johnny never spoke to me about it."

Bobby was surprised again. "Really?"

"Why are you at this festival?"

"My church has a stand. We're doing a tiny event today. But Johnny never talked to you about this?"

"He always cared more about Robby than the rest of us," I said.

Bobby frowned. "That is not true."

"Perhaps. And you actually stopped teaching at Miyagi-Do I heard."

"Still on good terms with Dan."

"Then don't lecture me about loyalty or honor."

Bobby chuckled. "You know kid. You have every right to follow John Kreese. Truly you do. And I respect your decision to do so. But you are exactly what I would imagine your mother to be like when we were kids except without an ounce of her kindness."

"Isn't that ironic? Because the last thing Tommy told me before he died was that I had all of her kindness."

I looked at Bobby's stunned face.

"Right."

Bobby muttered. "I have to get back to the others. You'll realize very quickly Lucas. Exactly. The kind of person Kreese will need you to be."

"Think I already do."

"Did he ask for funeral arrangements?"

"No he." I shook my head. "Specifically wanted state services to take of everything for people without family left."

Bobby understood silently before he walked off.

Daniel didn't wait to take his place in the stands between the ring toss and water gun games. "Vandalism. Really?"

"At what point. Does it cross your delusional mind? That when I'm camping in Big Bear, about a three hour drive almost from where Sam's car was spray painted that same night. I would somehow teleport all the way over back to Encino. And be responsible for it?"

Daniel shook his head. "I didn't say you did it. And I'm not saying now your Sensei ordered it. But he's creating the mentality necessary to do whatever you want."

"Stop challenging us. Please. Because then you start complaining about what the consequences of that are."

"So you want me to give up? To close Miyagi-Do's doors? Is that what you want Lucas?"

"You know I think you forgot a very important part of what Miyagi-Do's about. Forgiveness. You could've just. Walked away. Not challenged me. Twice."

"Mr. Miyagi always stood up to Kreese."

"But I'm not Sensei Kreese," I said, reminding him silently. "I'm just his student. This is starting to escalate faster and faster. Soon there's probably going to be talk that our dojos are in some sort of turf war or a gang war. Doesn't that sound ridiculous?"

Daniel frowned.

"Imagine," I said. "Us on the news. Karate making street gangs out of high schoolers. Absurd right? And I agree. But think about this. If you want a real fight with us like that? Fine. But you already know we'll win. One. Hundred. Times. Over. So don't bother."

"That's not what I teach my students. And you should know. Resilience. Honor. Standing up against bullying."

"Ah. Bullying." I said calmly. "I'm a bully."

"You truly are. Your friends broke the nose of a helpless kid like Nate. And then they spray painted a car."

I smiled looking at Daniel up and down slowly.

I knew his deepest fear was that I was the next generation's version of Terry Silver. The fear in his eyes, the loathing and discomfort. He felt betrayed for sure, but more than anything unfortunately this wasn't the first time someone manipulated him for karate.

He wasn't afraid I was the next Johnny. Not him. Not Sensei Kreese. He was probably afraid that being a little strange meant I was completely crazy. So I was sick of it.

"There's going to be a time when after being called such a bad person for so long. And so cruelly. I'll have no choice but to play the part. If that happens. You won't find me pitying any of you."

…

I greeted Edwin, Dieter, and Big Red proudly near the Valley Fest parking lot.

"Wassup guys?" I asked.

"Wassup Champ!?"

This term had a stronger effect on me now than last week but I didn't frown, instead, I nodded to them and they nodded back after bumping fists.

Tory now walked past. It was getting darker out.

"Think our plan will be blown?" asked Tory.

"Why's that?"

"With so many of us walking around. They might catch wind of us stealing their thunder."

I shook my head. "We won't fail. Defeat does not exist." I saw the look on her face. "You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Okay then."

I did actually care.

"Alright. What is it?"

Tory looked over and I looked towards where she gazed towards. Sam and Miguel were nearby playing carnival games and laughing together.

I laughed. "You have a thing for Diaz?"

"No. I'm just. Have you ever wanted what they have?"

"They have nothing," I said simply. "Haven't seen them around town together until a few weeks back. Probably testing the waters of their relationship."

"No I mean. A girlfriend?" wondered Tory.

I shook my head. "Not since a while. I'm not calling girlfriends overrated or anything. You just need to find the right person."

"And did you?"

I sighed.

I had eaten plenty of mostly free food from how well recognized I was, and played every carnival game at Valley Fest. There was no other way to kill time until our show except to talk to the other Cobra Kais.

"I had something. Something odd with Charlotte. It was very sweet at first. Then we just grew apart. It happens."

Tory shrugged. "Would you date again?"

"Why are you so curious?"

"Because I've been asked out plenty of times. Still don't know how to feel. Have you?"

"That day you threatened Diaz at the diner. I talked to you about loyalty. Remember?"

Tory nodded. "You were drinking that vanilla milkshake you always like."

"There were three girls sitting around us around the booths. One was pretending to read something on her phone. Another was eating her fries. And another was just stealing glances at me, not bothering pretending. That's why I barely eat at Smitty's Diner anymore, every other time I go, it's like that. I can't be left alone in this town. That's how well known I am."

"You're complaining about being famous?"

I'm complaining that the only way I can find anything remotely real right now is in private. With Moon.

"I'm complaining about the same thing you are in a way. Being happy with someone, can be tough. Is that why you hate her?"

Tory was surprised. "What?"

"Is that why you hate Sam? I see the way you look at her. Like you want to cut her up and eat her liver. She's happy. So you can't be?"

Tory shook her head.

"Channeling your anger can make you a better fighter. If you're trained properly. I taught you something else."

"I don't miss the chores. And I certainly don't miss all the katas and metaphors. But I miss how we used to train. Just you, teaching me, what you know."

I nodded. "You've improved Nichols. You've improved a whole lot."

"Not as much as I want to," Tory said. "I wanted you to know that while I don't think I need it anymore. I still miss what we had last month."

I couldn't lie to her. "It was torture for me. Imagine me walking around in a swim suit all day in front of you and then getting mad if you looked at me. And then berating all your training. As a reasonable human being. None of that was fun."

Tory seemed apologetic for the first time in her life. "I'm sorry."

"The last time we really talked about this I think we miscommunicated. You asked me if I didn't have feelings for you. What I meant to say was."

I gulped.

"That I didn't know yet. I didn't want to say yes or no. I didn't want to say I did or didn't have feelings for you."

"Why?"

"Because we had barely talked. Out of all the time we spent together." I looked around nearby at the fair to see if any one was listening. I lowered my voice. "More than half of it was spent with less clothing on than we should've reliably had. It would make it hard to. Be as clear as we should've moving forward."

"I made it clear I didn't want to talk about any of that. That it was a mistake. That I don't care about that anymore."

"If it was. And you really didn't care. You wouldn't be standing here talking to me about it."

Tory watched as I drew my headband from my pocket, wrapped it around my forehead, and started to walk away. "Where are you going?" asked Tory.

"To warm everyone up. We only have about fifteen minutes."

…

The crowd at Valley Fest was huger than any year's, but they were confused.

Not knowing whether to choose between Steel Eagle's or Miyagi-Do's karate demonstration.

A choice made for them within moments.

"Cobraaaa Kaiiiii!" a familiar voice shouting that very phrase roared.

Ratt's Round and Round blared over a set of speakers near Valley Fest's main stage.

"Cobra Kai! Cobra Kai! Cobra Kai! Cobra Kai!"

"The hell…" muttered Johnny from the much smaller stage Steel Eagle had. Daniel was confused as well.

Lucas led his entire dojo in Cobra Kai tournament GIs, sleeveless, golden rims around the edges of the uniform.

Lucas led the entire class onto the main stage and a Cobra Kai banner unfolded.

Machines released steam and sparks flew and Kreese walked by the technician on the side of the stage. "More sparks!" he ordered in his Sensei's uniform as he slowly walked behind his class.

Crossing his arms, Kreese watched the demonstration up close.

"Ais!" he roared.

Lucas lowered his headband beneath his eyes as the crowd began to cheer to blindfold himself.

He felt the duct tape beneath his left foot. He knew where his mark was where the boards would be, and he struck.

Lucas ran forward and flew through the air kicking three times in the air.

Bert and the other Eagles winced.

He split apart three boards held by other Cobras with one kick and landed perfectly on his feet.

The crowd cheered and Lucas grinned moving his headband away from his eyes and back on his forehead.

Multiple Cobras held a striking bag as Hawk ran into a jumping start.

"Aiiii!"

Hawk roared and leaped into a sidekick, making all four Cobras almost buckle under the strike.

Mikey and Rickenberger did kicks combined with acrobatics as Lucas did the same.

On his last front flip, he kicked with both legs sideways with a very loud kiai, splitting apart two wooden boards held by Cobras standing on chairs.

When he landed back on the ground the crowd cheered.

"These assholes…." Miguel muttered in his Miyagi-Do GI next to Sam, Daniel, Demetri, and the other Miyagi-Dos.

Mikey was soon sitting on Rickenberger's shoulders as Rickenberger stood on a chair and Mikey held up a wooden board. Two other Cobras held one slightly lower.

With a running start Lucas got a quick boost from Hawk and Mia and then spun into the air, hitting the first board with a knee and splitting the second with a spinning backfist.

The crowd roared with cheers and he struck the ground.

Lucas stood up from the ground smirking in ready stance.

Throwing his hands up in frustration, Daniel turned around, unable to believe his eyes.

Easily the physically strongest member of Cobra Kai, Shawn Payne was made to drop a knee onto several slabs of pure concrete.

The crowd could not believe their eyes as Shawn spun into a kick in the air and then landed right on his knee, flying through each board, smashing them apart.

A thirteen year old Kenny Payne, Shawn's younger brother cheered in the crowd. "That's right! That's right! That's riiiight!" he roared.

Two Cobras quickly retrieved Lucas' two All Valley tournament trophies from off stage and placed them on either side of Lucas.

Kreese gave the stage technician and quick nod, and Lucas fixed his headband, gave his back to the crowd, smirked over his shoulder, and flexed all the muscles in his arms.

The crowd roared as a shower of sparks exploded from the machines nearby.

Lucas picked up both trophies in either arm and winked to the crowd, smirking the whole time.

Bobby and Johnny shook their heads, looking at each other. "This motherfu…" Johnny muttered looking directly at Kreese.

"He's literally flexing his championship wins on us," Sam muttered in disbelief as Lucas flexed all the muscles in his arms hoisting his two trophies around.

Mikey and Shawn rolled out a massive slab of pure hardwood out on the stage.

The crowd was shocked, and extremely fearful when the Cobras set the entire slab of hardwood the same size as a door on fire.

Kreese spoke. "Fear. Is for the weak!" he roared.

Kreese ran forward and the next thing the crowd saw was a man over seventy years old fly through a wooden board with a headbutt.

The crowd cheered as loudly as they possibly could and Kreese brushed off the bit of fire on his shoulder as if it was some debris.

All sixteen Cobras stood shoulder to shoulder on either side of him.

"Oss!" every Cobra roared in unison to bow to the cheering crowd.

When they stood back up, Lucas muttered to Kreese. "Think we're legends now Sensei."

"No." Kreese smiled. "We already were," he said, enjoying the cheers of Valley Fest's crowd.

Miguel elbowed one of the ice slabs next to him out of frustration as he left.

…

"Well that sucked," Robby muttered, sitting next to his father in the drive home in his Challenger.

"You still got what it takes to beat Cobra Kai."

"Really?"

"Heard you won a bike race over on Beecher's Pass."

Robby looked pale.

Johnny chuckled. "Don't worry. I used to do shit that dumb back in high school too."

"Except you weren't racing against your best friends to settle a dojo feud huh?"

Johnny opened his mouth but stopped. "Did you see them up there today? These people. Are not you friends."

"Well, they were." Robby looked out the window. "And the alternatives aren't much better."

"Steel Eagle still has a chance to-"

"To do what dad?" asked Robby. "Every single fighter worth a damn. Has signed up with Kreese. He made sure of that. And Miyagi-Do."

"Miyagi-Do what?"

"I don't like them. I don't know them. And for the simple fact that we would be forced to do it. It would never work."

Johnny frowned.

"What?"

Johnny explained. "Bobby wants to retire."

"No way. But he's. But he's great. He's the reason why I fight like I do."

Johnny smiled. "Yup. You fight just like him," he said. "But he needs to go back to being a priest. You and I gotta man up and take down Kreese on our own. But. Bobby."

Johnny sighed.

"He thinks it's time for LaRusso and I to team up."

"Why?"

"So far only Miyagi-Dos have gotten hurt from the Cobra Kais. But it's inevitable we'll be next. We can hold them. But it's not sustainable. I don't see myself forgiving LaRusso any time soon. But more importantly, I don't want." Johnny frowned as he kept driving. "I don't want you becoming a Miyagi-Do. I don't want to lose you son, least of all to LaRusso."

Robby smiled. "You don't have to worry about that dad. I'm with you. Always."

Johnny smiled too, and patted Robby's shoulder.

"Bobby told me something else too. Tommy. Good friend of mine, part of the class I was in back in the day. He died."

Robby listened.

"I wasn't there. He was part of my old family. You're my actual family kid. You'll always be. I'm just scared that I'll mess up again. And you won't be."

"Like you said dad," said Robby. "I don't want to lose you either."

Johnny smiled again.

…

Daniel was inside Mr. Miyagi's home, looking at old pictures of them together.

Sam entered the home soon after and spoke. "You alright?"

"No."

"Cobra Kai shouldn't get you down dad. That's what they want."

"You know the worst part of all of this is that I know he's right."

Sam was curious. "Who?"

"Lucas."

Sam listened.

"You were right that he was right. And I talked to him and he was. I can't face the facts. I will never be Mr. Miyagi. Not for lack of trying. Not because I shouldn't. But because I don't have the humility to move on from when I was your age."

Daniel turned around and walked outside to the back garden of Miyagi-Do. "I've always wanted to show you and your brother the right way of doing things. And when I met someone in my life, a kid no less. Who genuinely had no interest in that. It shocked me."

Sam continued to listen.

"I'm not going to lie. It frightened me. You remember me at the tournament last year. How upset I was. But a huge part of Miyagi-Do. Is letting things go."

"It sounds like you're giving up."

Daniel shook his head. "Never. Because I'll never give up on you."

Sam smiled for a moment when Daniel turned around and put a hand on her shoulder. "You might feel like Cobra Kai might've won. They won both the boy's and girl's divisions in the last tournament. Now. They basically took over karate in the entire Valley."

"But the truth is, not to never give up. But to let things go. To move on. You can't let your anger against what we saw them do today at Valley Fest eat you up."

"What do you want to let go?"

Daniel sighed. "In a way. Mr. Miyagi."

Sam looked at her father frown.

"I tried so hard to do right by his memory. To teach the right person the right way. But he never was. Mr. Miyagi had a certain. Outlook and awareness. So special, that he could probably tell if someone was sincere just by talking to them. He never would've let this happen."

Sam nodded and Daniel continued. "He never would've let things spiral this out of control. Where a man like John Kreese rules the Valley again. But I learned something else too. Fighting Cobra Kai's fight, means we lose. Again, even if we win, if there's violence. We lost already."

"There's going to be a day when you're the one to pass on Miyagi-Do to your kids and to the next generation. When that happens. You need to stop seeking rivalries. This Tory girl. Who. Probably vandalized your car. You go after her, and you give her what she wants. I'm letting that hatred in me go. That self hatred, that frustration with myself. And you should too."

"Okay dad. I will."

…

Sam sighed, sitting in the backyard of Mr. Miyagi's home by herself.

"Thanks for coming."

Miguel smiled. "It's no problem. What's up?"

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I doubted your decision to stay true to Miyagi-Do. That you wanted to go your own path and ask Bobby Brown and Johnny Lawrence for help."

Miguel nodded. "Yeah well. I changed my mind."

"What?"

"I've grown from not knowing what to think of Cobra Kai. To straight up wanting to see them go down. And it all has to do with this."

Miguel showed the mostly viral video of Cobra Kai showing off their two trophies at Valley Fest.

"Cobra Kai wasn't even open when they got their first one. They're bullies Sam. They attack people for basically no reason. And then call us whiners when we rightfully tell them to stop. A bully isn't expecting you to fight them." said Miguel. "I had all of Cobra Kai beaten, they lost. I was one Cobra away from never letting them bother me again. And now look."

Miguel smiled. "Your dad might've given me his headband. But whatever happens. I need to be true to myself. I think even Mr. Miyagi would understand. We can go on offense against them. Without necessarily needing to incite violence."

"What do you mean?"

"We can be ready for a fight when it comes. But that doesn't mean we need to only know Miyagi-Do."

Sam scoffed. "You want to go behind my dad's back? After he told us not to go anywhere near Steel Eagle?"

"He'll understand. When he sees us win our first fight."

Sam smiled. "That sounds like an incredible idea."

"I'm glad you think so. I'll see you in class tomorrow."

Miguel smiled and waved but Sam looked like she wanted Miguel to stay and talk to her more as he left Miyagi-Do's back garden.

Instead, Sam waved and smiled and Miguel left.

…

Miguel stood up from the chair in the small table between his apartment and Johnny's.

"Where's Robby?" asked Miguel.

"He's with his mom right now. Can I help you?"

"I think you can," Miguel said. "You were at Valley fest right?"

"Of course."

"You know Cobra Kai needs to seriously be knocked down a peg."

Johnny frowned. "Maybe. Why do you ask?"

"I need Bobby's training. Again."

"That didn't work out so well kid."

"Look I don't mind becoming an Eagle in secret. If it means when Cobra Kai inevitably attacks. I'm fully ready."

Johnny sighed. "You don't need me."

"I mean-"

"You don't," Johnny said firmly. "You kicked some serious ass at this last tournament. Almost won against someone with twice your experience and skill. You already trained with Bobby. You more than know our style."

"But I don't know enough to help my friends. You have to teach me."

"I don't have to do anything. LaRusso will hang me by my nads if he catches me training his top student. I wouldn't like it if uh. Robby went over to LaRusso's house and asked to train in Miyagi-Do secretly."

Miguel nodded. "That's fair."

"Besides. You got a good thing going at Miyagi-Do. LaRusso lets you wear his old headband. Sure as hell made a better decision than I did on that account." Johnny added bitterly with a quick raising of his eyebrow. "Not to mention he'll definitely let you go out with his daughter."

"You know about that?" Miguel smiled in embarrassment.

"There's one girl in your whole dojo. Having trained guys and girls for over a year by this point. Yeah. I know what it's like. You're basically LaRusso as a kid, kid. You're from the shitty part of town, damn near took down the town champs from Lankershim's dojo. There's no way LaRusso wouldn't approve."

"You sound tough but. Reasonable. You sure you can't be my Sensei?"

"I'm sure I can't."

"What if I paid you? Sam's loaded by the way, she'd pay as well."

"Like I said. Not happening."

Miguel sighed. "I forgave you for everything that happened last year I-"

"Forgave me?" Johnny's tone changed. "You went barking up the wrong tree. You got my son hurt."

"You know Mr. LaRusso would never hurt Robby on purpose."

"I don't care if Kreese is the biggest threat now. You really are LaRusso but Latino instead. You think you did nothing wrong. I might've messed up too. But you had your place in all of that."

"All I did was defend myself from bullies. Hawk, that big black guy, and um. Rickenberger and Mikey Miller. They made school hell for me for almost a year. You knew that was happening and did nothing, or worse, never knew."

Johnny sighed. "All I know is Hawk went down to that beach to get his girl back. He got sucker punched and stood his ground. Suddenly he's the bad guy."

"So that's what this is about." Miguel scoffed. "You never letting the past go. Because Mr. LaRusso told me about all that."

"Yeah I bet he did." Johnny nodded.

Miguel nodded and turned around to go back into his house.

"I didn't mean it like that. Wait. Diaz-. Miguel!"

Miguel had already entered his house.

Johnny sighed. "Shit."

…

The next morning, Sam flopped on Moon's desk chair in her bedroom wearing shorts and a jacket. "Craaaaaaaap."

Moon smiled, folding clothes on top of her bed nearby. "What's the matter?"

"Guys. And this karate nonsense. Starting to seriously ruin this summer."

"Guys? You mean Miguel?"

"Sort of," Sam said. "Cobra Kai. Is basically pure evil." Sam said pulling her legs up and spinning in Moon's chair as she checked her phone.

Moon frowned, standing up straight for a minute and folding a shirt. She looked like she wanted to disagree with Sam but decided not to say anything.

"That stunt at Valley Fest yesterday. Beating up Demetri, me, Nate. Breaking Nate's bike, spray painting my car. Absolute monsters."

"They're our classmates at school. They just happen to be in a different karate dojo."

"This is not a normal karate dojo Moon. They're cruel. Like it's one thing to be a bully. Committing crimes over a dojo rivalry. Is another thing."

"Moving on," Moon said casually. "What does sort of mean?"

"I like Miguel. I think."

"You think? Is he cute?"

"Yeah."

"Is he reasonably in shape?"

"Don't know why that matters. But yes. Actually." Sam looked up from her phone in thought. "Yeah. Yeah he really is."

"Is he fun to be around. Is he nice?"

"He's great."

Moon shrugged, folding up the last of her clothes and putting them into stacks on her bed. "Then. What's the issue?"

"The issue is that it'll be really awkward with my dad trying to mentor him and be a father to him almost. Sort of like Mr. Miyagi was to my dad. Almost like. Going out with your sibling in a way? Karate has only just made my life more complicated the more I've done it."

Moon laughed. "Yeah. That does sound a bit weird. But Miguel's a great person it sounds. I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"Can you give any other advice?"

"I don't know much about guys."

"Moon. Please."

Moon sighed, glancing at Sam. "I told you. I never had a boyfriend. And I still don't."

"But guys don't like you? And you don't spend time with them."

"Sure but. Why don't you talk to Aisha about this?"

"I love spending time with Aisha. But for this sort of thing. I do need to talk to you."

Moon nodded slowly. "Alright."

Moon quickly finished stacking her clothes together and putting them into her drawer.

"I could tell you all guys are the same and like the same thing." Moon sat down on her bed facing Sam. "But the truth is. Everyone is different. Like I said before. You need to be honest with yourself. If you do truly like Miguel. Set something up."

"I did. We went out to a cafe, and then we had a sort of date at Valley Fest last night." Sam sighed. "And Cobra Kai ruined both."

"Was Miguel disappointed?"

"I guess so."

"Was he?"

Sam looked away to the corner of Moon's bedroom. "Yes."

"Well there you go, he likes you back. It had a rocky start. I'm sure the awkwardness will never just. Disappear. But just go for it Sam. I'll be honest. Miguel has no reason to say no to a third date."

"He has plenty actually, they've gone quite poorly and my own dad is still trying to be his Miyagi mentor. Do you think Miguel feels the same way about this whole thing as much as I do?"

"You mean about the awkwardness and complete failure to let things go smoothly?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah."

"Definitely," said Moon. "Guys like it when you're honest with them. Scratch that. People. People in general really like honesty, especially guys. Just tell him everything that's going on."

"I don't know how. Or when?"

"Follow your heart Sam. Whatever you feel, when you feel it needs to be said. Tell him. And it'll stick."

"Thank you."

Moon nodded.

…

I locked up the two trophies I had framed in the Cobra Kai dojo on the corner of Lankershim and Magnolia.

I looked around the mat. I was by myself, Sensei Kreese was going to return from the VA's office at 10 PM in a few hours.

It was night out, I was by myself, might as well practice.

I bowed onto the mat, got in uniform, and began to practice.

I threw sidekicks, high blocks, round kicks, hook kicks, high punches, and then turned around, sweaty when I saw someone walk in.

"Diaz." I said.

Miguel looked around the interior of the dojo as he walked in.

"How can I help you?" I asked, bowing off the mat to put a pair of flip flops on and walk over to him.

Miguel frowned. "You feel proud. After Valley Fest yesterday?"

"Pride for being a Cobra Kai is what Valley Fest was all about."

"That was supposed to be Miyagi-Do's moment."

"As well as Steel Eagle's. Why let the crowd try to choose between two dojos to watch that night? When we could just give them another one?"

"I'm here to make peace. Before things escalate further."

I was currently wearing the headband Miguel's somewhat alcoholic blonde neighbor gave me, and he was wearing Daniel's right now.

I nodded. "It's a little late for that honestly."

"It's not. Only three people have gotten hurt. Other than Nate's nose being slightly broken. And his bike being broken too, and Sam's car door being spray painted. This hasn't gone that far."

I wanted to say I agreed. But that ship sailed when I had been accused one time too many of being evil.

Especially right after Tommy had engraved the necklace I always let rest on my nightstand.

"Are you aware that Sensei Kreese wants you to help me run the dojo with him?"

Miguel nodded.

"I'm equally as aware that deep down Daniel LaRusso wants me to come back to Miyagi-Do."

"No, he doesn't."

"Afraid he does. I consider Cobra Kai much stronger by default in all aspects. In top tier, middle tier, and bottom tier fighters both male and female. Cobra Kai outclasses both your dojo and Johnny Lawrence's. We all know that. In a real fight, if and when it happens, someone's gonna get really hurt. And it probably won't be us."

Miguel sighed. "You are. The most sought after guy in the whole Valley. You have. Cute chicks everywhere just, throwing themselves at you from what I saw at Valley Fest yesterday. You have two All Valley titles. You're the most popular guy in our school, famous everywhere. All of it. What more do you want?"

"I want three championships not just two. I want three All Valley titles. After that happens. No one, in the next. Century or two probably, will be able to accomplish what I have. I have a commitment beyond just the trophies. I have more than friends here at Cobra Kai. I have a family."

"I'll never do it and you know that. And you want me to join this family?"

"No. Because after all I've done you're still questioning what I'm doing. You know I want a third title. And you're just wondering. Why? Aren't you. The truth is at this point I don't have to tell you."

"You're in for a rude awakening. You and Kreese."

"I actually respected you. You fought for what was yours up on the mat last May. You did well. We settled up. But then you had to go and. Ruin everything, by buying into this all Cobra Kai is the source of all evil in the world and I'm the spawn of Satan. Just, Cobra Kai and everyone in it is pure unimaginable evil. Life's a little more complicated that that, and more complicated than the bonsai and kata LaRusso can give you."

Miguel nodded. "Well it's plenty simpler than yours."

What a weird insult. If that was an insult.

"I'll see you around Diaz."

Miguel didn't respond as he left the dojo.

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