Lee was setting up a balloon arch in the LaRusso's living room for the baby shower. Chozen came in carrying drinks that said Girl?Boy on them. Johnny took one. "Hey, Hey, those are for the party." Daniel scolds him.
"It's just one." He sips the beer.
"Since when do you drink just one?" He didn't know who Johnny was trying to fool.
"Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?" Chozen asked.
"Either way, I'm good. Took me a bit, but I'm a bro with boys and girls are easy." He nods to Lee.
"Yeah, Sensei is going to be a great dad no matter what." Her voice was high-pitched and squeaky.
"Lee, stop breathing in the helium." He stops her from taking another hit. "Johnny, I wouldn't be so sure that girls are easy." Daniel knew firsthand that dealing with a daughter could be complicated.
"Whatever, chicks dig me." He shrugs.
Chozen laughs. "Good luck." He leaves the room.
A knock at the door came. "Who's 30 minutes early?" Daniel asks.
"Oh, maybe it's the face painter I got." Lee ran to the door. "It's just a box." She carried it into the living room.
"Wait… listen." Johnny leans in, putting his ear up to the box.
"Is it ticking?" Daniel stares at it. The ticking seems loud in the silence.
"Kreese." He glares down at the box.
"Come on. You think Kreese would walk into a FedEx Kinko's with a bomb?" Daniel didn't think anyone could be that crazy.
"He has faked his death." Lee points out.
"What about Silver?" Johnny adds when Daniel isn't convinced. "I can see him pull a Unabomber move like this." Daniel went to grab it. "Don't move it. It could have a dead man's switch. Remember Murtaugh on the crapper in Lethal Weapon 2? The key is staying completely still."
"What do we do?" Lee was freaking out at holding a bomb.
"I'll open it. We got to open it to take a look at the thing." Daniel grabs a box cutter to open it slowly.
"Careful, careful." Johnny was instructing.
As soon as it opened a loud pop went off and liquid covered them. Lee let out a blood-curdling scream while shutting her eyes. When she felt no pain, she opened them to realize what it was. "It's the gender reveal." She was relieved.
"I can't believe it." Daniel laughed.
"Congrats, Johnny." Lee and Daniel smile at him.
"Thanks." He walks into the kitchen.
"The package came early." Carmen was sad they didn't find out together.
"Guess it's a girl." He pointed at his pink shirt.
"I can't wait to meet her." She nods with tears in her eyes. "And for her to meet her dad." She hugs him.
"I'm a girl dad. You're a girl brother." Johnny hugs Robby and Miguel.
"Where's Danny?" Amanda asks.
He and Lee walk drenched in pink dye making everyone laugh. "I told you guys not to move." Johnny laughs.
"I'm too old for this shit." Daniel laughs.
"You're pretty in pink, Lee." Miguel teases.
"I do have a pink-on-pink outfit plan." Lee put the box down to wipe her face.
"At least you know you're right." Amanda grabs a towel to help. "I think a shower will be better."
"She can use mine." Anthony volunteers.
"Anthony, don't be a perv." Sam rolled her eyes.
"I wasn't saying shower together… not that I'm against that." He trailed off as he daydreamed. Daniel grabs his son to pull him into a hug getting pink ink all over him. "Oh come on." He whines.
Lee, Devon, Miguel, and Robby were watching Sam and Tory fail at trying to spar. Johnny made them do reverse punches as punishment. "Your girlfriends are broken." Devon looks at them in accusation. "What the hell did you guys do?"
"We didn't do anything. They're just friends now." Robby shrugged.
"Yeah, they went from war to Cold War to peace." Miguel thought it was an improvement.
"Yeah, piece of crap fighting." Devon scoffs before walking over to Johnny.
"They need to learn that they can fight without taking it personally." Lee put her head on her fist as she thought.
"Lee. Call your dad. Tell him you're having people over tonight." Johnny yelled out to her. She gave him a nod before taking out her phone.
"What's that about?" Eli walks over.
"I don't know. I just do as I'm told." She gave Johnny a thumbs up when she got the okay.
"Shouldn't you get details first? Your place is nice. Sensei might break something expensive." Chris had seen the guy ruin a lot of things.
"He's not a wild animal." She scoffs. The guys looked at her unconvinced. "I'll talk to him."
"Welcome to my home." Lee opens the door to let Sam, Tory, and Devon in. "I believe you've been here before. We are in the basement. It's a bit of a man cave but it works for tonight or at least that's what Johnny said." She led the girls downstairs. There was a projector screen with three rows of leather reclining theater seats on one side. On the other was a pool table, poker table, dart board, and a few arcade games.
"Do the guys' know about this?" Sam wonders why they weren't here all the time.
"Only Demetri, Hawk, and Miguel. It is my dad's paradise." She led them to Johnny standing in the middle of the room.
"Welcome to Miyagi-Do after dark." He opens up his arms.
"I didn't think you should call it that." Sam shook her head.
"Miyagi-Do Nights?" He tried again.
"No." She plays with the strap of her bag.
"Dark nights?" He wanted a cool name.
"Wait, is this a slumber party?" Tory asks.
"I never had one before." Devon bounced on the balls of her feet.
"Since you two are friends, we can have a girls' night." Johnny shrugged.
"With you?" Tory was confused. Why couldn't they have one by themselves?
"Hell yeah. I'm a girl's dad now." He pats his chest. "I brought cookies and tampons and everything. Come on inside. Grab a sleeping bag. The Mr. T one is mine" He points at the corner of the room where they were piled up.
The girls went to put their things down and grab a sleeping bag. "Can you tell me how having a sleepover will give them their edge back?" Lee whispers.
"Their friendship caused them to lose the eye of the tiger. They need conflict. I used to hear about Ali's slumber parties. Nonstop drama. Put a bunch of high school girls in a basement, mix in a little gossip, pretty soon you got something that makes Scarface look like Bambi." Johnny taps her forehead. "You bring the gossip."
The girls did facials while Lee told them juicy gossip she knew about other people. Like Bert's catfish ended up being a guy. Nothing made the girls turn on each other. The pillow fight was giggles and feathers flying everywhere. Johnny brought out an Ouija board. "I don't like this." Lee shook her head.
"What? Are you a scaredy cat?" Johnny narrows his eyes.
"Yes." She shivers.
"Sit down and put your hands on the thing." He kicks out a chair. Lee pouts while doing so. "Someone ask a question."
"Will Mitch ever win the All-Valley?" Devon smiles at coming up with a silly question.
"Who the hell is Mitch?" Johnny never heard that name before.
"Penis Breath," Lee told him.
"Nope." Johnny moved all their hands to it. "Does Tory want Sam to fall down a flight of stairs breaking every bone in her little body?" The girls looked at him horrified. "Well, let's see what it says." He moved it to yes while Tory and Sam lost the fight to No. "There it is, that's ugly."
"If Sam could describe Tory in one word, what would that word be?" Sam and Tory looked at Johnny suspiciously. "B…I… T…" Sam and Tory leave the table. "What it could have said, bitchen." He pretends to be innocent.
"Hey! Get your asses back here. We have to close this right or the spirits will haunt my house." Lee panics.
"I don't think they're coming back." Devon kept her hand on the wood to comfort her.
"Goodbye, spirits. Haunt them, not me." She whispers to the board.
Tory and Sam were sitting on the theater chairs showing each other funny videos. "This took a turn for the worse. No drama." Devon watches them giggle together.
"Have Faith. I know how girls think, it takes one little spark." He pulls out a phone.
"Why is Robby calling you?" Tory asks.
"I don't know?" Sam rejects the call.
"What did you do?" She recognized the phone cases he had in his hands.
"Stole Miguel's and Robby's phones." He shows them the text he sent to Tory. "It's a Nuclear option."
"Hola Mamacita. How about you drop the zero and get with a hero?" Lee reads it. "Miguel doesn't talk like that. They're going to know it's you."
"Yeah, it's not that hard to follow." Devon agrees.
Tory and Sam walk over to him. "Hey, what's going on?" He puts the phones behind his back, not having time to put them in his pockets.
"What's behind your back?" Sam asks.
"Hands. Nothing, just my hands." He shrugged.
Tory dials Robby's number. "Lee, your phone is ringing." Sam dials Miguel's number. "Wow, multiple lines, look at my social butterfly go."
"You're catfishing us." Tory got to the chase.
"I don't know what that is but catfish is gross." He shook his head.
"You've been messing with us all night. Now you're trying to get us to fight." Sam crosses her arms.
"We want to help you get your edge back, so things can go back to the way they used to be." Devon defends him.
"You think it's better when we hate each other's guts." Tory pointed at Sam and then herself.
"No, maybe just South of that like a really strong dislike," Johnny told them what he wanted.
"I thought you were Miyagi-Do now." Sam looks disappointed.
"I am Miyagi-Do. Look, we're inside with pillows, chocolate, and air conditioning. I want you to hate each other but in a friendly way." He held out the two phones.
"I think what he means is that you guys need to learn to take your emotions out of karate. You guys have to admit you've been fighting like ass. Not just against each other but everyone. I got a point on Tory in less than thirty seconds." Lee didn't have to work hard to get it.
"You're not a scrub, Lee." She scoffs.
"The point is that you both are too scared to break the fragile new friendship. I think it's because you guys never talk about the real issues between you two. So, why don't you guys talk it out here? We will go upstairs." She pushed Devon and Sensei to go in that direction. "To help, you can start with Sam stealing Miguel from you."
Tory and Sam were sparing. "Look at them go." Lee, Devon, and Johnny watch on in pride. "I should have known better than to doubt you guys when you're working as a team."
"It's like I said girls are easy." Johnny got a look of confusion from Devon.
"The announcement came in," Eli yelled with the tablet in his hand. The dojo surrounds him.
He pushed play. The video was of Gunther sitting behind a desk. "Congratulations on your admission to the Sekai Taikai. We're excited to finally announce the host city for this year's competition. Martial arts has always had a rich history in the East. The Sekai Taikai has held many tournaments throughout Asia. But, in recent years, European teams have shaken up the competitive landscape, bringing a new style to the event. Within that region, there is one nation that has continued to stand tall amongst the pack for its growth and dominance in both junior and senior competitions. It gives me great pleasure to announce that this year's Sekai Taikai will be held in Barcelona, Spain."
"Sick!" Eli yelled along with the cheering dojo.
"As you prepare for your journey, we'll also present the rules of registration. We intend to test your dojo's quality, not quantity, and each dojo must select six fighters to compete." Gunther gave out new information.
"Wait, Six?" Lee tilts her head.
"These six fighters will participate in team events, with one boy and one girl serving as captains to enter into individual competitions, which will be televised around the world. We wish a hearty bona sort to all competitors, and we look forward to seeing you in Barcelona." The video ends.
"What exactly does that mean?" Robby asks.
"It means we don't all get to go," Miguel states the obvious.
Lee washes out the excess dye from Eli's hair. "I knew I would hate it." She looks at the flag coming out of her boyfriend's head.
"It's not bad. It'll look better when styled." He grabbed the hair dryer to get started. Then he gelled it up high.
She pushed her lips together at the blue bottom half of the mohawk with white stars in it and the top half was red and white stripes. "I um…. Don't hate it." She told her boyfriend who was beaming in the mirror.
"I look so badass." He took his shirt off to flex.
"No one in Barcelona is going to have any doubt which team you're on." She knew that was the point.
"Yeah, we're going to rock that place." He looks back at her.
"I have no doubt you will." She took off the gloves to throw them in the trash.
"You talk like you're not going." He turns to her. Her face told him everything. "You could go. You have as much of a chance as anyone. You kick ass more than Pensi Breath."
"I was fine going as a team but now that I will be taking a spot. It's different. Karate is not a passion for me and tournaments like this are a lot to go through for a hobby." It was her senior year. She didn't want the extra stress.
"Not a passion? I see the way you fight. I have only seen you enjoy yourself that much watching anime and well…." He winks.
"Two more reasons. One, I don't need the opportunities. Miguel, Tory, Robby, they need the money, I don't. I don't want to be in another car commercial. Two, I'm not Miyagi-Do." She put up a second finger.
"You are Miyagi-Do." He points at her.
"No, I'm not. You've seen me fight. I break something every time. I am Eagle Fang. Fuck it, let's say it I'm Cobra Kai. Strike First. Strike Hard. No Mercy." She imitated Johnny.
"That's scary good. I guess you do fight that way. How is that possible? You originally learned from Sensei LaRusso." He realized that she did fight all defense.
"I don't know but every time I fight I turn into a Cobra." She shrugged.
"Okay, so… I'm going to Barcelona by myself." He thought it would be a cool trip before they went to college.
"No, you'll be going with Miyagi-Do. You're friends with everyone." She scoffs at him for being dramatic.
"Yeah but… the last time we were apart wasn't good." He reminds her.
"It'll be a good test for us. If we're acting single when we're apart then maybe…" She couldn't even say it.
"Yeah, a relationship test during my karate test." He huffs.
"It's not like it's a hard thing. Don't dance or should I say, dry hump girls." She got annoyed with his attitude.
"Don't fall in love with another guy." He shot back.
"I'm not in love with Kwon. It was a deep like from a friendship." She corrects.
"Kwon. That guy doesn't have friendship on his mind with you." He laughed at her naivety.
"You get jealous of everyone. You were jealous of Miguel, Robby, and now Kwon when I'm the one with the reason to be jealous. When we broke up you were hooking up with another girl two days after. When I left for Korea the same night you were dancing with another girl." She pointed out he was the one that moved on quickly.
"I was jealous of Miguel because you were ditching Demetri and me to hang out with him. Robby told you to slip in his DMs. Kwon, I've seen the way you smile when he texts. Say what you want about those girls but I don't know their names. You collect emotional bonds and refuse to let them go." He thought what she did was worse.
"Miguel and I invite you guys every day, you never took it. Robby's DM invite was before we went out. Before the mohawk even." She never gave him a reason to be jealous.
"Miguel kissed you." He pointed out.
"That was when we broke up. He was confused and he apologized for it." She cleared that up.
"And Kwon?" He tilts his head.
"What about Kwon?" She squints. "He's a good friend."
He laughed out a bitter laugh. "Sure? Tell me if he was here, would we still be together?"
"I don't know if I wasn't here would you be taking body shots off girls?" She snapped.
"Are we going to make it if we go to different colleges?" Eli asks what was behind their fight.
"I don't know." She felt tears build up as the rage left her.
"I want to." His voice cracks.
"Me too." She took a deep breath and sucked up her tears. "Let's enjoy the present and not think about the future."
"If we're going to end up breaking up then why delay the heartbreak." Eli wouldn't be able to enjoy anything if he knew they were going to break up in the end.
"So you'd rather hook up with other girls than try to make it work with me." She sneers.
"What I'm trying to say is, if we can't make it as a couple when we're apart and we're going to go to different colleges then what are we doing? If we break up now then we can become friends by the time we go to college. I would rather have you as a friend than nothing." He tried to explain his logic. "I don't want either of us to hurt each other. I clearly can't handle it. I've not only been jealous of them. I was also jealous of Moon. I don't like when Bert and Anthony look at you." He was jealous of everyone who showed an interest in her. "At college, I'm going to want to go to a party. I don't want to worry about falling into temptation and hurting you. If you think about it, you're going to want to be free too. When you picture college, do you picture being tied down?"
"I don't have enough trust to do long distance." She could already see him dancing with girls in Spain. "Can I have a hug?" She opened her arms.
"Yeah. Always." They stay in each other's embrace for a while. They felt in their heart that they were doing the right thing. This would be a break that they could recover from. If they did long distance and hurt each other, they would never talk again.