MiyazakiFan18
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Goals and people change as they mature.It feels like Lucas has lost his goal, wasn't it to be 3x All Valley Champion?
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Goals and people change as they mature.It feels like Lucas has lost his goal, wasn't it to be 3x All Valley Champion?
Wait till Robby becomes more important if you think the love triangle is a trainwreck.Miguel Diaz and new Cobra Kai's students take Kresse teaching like fish to water and mutual hatred of their shared enemies at school are enough motivation for theses bullied teenagers, which relationship between Sam Larousso and Lucas remains in an sliding scale awkwardness and a possible relationship with their own personal barriers to get through if they actually want to actually go anywhere. As Sam and Miguel maintain an active platonic friendship online .
As Miguel Diaz and Lucas simmering rivalry continues to boil on the surface in school and regular life at the outset. Along with a potential love triangle trainwreck waiting to happen for Miguel ,Lucas and Sam .
Unfortunately, Cobra Kai dojo by Kresse is suddenly experiencing an unexpected revival that no one sees coming except Lucas, but he can't do nothing except weather the potential storm coming his way with the Larousso family in the valley at the meantime.
Continue on
Cheers!
You'll see later on.The Cobra Kai kids are going to be rudely awakened when they try to mess with Lucas later on. He has more experience with their arts and would know how to counter their moves. Also when would his friend group going to learn how to fight later on?
So dramatic lmaoChapter Seventeen: The Choice Is Made
…
When I woke up, I started getting dressed and ready.
Today was the day.
Today was the day where the entire past year worth of effort paid off or I failed at becoming a legend.
I had spent the last two weeks training with Johnny and Robby lightly just to stay prepared, and now it was the day.
Saturday May 13th, 2017. The 49th All Valley Karate Tournament.
I had bought my uniform online, a simple sleeved white GI, exactly how Robby wore in his first tournament. No logos, nothing like it.
Unlike in Daniel's first tournament, I didn't have to steal a black belt, it actually came with the uniform. Huh. Really made me think.
I smiled nodding to myself.
My grandparents were nowhere to be found. Fine, I didn't need them there when I took my chance at making history.
At trying to become a legend.
…
OST: Photograph - Def Leppard
…
The preparations for the All Valley tournament were a very momentous occasion for the staff.
There had been talk of changing the color of the mats due to dwindling attendance, so it was possibly the last time they'd ever place down the classic red mats with the white fists.
They went to every part of the All Valley Sports Arena's main floor and spread out mats everywhere. They were arranged like puzzle pieces so they fit together perfectly.
There were a dozen in a large square around the main one used for semi finals and final matches.
After they were done putting them down, staff members of the tournament had to brush them down and make sure they were clean.
The large canvas covering the tournament brackets were thrown off revealing the blank boxes that would hold the names of the quarter finalists, semi finalists, and finalists of the tournament.
Snack stations were set up. Churros, hot dogs, nachos, pizza, and all sorts of food were prepared.
Karate merch including hand wraps, punching mitts and dummies were sold at a specially marked area of the arena lobby.
Locker room areas for each dojo were prepared.
White signs holding names for 'Topanga Karate' or 'Krunch Karate' were spread out through each part of the locker rooms.
The smallest area of the entire locker rooms had a sign labeled 'Unaffiliated' outside it.
Tickets and metal boxes to hold cash were placed on plastic white tables.
Black and red shirts commemorating the forty ninth All Valley Under 18 Karate tournament were placed on merchandise tables.
Check in and registration sheets were placed on separate tables. Posters rolled down from the ceiling, one of them including a picture of Daniel in his crane kick stance as Johnny Lawrence was on another during the same tournament.
Each official put on red 'Referee' shirts and wore black karate trousers, competitors tied their black belts on, and the tournament was now ready.
And the doors to the tournament were opened.
The All Valley tournament committee was surprised to see the crowd wasn't tiny this year. With talk of the mats changing and a few new dojos joining, attendance was significantly higher.
Above all, because word had spread that tournament legends Johnny Lawrence was competing and Daniel LaRusso and his family were attending, attendance of the tournament was much higher.
Karatekas various dojos all stretched and warmed up with their Senseis. They stretched on the mats, they hit punching mitts, and they jumped and stretched their legs with high kicks.
They stretched their legs, arms, necks, and shoulders.
Officials cleaned the lines and lines of trophies and made them all look all as shiny as possible, especially the largest All Valley Champion trophy.
A single person stood in front of the entire arena next to the very long lines of people waiting to spectate the tournament.
He wasn't in his simple white uniform yet, he was still wearing regular clothing.
He was holding a sports duffel bag over his shoulder and looking up at the arena.
Lucas Schwarber balled his fists ready to compete on his own.
…
I walked up to the registration table and sighed when I recognized who it was.
It was the same girl from last year who didn't want to let Kreese get a veteran discount. She was wearing a black 'Official' shirt instead of a few of the red referee ones I saw.
"Hi." I said quietly.
"Hi." she appeared to not remember me or was too polite to say anything. "Can I help you?"
"Yeah I'm here to um. Compete?"
"Do you have a signed waiver from your Sensei?"
"I don't have a Sensei this year. I'm competing unaffiliated with any, is that okay?"
She smiled and nodded. "That's fine. We just have to make sure a staff member swings by your locker room and gives you the rules." She then handed me a clipboard with two different pieces of paper attached.
"The first form is a safety form you have to fill out. The second is a rules and regulations form you have to sign too."
I filled out both forms in about five minutes.
When she was finished talking with two other people, another All Valley tournament staff member and a competitor who looked like he had a question, I walked over to her and handed the clipboard with the finished papers.
She quickly stacked them into a box filled with other papers and spoke. "You're free to go get ready in the locker room. All dojos have a designated area so you basically get your own this year. A staff member will go over the tournament rules with you and then you'll be called onto the mat when the tournament's ready to begin."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." she said politely with a slight smile and a nod.
Before I walked towards the locker rooms I saw Aisha, Demetri, and Charlotte talking in the lobby with Aisha's parents nearby.
"Hey guys you came!" I said in surprise.
"Of course, we came. Both you and Robby are competing," said Demetri. "You'd support us too if you were in our shoes."
Aisha sighed. "I was just hoping this tournament would be a great way to get away from all the drama for once."
I watched her look over towards Sam talking to Eli nearby who were clearly thinking Aisha, Demetri, and Charlotte had wronged either them or at least Sam for coming to the tournament for supporting me.
"Did I miss something or are they dating now?" I asked.
Charlotte shrugged. "I think you got more important things to worry about. Like you know. An entire tournament to compete in."
"Right. I gotta get going to the locker rooms. Next time you see me I'll be out on the mats."
"Good luck." Charlotte smiled and said before I left and Aisha and Demetri waved.
…
I got done being dressed as the only person in the unaffiliated area of the locker rooms.
Across the hall, I saw Robby and Johnny both wearing uniforms very similar to the Eagle-Fang GIs I remember from the fourth season of Cobra Kai's tournament. They were a light red with black outlines and the same went for their belts.
On their backs, I saw the same logo Johnny had talked about wanting. A huge steel and shiny eagle had its wings outstretched on an American flag as a field.
Before I could say anything to them a referee with a goatee walked into my part of the locker rooms.
"Lucas Schwarber?"
"Yeah, that's me."
"Okay. First tournament right?"
"Yup."
He cleared his throat. "Rules are pretty simple. No elbow strikes, no knee strikes either. You can't strike your opponents when outside of combat. Any hit that lands clean above the belt to the torso or head area, except to the back of the head and is decisively first and struck properly will be a point. Three points win the match. You may use both hand and foot strikes to score only, and the only punches to the body that are allowed to score are your rear hand only."
I already knew all this but still listened.
"You have to watch the level of contact out there. These are in fact matches but you're all still underage so you're not allowed too much contact and will be warned or possibly disqualified if needed. Any illegal strikes or techniques, such as wrist or arm locks, or any strikes to the groin, knees, or ankles are not permitted at all. Above all, obey any and all instructions from all referees or any officials."
"You are also not allowed to grab your opponent or their uniform for longer than about one to two seconds. And you're certainly not allowed to grab them and pin them down to start hitting them. Basic things I know, but you do have to be careful out there." He nodded. "Alright, are you ready?"
"Yeah."
"Good luck out there son." he offered a hand to shake which I did.
I walked over across the hall of the locker room to Johnny and Robby. "Passing on the torch huh?"
Johnny smiled, nodding to the headband he gave me that I wore around my forehead. "Robby's not the only one getting it passed to."
"Yeah, I know." I looked at Robby. "You feeling okay?"
"Yeah yeah. Um. Apparently, the first few rounds are always the easiest," he said. "So. No worries."
"Easiest. But I didn't say easy," said Johnny.
"Aisha and all the others are in the stands with her parents. Demetri, Charlotte's there too."
Robby cleared his throat. "Is um. Sam there?"
Johnny gave him a quick look after hearing this.
"So's Eli," I said which changed the look on his face the moment he heard it. "With Sam's entire family."
A voice was heard over the intercom. "All dojos report to staging for introduction. All dojos, report to staging for introduction."
I began to feel a little nervous. "Wow already?"
"I know. We're out last cause we're the smallest dojos. Or, in your case. You know what I meant." said Johnny.
…
Daryl walked out onto the red mat. "So folks. It's that time of year once more!"
He smiled and spoke into his mic. "It's the forty ninth All Valley Under 18 Karate Championships!"
The crowd cheered.
"From Granada Hills. The defending champions! All Star Karate!"
He began to introduce the dojos one by one and they began to exit the locker rooms.
Daniel muttered to Amanda as he ignored what Daryl was saying. "Johnny and Kreese returning to official competition. What a joke!" he scoffed.
"Honey you're the reason we're here and it looks like you're hating this already. Is there a problem?" wondered Amanda.
"No. There's not." Daniel said quietly.
Eli looked at Daniel. "Um Mr. LaRusso. I thought Lucas was competing unaffiliated. I really doubt that guy we saw at Golf 'N Stuff is his teacher anymore. They looked pretty mad at each other."
"You don't know Kreese like I do. He'll be in his corner whether he wants him there or not."
"And! Every year like always, new dojos appear to try to make their mark on this momentous yearly competition! Fighting out of Reseda. Steel Eagle Karate! Led by two time All Valley Champion, Sensei Johnny Lawrence, coaching his son Robby Keene!"
Sam and Eli applauded for him as they walked out but Daniel was still upset.
"A bully pretending to be a champion. Wow." Daniel scowled.
"And lastly. Competing unaffiliated this year out of Encino Hills. Mister Lucas Schwarber!"
Jogging lightly out of the locker rooms, the crowd cheered slightly for him as he joined his spot next to Robby and Johnny right in front of the tournament brackets. Demetri, Aisha, and Charlotte were the only people really cheering for him at all besides a few other polite and kind spectators.
"Wait a minute what's he wearing?" Daniel asked quietly. "That thing on his head."
"Looks like it's just a headband dad," said Sam.
Daniel quickly noticed how Johnny wasn't wearing one. "No. It's not. Noo. Iiit's not."
"And those are all our competitors fighting this year! And now! It's karate tiiime! Let's gooo!"
The crowd cheered again and the tournament's first matches began.
…
Lucas was bouncing in place as Robby and Johnny and a few other Xtreme Martial Artists stood nearby on his side of the mat.
"You got this." said Johnny as Robby nodded.
Lucas was staring down his opponent from the Locust Valley Karate club.
"Okay gentlemen. Three points win, listen to my instructions at all times." the referee walked out and spoke.
They both bowed onto the mat walking towards their lines.
"Face me. Bow. Face off. Bow. En garde!"
Lucas got into a very stable but relaxed fighting stance. He wasn't stiff, but he wasn't loose enough to be knocked over in an instant.
"Ready?"
Lucas didn't so much as twitch as his opponent bounced.
"Fight!"
The moment they began to circle each other, Lucas stayed perfectly calm, not moving at all.
Johnny was confused, until the second the Locust Valley fighter began to attack he got countered instantly.
It had happened so fast Johnny was surprised.
His opponent had thrown two straight punches to the jaw and before he could throw a round kick he had been sent reeling back slightly with a perfectly controlled reverse punch directly to the face.
"Aiya!" roared Lucas.
After his kiai, the crowd cheered.
"Did you see how fast he did that?" chuckled Robby in surprise.
Johnny muttered. "Guess Miyagi-Do still knows its counters."
White flags had already risen from each of the corner judges as Lucas walked back to his line.
"One point Schwarber! Ready!"
Lucas stayed calm.
"Ait!"
Lucas countered his opponent's next attack so fast Johnny was still rather surprised. He moved forward just slightly without attacking to invite the Locust Valley fighter's attack when in range, moved just out of range to make it miss, and the second before his opponent could reset his guard after overextending Lucas had hit him squarely in the chest with a front kick.
"Wow." Johnny muttered silently as the crowd in the stands nearby cheered.
The speed and decisiveness Lucas possessed was seriously impressing him. He could measure distance and take advantage of it very quickly, it was an adaptation of Miyagi-Do Daniel couldn't believe he could see.
He wasn't even using any Cobra Kai at all, he was just being very creative with how he applied Miyagi-Do.
"He's fighting aggressively. This is Kreese messing with his head and bastardizing Mr. Miyagi's teachings." growled Daniel.
Amanda again gave him a look. "Would you mind how you use your language around our children?"
"I'm sorry honey I just can't stand to-"
Lucas had sprung off the ground into a front snap kick directly to the head. It barely missed, and as his opponent tried to counter Lucas had already round kicked him in the head.
…
OST: Thunder in Your Heart - John Farnham
…
"Point three! Schwarber! Winner!"
"That's what I'm talking about! Yeah!" cheered Robby as Lucas had his hand raised by the ref and he bowed to his opponent and stepped off the mat.
Both Robby and Johnny patted Lucas on the shoulder and congratulated him.
In the proceeding rounds, it became increasingly clear to Lucas which fighters would likely be the semi finalists and which wouldn't.
Phineas Morrison from All Star Karate was making his best attempt to reach the quarters as quickly as he could and retain his title. Xander Stone had improved so much he was a completely different fighter, and Robby too was breaking ground in his first tournament.
As Morrison made easy work of Cutting Edge Karate fighters and Xtreme Martial Artists three to nothing each time, Lucas, Robby, and Johnny watched.
Against an Xtreme Martial Arts student Morrison blocked a round kick and a punch to the body, moving around the ring.
As he dodged a punch to the head Morrison tripped his opponent and sent a controlled kick to his temple.
Red flags rose, unimpressed, Lucas shook his head and muttered to Johnny as Robby nodded in agreement that he could be trouble but not impossible to deal with.
Daniel watched as Robby was fighting so similar to Bobby Brown it was eerie.
The style and finesse he used moving around the ring was just like him. The way he bounced and moved around the ring, his spinning back kicks, the crab scissor throw onto the mat followed by a chop.
Scowling and shaking his head, Daniel watched as his old highschool bully was helping his son win another easy match.
Facing a Yoshukai Karate student Robby jabbed, blocked and dodged two counters and landed a round kick to the body as his opponent started to attack again.
"That's the third point! Winner Keene!" the ref said raising a hand towards Robby.
The crowd cheered and Lucas and Robby hit their forearms together holding tight fists and laughed.
Topanga Karate's new top fighter was using very flashy but still very effective kicks against opponents from nearly every dojo.
Xander Stone continued to wow the crowd. He had completely evolved from the prior year and Lucas paid very close attention to every match he had, studying his technique and fighting style carefully.
As Lucas walked onto the mat to face his next opponent, he saw Xander doing a stack fist bump with one of his Topanga Karate friends before he got onto the mat.
The Topanga fighter smiled at Lucas, and the fellow teen did not appreciate this but didn't show it.
"Bow to me. Bow to each other. Readyyy! Fight!"
Lucas still refused to use any Cobra Kai karate, he still merely used very peculiar applications of Miyagi-Do, and he picked apart his Topanga opponent in seconds.
His speed and precision with his strikes was on a completely different level than what anyone watching would've expected from a fourteen year old during his very first tournament.
Each of his counters were perfectly timed and scored. A chop to the shoulder, a round kick to the head while changing angles, and a punch to the chest.
There was no aggression to his technique, he was just being very unique in how he fought.
"Stop! Point!" Lucas' hand was raised by the referee. "Winner!"
Nearby officials were counting on the stopwatches just how fast Lucas was beating his opponents. He got the strange feeling he was setting some sort of record for how many three to nothing matches he was having from how quickly he could defeat his opponents in the first few rounds of the tournament.
Lucas smiled, smirking Daniel and Sam's way before Johnny and Robby again patted his shoulder walking off the mat.
Robby was driving his Krunch Karate opponent around the ring easily. When he was cornered, he threw a wild jab and a hook kick as Robby dodged both and then back kicked him so hard he went out of the ring.
"Alriiiight!" proudly roared Lucas. "Let's goooo!"
Xander was blocking kicks from one of Locust Valley Karate's top fighters. Moving around the ring, Xander quickly stopped moving the moment he expected to invited a jab, which he dodged and countered simultaneously by spinning into a back kick.
Red flags rose for him, and he bowed as the bald referee waved a hand in his direction. "Winner, Stone!"
Now entering the quarter finals, Lucas had his next match against Reid, a Yoshukai student familiar to him.
Flipping around the mat with very random and erratic acrobatic kicks, Lucas had a bit of trouble landing on Reid.
However, the moment Lucas found his rhythm and read his opponent's attacks it was over.
Lucas timed a leg sweep as his opponent landed and started to throw a front kick. As Reid landed almost face first on the mat, Lucas scored a chop. A knife hand quickly hit Reid in his now exposed ribs and red flags rose up.
As Lucas looked around the crowd that seemed to grow larger and larger by the hour and cheer more and more for him the more he won completely, he could've sworn he saw Kreese in the stands for a moment.
However, when he looked again, he wasn't there.
The referee had to remind Lucas to step off the mat as his match was over and he had won.
Lucas' name was the first to be put on the brackets for the semi finals as SCHWARBER was placed on the board with an empty logo next to his name as he was fighting unaffiliated.
Robby now had to face Garcia from Locust Valley Karate, the prior year's runner up champion. Despite almost getting scored on a few times, Robby found his footing and scored a round kick to the jaw while stepping back and expecting his opponent to throw a reverse punch over the top towards his head.
Garcia stumbled for a second, was checked on and cleared by a ref and Robby was awarded a point. "Winner!"
Lucas applauded quickly and cheered. "That's just another one Keene!"
KEENE was placed in the adjacent empty bracket above SCHWARBER and the two would not face each other in the semi final round.
Morrison was throwing fast round kicks and leg trips towards his opponent from Yoshukai Karate, nothing landed.
Lucas watched quietly as Morrison countered a punch to the face with a back kick that landed on his opponent's elbow and staggered him back.
Morrison then caught his opponent as he jabbed with a front kick and quickly made it to the semi finals.
…
"Alriiiight!" said Daryl. "We've seen some great matches today. But there are still three left."
Daryl, two corner judges, the main referee standing behind him, and Johnny, the Senseis of All Star and Topanga Karate, Robby, Xander, Lucas, and Morrison were all standing on the main mat.
"Who. Will be, our forty ninth Under 18 All Valley Karate champion!? Will it be, Robby Keene fighting for Steel Eagle Karate? Hoping to recapture his father's title from over thirty years prior?"
"Will it be, Topanga Karate's PC Patriot!? The one, the only, Xander Stone!? Making his third attempt at the All Valley golden trophy?"
"Or will it be Lucas Schwarber? The invisible and invincible fighter!?"
More people than Lucas ever expected to were cheering for him. The crowd had swelled greatly in number, he strongly suspected that had heard of his record pace and skill in the tournament so far.
"Or Phineas Morrison, looking to reclaim his title as last year's winner?"
The crowd cheered and Daryl chuckled.
"Good matches right?' the crowd roared louder before Daryl went on. "So first up! Morrison versus Schwarber! Let's go!"
Lucas was facing someone with several times more tournament experience with him, an All Valley Championship title, and a two year age advantage and significantly more reach. Even still, he wasn't worried at all when he bumped fists with both Robby and Johnny and walked over to his line.
To him, fear did not exist.
…
Cobra Kai OST: Stone vs. Diaz
…
Lucas and Morrison were trading very fast and powerful kicks.
"Ais! Ais, aiiis!" kiai'd Lucas as he struck.
Morrison dodged, Lucas switched angles, starting to jab.
Lucas missed his shots and barely dodged two spinning kicks to the head and body.
Lucas dodged another pair of round kicks but managed to counter in time. Using Miyagi-Do, Lucas used the spinning hands kata and froze Morrison in place to grapple him at close range.
Lucas quickly pinned Morrison to the mat and chopped him on the chest.
"Yeah!" roared Johnny and Robby cheered and applauded in approval.
"That is. So amazing." sighed out Charlotte from the stands.
"How. Does this work?" Demetri muttered.
Lucas got back on his line. "Score's one to nothing! Ready! Aits!"
Morrison went on offense and Lucas slipped away quickly.
Lucas closed the distance between him and Morrison with a back kick that missed, at close range, Lucas threw a back fist and a pair of punches. Morrison blocked all, and on the last strike he managed to block Lucas' punch with a crescent kick, and almost connected on Lucas' chin with a hook kick.
Lucas dodged just in time and started to circle Morrison, again preparing to use Miyagi-Do.
He invited an attack by feinting a jab and moving into range of Morrison's strikes.
His own counter meant to counter Morrison's missing counters missed, and they traded punches and kicks at close range and nothing landed from either of them.
Still in a stable yet relaxed stance, Lucas' Miyagi-Do was stopping everything Morrison threw at him.
On the last exchange, before they moved away and started to circle each other again, Lucas scored decisively with very unique application of Miyagi-Do karate.
He dodged before catching his opponent's fist and slipped Morrison's leg out from under him.
As Morrison fell, Lucas did not give him the chance to slip away in time as he struck. Lucas scored directly on the chest with a quick punch.
"Aiii!" Lucas roared as he scored.
The crowd was off their feet.
Morrison and Lucas moved back onto their lines.
"Score's two nothing, Schwarber! Ready!"
Lucas took a deep breath, tightened Johnny's headband around his forehead, and his hands balled into fists.
"And fight!"
Lucas and Morrison started circling each other right off the line. Having been trained in Miyagi-Do for over a year, Lucas was best at circling and countering from long range he could do it all match.
But instead, he just went for the point in a blitz attack.
He threw a jab to raise Morrison's guard, threw a round kick that missed as Morrison countered and missed his own shot too.
Then Lucas spun around and landed a back fist that scored as Morrison's punch was too late.
White flags rose and the crowd cheered.
"Three points Schwarber! Winner!"
Lucas bowed to Morrison as he rubbed his nose and he bowed back.
"Lucas Schwarber just earned his spot in the finals! Now, it's Keene! Versus Stone!"
…
Robby and Xander were tied up one to one in a very tight match.
"Come on Robby get 'im!" said Johnny.
"Get him dude so we can face off in the finals! Just you and me, let's go!"
Robby landed a leg sweep on Xander, and he had the reflexes to dodge the follow up attack and start to strike back against Robby.
Xander used multiple crescent kicks and more acrobatics to push Robby back and then Johnny spoke. "You don't have anything to worry about just go for it!"
Robby threw a reverse punch to the body leading into a round kick that split Xander's guard and still scored on his head despite him blocking.
"That's it!" said Johnny. "You gotta stay on offense!"
"Two one! Keene! Ready! Fight!"
Xander got the better footing right off the line and started trading shots with Robby.
As Robby missed two snap front kicks and threw a jab punch they grappled at close range.
Xander managed to successfully use a hip throw on Robby and he was spun onto the mat.
As Robby caught Xander's foot on the ground he pushed him away, bouncing where he stood after he got up quickly.
Xander circled Robby for a bit and they started to trade kicks again.
Robby threw a round kick, Xander blocked it and returned his own right to the body, Robby blocked and threw one back and Xander did the same.
Now Xander stayed as far from Robby as he could. With a spinning leg sweep, Robby missed as Xander timed a back kick spinning into a head kick to stagger Robby first and then score before he had the chance to recover.
Lucas groaned and punched his palm as Johnny winced.
"That's two to two, the next point wins! Readyyy! And fight!"
Johnny watched as his son gave a top class fighter a real run for his money. They went back and forth, both of them taking their time before fighting very aggressively.
And then Xander scored a round kick to the body as Robby missed a reverse punch to the body and then head.
"Point!"
"Ach." growled Johnny quietly as Lucas shook his head.
"Point! Winner!" the referee said raising Xander's hand.
"Good fight." Xander said respectfully.
Robby nodded, shaking Xander's hand and bowing to each other.
"We have our finalists! We'll be right back, after this quick break," said Daryl.
…
In the locker rooms, Johnny knelt in front of Robby as he sat on a bench. "Hey. You did good kid. You made it to the semis and nearly won. In your first tournament. He's been on that mat competing for way longer than you."
"I know." Robby said. "Thank you."
"I agree. He did do well."
Johnny turned around, seeing John Kreese.
They were both silent.
"Give us a second Robby."
"But dad who's that-"
"Please."
Robby left them alone.
Johnny cleared his throat. "I have to coach Schwarber on his final match I-"
"This'll only take a second. I know we have a lot to talk about." Kreese said.
"I don't want to talk to you." Johnny said.
Kreese sighed. "I know. And I know why. I understand what defeat means now. And what you meant to me."
"Bullshit. If I meant so much to you, you never would've tried to kill me."
"I realize now what that cost me with you. But Cobra Kai was the only family I had-"
"Then why weren't you coaching Schwarber today? He's a good kid.-"
"Who's wearing your headband." Daniel said, entering the locker room. "I remember that thing. You wore it almost every day of senior year."
Kreese and Johnny turned to look at Daniel.
Daniel sighed. "Hey Johnny."
He nodded slightly. "LaRusso. Been a while."
"Yup." Daniel shifted where he stood. "This has all gotten a little out of hand don't you think? These kids getting mixed up in nonsense we all failed to settle thirty years ago?"
"No," Kreese said. "They're making a legacy for themselves. We're just there to guide them."
"Is that why both of you turned your backs on Luke huh?" asked Johnny spitefully. "Now that he's on the verge of breaking almost every All Valley record in the book. You both show up for him? You should be disgusted with yourselves."
"No. This is about him. Not us." Kreese muttered. "Which is why I stepped away when LaRusso got involved. No need to needlessly toss his head around before this tournament."
"Is that why you tried to choke me out and kill me? Huh?" asked Johnny. "Real compassionate and necessary."
Kreese's lips tightened. "That's ancient history, Johnny. Not who I am anymore."
"Maybe. But it's not my problem."
Johnny quickly left the locker room before Daniel did so as well.
Leaving Kreese to his own thoughts.
Kreese looked over at a familiar duffel bag that he knew was Lucas' as it contained sparring gear they trained with.
Kreese walked to the open side pocket of the duffel bag and saw a familiar picture. Lucas had taken a picture of Kim Sun-Yung from his bedroom at the homeless shelter and printed it out into a polaroid.
For the first time in months, Kreese smiled widely and happily as he picked up the picture.
Then he frowned when the woman on the intercom spoke. "Both competitors have five more minutes before the final match. Five minutes until the finals."
Kreese put the picture back in Lucas' duffel bag.
…
Johnny was speaking to Lucas. "Hey kid. Um. I wanted to wish you good luck out there."
"Thanks."
"After all the final matches Ali was cheering on during. I never would've imagined her son would one day be getting ready for his own."
"I could imagine." Lucas said.
"Look uh. This match is probably yours. But you need to know that there's more to life than winning and trophies."
Lucas was very surprised. "Really?"
"These dumb rivalries started over trophies and sometimes girls. They don't end well. For anyone. I figured that out the hard way, so I didn't want to pass that on to Robby. So whatever happens out there. Make this yours. This other kid you're about to face. He never stole your girlfriend or dumped water on your head at a Halloween dance."
Lucas smiled.
"He's just another fighter. Another guy in a GI. Win or lose. It's literally just a tournament. And you've done incredibly well."
Lucas knew it was time to go. "I'm a bit nervous but. You're right. Considering how well I've done up until now. Yeah."
"See you out there." Johnny left him alone with a nod.
…
I realized who my biggest opponent out there was.
This world, or rather this world without me in it.
Xander Stone was supposed to win this tournament. He was the champion Miguel faced a year from today in the first season of the Cobra Kai show.
Robby and I were not supposed to be out there competing today. Kreese was not supposed to have interacted with Daniel or Johnny this early on. And I was not supposed to be in the finals.
So whatever was about to happen. Was going to change the events of this world so much it would be completely different to what I was used to.
My knowledge of everything, could only get me so far.
But I knew I would win this match and all the records that came with it so long as I went all out in the first thirty seconds. The first thirty seconds, and I didn't let Stone score one point on me.
And I would become the most famous karate fighter who ever lived in the history of the Valley.
…
Daryl spoke. "This! Is it folks. The final match, of the entire tournament."
The crowd cheered.
"We have quite the battle here folks! Lucas Schwarber, fighting unaffiliated, at only fourteen! Is the first person to do so reaching the finals since 1993. And! The first person to reach the finals without being scored on a single time, since 1987. Not to mention!"
Daryl said. "He completed all of his matches so far except for one in under an average thirty nine seconds! An All Valley all time record! Should he complete this match without conceding a single point, and win in at least under a minute! He will have broken almost every record in All Valley history there is to beat but one."
"Which is, the all time record for All Valley championship titles. At two! So gentlemen, let's go!"
Xander and Lucas bowed as they stepped onto the mat and approached each other by walking towards their lines.
White faced off against blue as a hundreds cheered.
The referee fixed his red shirt and walked towards both of them as they stared off. "This might be the final match. But you must still obey all the rules and my orders. Watch the control gentlemen, and do not strike outside of the clash."
"Face me! Bow. Face each other! Bow. En garde!"
Xander and Lucas got into their stances.
For the first time in the entire tournament, Lucas started to bounce in his stance.
He bounced forward and backward, not up and down.
"Fight!"
Lucas fought aggressively for the first time since he stepped onto the mat and had his first match.
He didn't fight with Miyagi-Do or Cobra Kai, he fought with an explosive combination of both.
He drove Xander backward, almost connecting on his chin with the first kick, a front kick to the jaw.
Xander dodged, starting to counter with leg sweeps and spinning roundhouses, but suddenly, Lucas used the catch and sweep technique combined with spinning hands kata.
He tied up Xander while he threw a side kick and threw him to the mat, instantly scoring a point with his fist on Xander's chest.
Xander was slightly used to Cobra Kai having beaten Robby a few minutes earlier but combined so creatively with Miyagi-Do and Lucas' own style, Xander had no reference for the kind of karate he was facing.
"Point Schwarber!" the referee announced.
Red flags were in the air for each corner judge and Demetri and Charlotte cheered.
"That's it! That's right!" cheered Robby as Johnny nodded and applauded.
"Lucas Schwarber with the first point!" announced Daryl.
"One zero, Schwarber! Back on your lines!"
Lucas was back on his line as Xander rubbed his chest and walked back over to his spot.
"Ready! And fight!"
Lucas moved away blocking easily as Xander tried to get an easy point with a jab punch the moment combat resumed.
Xander telegraphed a front kick and Lucas easily blocked. On the next attack, Lucas struck first and interrupted Xander's attempt at a grab on his front arm by throwing a jab and a reverse punch towards Xander's chin first.
Xander raised his arms and blocked both, but Lucas didn't give him a second to react a split second later.
He instantly dove in and kicked Xander as quickly as he could in the stomach, but he blocked just in time.
Xander and Lucas circled each other for a bit and then Lucas had struck first and lunged perfectly into a reverse punch right on Xander's chest as his rear leg had started to rise off the ground to throw a kick. The speed, power, and technique Lucas had, hadn't changed, he had just started to fight more aggressively.
Xander staggered back for a second under the power of the blow, and red flags rose again once more.
They walked back to their lines and the referee spoke. "Schwarber two! Stone nothing! Ready? And fight!"
The referee's hand had barely moved away as Lucas had already lowered himself onto one hand and used the two legged kick to score on Xander.
Lucas had kicked Xander on the chest and face at the exact same time and he fell to the ground.
"Point! Winner!" the referee said raising a right hand quickly towards Lucas.
Daniel sighed, groaning quietly and kicking the ground in silent frustration.
"Winner!? Oh my god!" Charlotte yelled in surprise and cheered as Aisha and the crowd roared.
The crowd was off their feet in a tornado of cheers.
Lucas rubbed his nose for a second in awed silence as hundreds cheered for him as dozens of karatekas flooded the mat.
Fighters from almost every dojo except Topanga Karate had started to hoist Lucas into the air like he was Daniel LaRusso a moment after beating Johnny Lawrence.
"Let's gooo!" roared Robby, his arm muscles flexing beneath his red GI as he and Cutting Edge Karate fighters lifted Lucas into the air.
"Your winner! And the new! Youngest All Valley Under 18 Karate Champion in history! Lucas, the Flash Schwarber!"
The crowd cheered and cheered as the All Valley golden trophy was handed to him by Daryl.
Lucas was laughing and smiling lifting the trophy into the air.
"That's right!" Robby was bouncing up and down as Lucas was hoisted up. "That's right let's go! That's right! There we go baby! There we go!"
Johnny was speechless but still smiled. Daniel was hanging his head in shame.
And Kreese was watching from a corner of the stands far away from all the other spectators.
He smiled, shaking his head in amazement.
When Lucas was let back down onto the mat, Daryl spoke. "You have anything you want to say son?"
Gripping his new first place trophy, Lucas spoke into the mic Daryl had used all tournament.
"I know what my victory means! And it's something I need to share with all of you today. That there is no greater step to take than the next step forward! And the future is bright for karate! Let me tell you!"
The crowd cheered for this. Only Daniel and his family seemed confused or quiet at all.
Lucas smiled as he continued to speak. "All of you are wondering how I got here today. Who trained me!? What karate I used!? Well let me tell you, all these questions and more will be answered soon! Because what comes next is better than anything any of you could ever imagine!"
"Whatever it may be. Keep your eyes peeled. Cause it will be huge! And it's happening very very soon! It's time for karate to move into a new age! A better age! The classic ways! The ways of either Johnny Lawrence or Daniel LaRusso, the All Valley's greatest champions!"
Lucas smiled and raised a fist into the air. "Thank you all so much! Thank you all! Thank you!"
The crowd couldn't stop applauding and cheering.
The several Senseis were watching Johnny curiously. He had to have an instructor, Lucas' technique couldn't be self taught. And if Johnny wasn't teaching him technically. Then, who could be his teacher? They could ask him right?
Regardless, Lucas couldn't focus on that, merely basking in the glory of being the first person to win the All Valley in ages without needing a formal dojo.
...
I had lied during my short acceptance speech of the 49th All Valley Under 18 Karate Championships golden trophy.
I had no idea what I was going to do next.
I carpooled with Johnny and Robby back to my home in Encino. It was a bit surreal to be honest, holding it in the seats of Johnny's Pontiac firebird. This car didn't feel like it was going to scrapped very soon at all actually, despite what I knew Sam and her friends did to it.
It was odd too seeing Robby with a third place trophy, he was better than Xander Stone, for sure. It made me wonder if Robby just happened to have a bad day when I happened to have a very good one. It happened in tournaments all the time.
I smiled, remembering who taught me that. John Kreese.
I frowned, realizing what had happened now.
"Tell your grandparents I said hey." Johnny smiled through the window at me.
Robby was wearing a white tanktop and still in his red Steel Eagle GI pants. "We should train together sometime this summer! Tournament or not, we can kick ass together."
It was odd, again, seeing Robby Keene as a much more cheerful, Johnny Lawrence-esque, version of his original snarky, brooding, and closed off self I knew him otherwise. Even now after all that happened.
Johnny grinned at this, looking back slightly at his son in the passenger seat next to him.
...
For all the respect I wanted to gain, for all the glory I expected to win in a tournament like this:
Barely anyone cared.
My grandparents when I told them were glad to hear Johnny said hi, but ultimately just saw my achievement at the All Valley, all the records I had broken as just another soccer medal or writing trophy basically. At school, I didn't get showered in adoration during the last weeks of class.
Charlotte actually started kind of ghosting me after how awkwardly our last date had ended. I think she just wanted to be friends despite her being at the tournament to support me.
No other girls showed up with romantic potential after the All Valley.
Right now, despite the trophy in my hand, and knowing Robby and Johnny supported me all the way, it felt like I had nothing else.
Daniel LaRusso wouldn't speak to me, nor his family, even if I knew Anthony liked me. John Kreese wouldn't either, after all we'd been through.
I had made friends, Eli, Aisha, Demetri, and a few others, but ultimately I was awaiting for a groundbreaking, Instagram famous pop off that never came. Being on the cover of Black Belt magazine, having banners at the All Valley arena. All of it.
But the truth was, I understood why practically none of that happened now:
Until the events of the Second Season of the Netflix show, no one outside of the small and tightly-nit karate community knew jack about karate. Much less cared. As odd as this world was sometimes, it at least had that in common with the real world.
It was 7th of June, 2017. Technically speaking, Miguel would be moving in from Riverside to meet Johnny Lawrence any day now.
He would be disconnected from Robby, leading to conflict with his old rival Daniel LaRusso, and Miguel would follow a dark path leading to the revival of John Kreese from the grave.
But...none of that could ever happen I realized now.
Johnny and Robby were actually getting along fine. The only way I could jeopardize that would be furthering this karate conflict until potentially, there could inevitable disagreement between Robby and Johnny. As for John Kreese.
I looked at the trophy I'd gotten, the 49th All Valley golden trophy sitting at the foot of my bedroom.
I saw something of myself in John, someone lost without purpose. Mr. Miyagi, but deciding to project his emotions outward instead of holding them in. In a way, his philosophy worked, for me, combined with Miyagi-Do, I reached a level of balance, skill, and strength that outshined kids as old as 17 going on 18 with years of experience competing in the Valley, when I was 14 barely turning 15 competing in my first tournament ever.
I reviewed some of my footage collected by my friends throughout the tournament, they only caught my very first rounds and my last.
It was clear in the earlier and later parts of the tournament as Charlotte had recorded, I was applying both Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do, just, blending it into the same thing. I was applying the precise blocks and counters of Miyagi-Do in a very aggressive fashion, and allowing parts of the leg sweeps and round kick combinations of Cobra Kai to come out in ideal countering moments.
This...had never been done before.
But there was something more important to me now than this trophy.
The people around me.
Daniel and his family would never view mine the same again, and that was a connection my mother, Ali Mills, and Daniel had shared for decades. If I wasn't careful, that could only be the beginning.
I knew a truth others didn't, that left unchecked, Cobra Kai could change the fate of the Valley forever. Combined, Terry Silver and John Kreese offered teenagers pretty much free reign to do whatever they wanted at the cost of the suffering and pain of their enemies.
John Kreese had helped build all of my insecurities, about my over achieving family, my lack of identity and friendship and connection to anything around me when I arrived here. All of it. And he helped me develop it into my greatest strength:
My karate.
And for it, while my peers didn't really view me any differently, that wasn't the point. It was about how I viewed myself differently.
John Kreese didn't understand forgiveness, it was as foreign to him as mercy. I learned the hard way what it meant to come to him weak, my bones cracked, and my muscles damn near broke. I had learned the way of the fist from him, at least as much one can at their greatest dedication to it for a year.
And for it, I didn't feel like I was this Strike First, Strike Hard, No Mercy sort of guy. I didn't want to hurt anyone.
'And there's the problem.' Kreese would say.
You're supposed to want to hurt people even if that's not the point. You're supposed to view the entire world as a stable place, until the second someone wrongs you. When that happens, you're supposed to use your karate, all of your anger, to just make them regret that moment for the rest of their lives.
And for that simple fact, Daniel LaRusso suffered. For basically an entire year during the events of the Karate Kid. And what I realized now too.
The entire Valley would suffer. He left the fates of everyone in the hands of someone like Terry Silver, otherwise his best friend until he betrayed him.
The true victory I learned from his trophy was that I had made a mistake.
There was such a thing as good and evil, the simple fact was, that John Kreese was evil. He taught me to abuse my power if it brought me more respect, while the issue with Kyler blew over easily due to my at the time, friendship with Daniel and the other parents of the school. Kreese's message was supposed to apply to my entire life:
There was no such thing as mercy. By extension, good and evil didn't mean shit. You were either weak or strong, and weakness did not exist at Cobra Kai.
I remembered how intense how some of Kreese's lessons were. How hard he made me hit all those damn pallets and shit, I think there might've even been a brick at some point. Not that surprising considering what they made Daniel and Mike Barnes go through in the third film.
All of that pain, I had to lie about it. I had to deny what the purpose of it was.
John Kreese never went easy on me because I was fourteen, because he knew my mother from the past, because I came to him looking for help. Going easy on anyone, in any aspect of your life, was wrong, it was weakness.
I was stronger for it, but I had to leave a peace of myself with him: My mercy.
The roles reversed during the first scenes of Karate Kid Part Two, and Kreese wouldn't have quoted Miyagi back to himself and jokingly honked him on the nose. It was very damn likely he would've just killed him. And if not, he would've passed the same lessons on to his students you didn't forgive nor forget anything.
If I wasn't careful, the entire Valley would suffer.
I deeply regretted seeking John Kreese, if enough time passed. I could become like him.
I decided to go on my laptop and submit an application to get my internship at LaRusso auto reinstated. As much as I wanted to remove myself from this karate rivalry, before it spiraled out of control to the point a ponytailed Bond Villain held the fate of the world in his Cobra Kai hands, I wanted one more thing before I left the Valley or stopped practicing karate for good. Or at least, prevented this from getting any worse:
Daniel's forgiveness.
I wasn't going to the LaRusso house begging, he needed to come to me on fair terms. If he never realized I made a mistake and I was sorry for it, that was on him.
Personally, I wasn't going to stay in the Valley much longer waiting for the shit storm of love triangle, square, whatever drama to unfold. Miguel almost died, Robby could've gone to jail for a very long time for manslaughter if that was the case. Johnny and Daniel had even set their shit aside and that still happened. About a year later, Terry Silver might as well have said 'fuck you' to everyone who struggled before him because he swooped in and won.
He was worse than Kreese, as I realized just now, somehow.
However, I did in fact make friends here. I would enjoy seeing their highschool experience grow alongside mine.
But it all started with forgiveness. And I wasn't going to smile if Mr. LaRusso came around.
...
John Kreese didn't have two pennies to scratch together.
He had spent his days going back and forth between a homeless shelter as a spot he was narrowly losing, and living on the street itself. Then, he realized that even for a moment, something of value had returned to his life.
One evening, he walked to Encino, remembering Lucas' address for where the Mills lived and Ali's girlhood home from the 80s. There, he began to walk up the steps towards his house, and prepared to knock on the door.
He even considered ringing the doorbell.
After a moment's hesitation, he relented.
Kreese shook his head and trudged off. Having no idea what to do next, or where he'd go.
By the Greyhound pamphlets Kreese had in his hands, looking them over as he walked aimlessly through the streets of the Valley, he was considering leaving by going out east. By the look on his face, probably forever.
...
Johnny saw his old enemy, Daniel LaRusso sitting at the bar by himself at a place in the middle of Van Nuys.
He pulled up a stool with snark. "Coors Banquet for me, Shirley Temple for the lady."
"I'm good with my Fresca, thanks." Daniel grinned painfully at the middle aged bartender who then walked off.
"You had something you wanted to say to me? Could've written me a letter instead of sending my co-workers whatever the hell an email is."
Daniel snorted. "Never heard of text?"
"Not sure that part of my phone works anymore. Robby tried to get me figure out smartphones but, I couldn't."
"Let me see it."
Johnny proceeded to pull a early 2000s flip phone from his pocket and showed it to him.
"What?"
Daniel hid the look unsurprise from his face. "Nothing."
"Spit it out Danielle, the hell did you invite me for a drink for?"
He ignored the slight and spoke calmly. "Just, wanted to catch up with you." he muttered the next part while sipping from a green glass bottle. "And to know if you've heard anything from Lucas."
"I'm not a damn messenger bird, you want to see him talk to him yourself."
"I can't do that."
"And why not?"
Daniel sighed. "Because I wanted to know the truth first."
"Ask him yourself," Johnny looked around the bar. "I don't have time for this."
"You and I have never gotten along, but right now I trust your word over his."
Johnny didn't feel praised nor happy, but instead he was just curious. "Really? Why's that?"
"Because he was the one who trudged up your old Sensei, brought back Kreese from the local cementery."
"Yeah he told me."
Daniel shook his head. "Did he mention why he did any of what he did?"
"Shouldn't you know? You were his Sensei for this entire past year."
"Yeah but-" Daniel tutted. "You were the only one he seemed to trust at the All Valley Johnny."
"Because I was the only one in his corner." said Johnny. "I know you two just fought, but you couldn't have put that bullshit aside just to stick up for him?"
"He became a friend of the family, specifically under the guise of Kreese, just for the sake of gainining more fame in karate. I've seen that before, so it's very hard to forgive."
Johnny nodded his thanks to the bartender who passed him his Coors Banquet. "Wait really?'
"Doesn't matter." Daniel swallowed his drink and put the bottle back down on the bar's counter. "Point is, I need to know what you knew. Has he mentioned anything about what happened between him and Kreese?"
"All I know is he and Robby haven't talked that much since the tournament. Other than that, the most he mentioned was that he wanted to combined Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do so he could win the All Valley like no one ever did."
"That's not much more than I could gather at this point." admitted Daniel. "This begs the question, if he wanted that so badly, why didn't he train with you the whole time? Would've made some sense since there's no way he didn't realize Kreese was responsible for everything back in the day."
Johnny almost looked offended. "Are you saying I'm easier to manipulate?" he snapped his fingers together to spike the beer cap into a nearby trashcan.
"Well no, all I'm saying is that you would've been a better teacher than he was."
"Low bar to set," Johnny grinned and spoke sarcastically. "Wow I'm dying of thanks over here LaRusso, what a compliment."
"Look we have to admit our faults Johnny. But acting so oddly and dangerously at that age? Where were his parents? What was going on?"
"It doesn't matter." Johnny took a deep sip of his Coors. "Point is, he sought you as a teacher."
"And Kreese!"
"So did I."
Johnny lowered his voice, seeing the look on Daniel's face. "The fact that he's a kid who didn't know better doesn't matter. What does, is that he figured his shit out."
"How?" Daniel was incredulous.
"He spent a year managing all the history and bad blood between all three of us just to develop his own style. And then not only that, he went out and did it. He won. You can do whatever you like, it's not my place to get involved. But as a father, and a Sensei. There's no such thing as a bad student, even though he lied, that wasn't Luke."
Daniel almost seemed to smile at this. "But he knew what a bad teacher Kreese was, I told him. I'm sure Ali told him."
"I'm not saying we should applaud how manipulative it was. But he definitely wasn't the same person I met when he flew in from Denver last summer. Any other kid in his shoes would've been scared shitless, and he went out and confronted the bastard. He found the baddest man in the Valley, made him his teacher, and cut him off."
"For all I knew, they could still be in this together."
"Then you don't know the same person I do." muttered Johnny.
"But why would he do that?"
"Because he wasn't afraid!"
The bartender raised an eyebrow from nearby.
"You and I have been at each other's throats since highschool," Johnny said, quieter. "A part of me probably wishes we'd never have to see each other ever again."
"Same here." Daniel finished his fresca.
"The way I see it. This wasn't a keep your enemies closer type of deal, he wanted to know what Kreese's style was."
"And he learned it."
"He did," admitted Johnny. "But that's over now, he's smart enough to want nothing to do with Kreese or any of this shit. As long as you and I have fought, these kids are just learning. They're like fifteen. The hell is it our place to tell them what to do and what to learn, if we're not their Senseis?"
"It is our place, at least when Kreese is involved. You know firsthand how dangerous he is."
"Was."
Daniel was surprised. "Excuse me?"
"I get you and the memory of your teacher were hurt by what he did." Johnny said calmly. "But you gotta move on man, we all do. Either go and talk to him yourself and find the whole story, or don't and just move on."
"You weren't bothered by any of this?"
Johnny shrugged. "Not really. Robby's living half and half between me and Shannon. The kid's in school and doing karate, staying out of trouble. Considering where he was when we started talking again, I can lead well enough alone. And you should too before your own family gets more messed up by this old history, you have standards you have morals. Kreese has neither."
"Maybe you should worry about your own family."
Johnny finished his beer. "Yeah well, maybe I should."
He tossed some cash on the counter and left, Daniel was in deep thought when Johnny left.
The man had genuinely no idea what to do next in regards to Miyagi-Do.
...
"Dad, are you okay?"
He was putting dishes away after dinner with his family.
"Just fine, thanks for asking."
Sam didn't appear to be convinced. "You don't seem like it."
"Well I'm not fine." Daniel sighed and closed the cabinet door, turning around to speak to his daughter. "What happened this past year with Lucas, was just."
He trailed.
"But what's on your mind? All of that's over now, I haven't seen him want to train anywhere. In fact, since the tournament, no one I knew has even mentioned karate until you. Just now."
"Karate or not. I was trying to make a difference in his life. The same way I'd want to make a difference in yours, what Mr. Miyagi taught, it went beyond fighting or martial arts. It was about balance."
"But, you brought balance."
Daniel was confused. "What're you talking about?"
"I know things got messed up because of that other guy he was learning from but." Sam shrugged. "He won, he got what he wanted. No one got hurt, not even anyone at the tournament. Are you afraid he'll hurt people, himself? Us?"
"No I'm just-" he put his hands on the table leaning on to them. "I spoke to Johnny lately."
"Robby's dad? I think I saw him help Robby compete at the All Valley."
Daniel snorted, realizing that was probably the fullest extent of Sam's knowledge of him. "Yes. He said I should forget everything, or at least move on. When I started karate again, it was to pass on Mr. Miyagi's lessons. And after an entire year of teaching Luke the physical aspects of karate. I'm not sure he grasped the mental aspects at all."
"Who cares?"
Daniel was surprised. "What?"
"Who cares what he learned or not? It's over. Stop feeling so guilty about it. If Luke was a better person, if he didn't lie to you about what he was doing. About how he only respected what you taught this whole time, then yeah. Maybe should feel guilty."
"Wait- Sam."
She had stormed off towards her room and out of the kitchen.
...
"Still upset you lost your mini me?"
Daniel was sitting in bed with his wife. "He was never my mini me." he scoffed.
He saw the smug look on Amanda's face as she wore a nightgown and read a book.
"What?"
"Nothing, I just find it funny seeing a grown man get so upset over karate he taught to a teenager."
"It goes beyond that. You met him he was just, he was becoming a friend of the family. Anthony started to look up to him and he had to go off and-"
Amanda turned to him. "Seeing you at the tournament, it was like unveiling a whole different side of you. You were mad about what a highschool kid was doing competing on a mat. It's fine if you get upset but. Maybe realize not all of what you're hurting over is completely worth it."
"Sam is upset with him. She's even upset with me over him."
"What did she say?"
"That if he lied, then feeling guilty is wrong."
Amanda put her book down on the nightstand. "Look, I know nothing about this karate nonsense but I know our kids. You were there for a new friend both of our children made, you both fought because of this tournament. And then you're acting like a compeltely different person. If you're so distressed over what happened between you and Lucas go and talk to him. I've never seen you like this, clueless and helpless over what to do."
"I don't." Daniel trailed.
"Are you confused because of what Mr. Miyagi would want you to do?"
"Partially. I'm just, truthfully wondering what would be best for me. For this family, if I decided to talk to him again."
"Well whatever you decide. Know, I'm behind you, a hundred percent."
The two kissed. Amanda shut off the lights, and Daniel turned over to rest.
...
...
...
Author's Note:
That concludes Book 1. The next book would cover everything that happened in what would be Season 1 of the Cobra Kai Netflix series in the scenario I created. Needless to say, but the plot and character dynamics are of course completely different.
It will lightly follow the structure of the first Season but barely in plot points. The way each person learns their karate, develops it, and or passes it on will be completely different. Everyone has students they otherwise wouldn't.
Johnny has Robby for the first season, and I won't spoil who ends up with Daniel or Kreese if they still decide to teach after Luke.
Thank you all for reading and supporting!
Okay so looks like things are really heating up nowChapter Ten: Golf 'N Stuff
…
Yasmine was playing Galaga on an old gaming cabinet at Golf 'N Stuff while Lucas leaned on it, eating Dipping Dots out of a cup with a plastic spoon.
"I meant to ask. Why is everyone at school obsessed with karate? At least so many of the guys, I don't get it at all."
"Not everyone can spend their free time with manicures and cheer Yas."
She glared at him for a moment.
Lucas was happy to see the smile on her face for a moment. "No but really, karate is about more than the actual martial arts. It's about building character."
"Then what sort of character is your karate about?"
Lucas shrugged. "Miyagi-Do is mostly about harmony. Peace, you learn to fight so you don't fight. It's always smarter to run than actually fight."
He looked aside, still explaining. "It really is about finding the defensive aspect of karate, not competing, not fighting for sport. Just, making sure you need to defend yourself when the time comes. Not being there when the crowds cheer and all the hooplah surrounds."
Yasmine began to laugh. She started to laugh and laugh and laugh.
"What?" Lucas chuckled nervously.
"Luke that's literally the exact opposite of you. It seems like you joined karate in the first place just for the clout. You won that big tournament just so you could get a bunch of attention right? And if not, it seems like this Miyagi-Do thing is like, the polar opposite of you as a person."
Lucas was about to protest but froze.
He looked like he saw a ghost.
Doug Rickenberger, a teen with dark hair and a tough build had turned around the corner at the end of the line of video game machines at Golf 'N Stuff.
He was walking with several Cobra Kai members.
Mikey, as well as a few others of Kreese's top students.
Lucas gripped Yasmine's hand, speaking calmly. "We need to go."
"Wh-What, but we were having so much-" Yasmine yelped suddenly.
Lucas turned and tucked her out of sight between a Galaga and Ms. Pac Man machine.
"Why are we hiding?" Yasmine whispered.
Yasmine's eyes grew, the close proximity between her and Lucas led to certain comfort from both of them.
Lucas whispered back. "To avoid a fight."
The two were looking at each other in a minute bit of privacy, their noses almost touching, before Lucas left the small spaces between all the gaming machines.
Lucas held Yasmine's hand again and she followed him out of the arcade for a moment before Lucas bumped directly into Mitch.
He turned, grinning.
"Hey Schwarber, fine date you picked up."
Lucas refused to let go of Yasmine's hand. "She's not my date."
"Right." Mitch chuckled, the rest of Cobra Kai drew near. "You know Aisha had every right to crack your fake ass nose Yas."
"No one has that right." Lucas said, earning a small look from Yasmine.
"Correction. You get to decide for yourself who deserves a proper ass beating."
Lucas laughed quietly. "That's John Kreese talking, not you Mitch."
"That's who talking?" asked Yasmine.
A bit surprised Lucas knew their Sensei's name, Mitch still ignored it and shrugged. "Then maybe he's right."
"Karate isn't like, a weapon dude. That's fucked up if you think you can solve all your problems by hitting people."
"It's better than enabling a cyber bully." Mitch stared at Yasmine angrily. "Right?"
She looked aside shamefully before Lucas spoke up again. "I don't have time for this."
They began to leave together and then a few Cobra Kais physically stood in their way.
"You know we came up with our own name to give you and mess with you the same way you messed with Aisha, Yas."
Mitch smiled. "Voldemort."
Mikey smirked too. "No nosed bitch."
Lucas then just shoved Rickenberger out of the way and started to run out of the arcade.
The Cobra Kais followed, and a Golf 'N Stuff employee looked confused in their direction.
"The heck?" Chris squinted at the scene.
…
At some point during the chase, Lucas and Yasmine got separated, he looked around an old laser tag room confused.
"Yas?" he called out.
"Fake bitch must've figured out you weren't worth it. Figures." Mitch entered the sectioned off part of the arcade with six other Cobra Kais.
Lucas only seemed to be focused on Mikey and Rickenberger, as if they appeared to be the only real threats.
"What do you want man?"
"To teach you a lesson. You keep trying to swoop Miguel's chicks, you're so desperate for 'tang you take out Yasmine for a date the moment she cyberbullies someone into striking back." he said.
Lucas sighed. "She just got her nose broken, she deserved to get cheered up. Everyone does. You all have that chance too."
Mitch shook his head with a chuckle. "You're such a liar Schwarber. You always wear karate gear, you got first place at last year's All Valley. You claim to know everything about karate, but you don't."
"Well maybe it's time someone taught it to you."
Mitch smirked and cracked his knuckles, walking forward only to throw a jab punch that resulted in him getting elbowed in the jaw for.
After a knee was thrown to his sternum, Lucas threw a groaning Mitch aside.
Lucas raised his voice before the other boys could act. "I promise you, I know more about Cobra Kai than any of you."
Surprised again Lucas knew this much when no one at their school had ever really talked about their karate dojo, the Cobra Kais paused.
"It isn't right, you don't create peace by hitting people." Lucas muttered.
Rickenberger and Mikey looked at each other for a moment.
"This is all fucked up. You're here to prove something to Yas she already learned, trust me. Nothing good comes of violence, I've been where you're all at. I promise you, it leads nowhere."
Lucas seemed to be getting through to them before all of a sudden Mitch had recovered and shoulder tackled Lucas to the ground.
He fell right onto his chin on the arcade floor.
"Yeah!" Mitch roared stupidly. "Mess with us? Yeah!?"
"Dude I think you busted his lip."
It looked a bit funny to the other Cobra Kais and suddenly, the look on Lucas' face changed.
He wasn't calm anymore, he was mad.
…
OST: Robot Rock - Daft Punk
…
Lucas wiped the bit of blood off his mouth slowly, nodding a bit.
Every Cobra Kai there could tell he was accepting their challenge out of rage.
Mitch stupidly walked right into another counter, this time a spinning wheel kick to the jaw.
The heel of Lucas' shoe connected right on Mitch's jaw, sending him flying to the ground.
Mikey and his friend attacked at the same time, Lucas elbowed Mikey in the jaw while dodging the other's punch. Grabbing a wild kick from Mikey, Lucas threw them together, their heads colliding.
Lucas rushed forward leaping off his back leg in a classic karate jab punch. His fist collided at full speed into Rickenberger's jaw, interrupting his front kick.
Lucas instantly spun around into a leg sweep to kick a rushing Cobra Kai's leg.
He staggered for a moment, and Lucas jumped upwards out of his spin to connect with a spinning round kick to the temple.
Lucas had knocked him clean out.
Before Mikey and Mitch could recover, Lucas was merciless in disabling his opponents. Through the low lights of the closed laser tag room, Lucas snapped one of their wrists, he couldn't even tell because of how mad he was.
However, Mitch shoulder tackled Lucas again to not receive the same fate.
Lucas was using the exact same moves as all of his opponents.
The jab, the reverse punch, the hook kick, the round kick and back kick, as well as the leg sweep. All of them knew Cobra Kai, but Lucas knew it far better than all of them.
The difference was that Lucas had to fight much smarter as he was outnumbered heavily. He had to move quicker, cleaner, counter more decisively.
There was no Miyagi-Do here, no flashy hand movement, just simple dodging, punching, and kicking.
Lucas used his elbows, his knees, he wasn't even thinking. He was just striking.
He would strike through his opponent's attacks, interrupting their combinations, using their numbers to their disadvantage. Making them hit each other quickly and then moving away.
Lucas should've lost this fight quickly, instead he struck first, and hard.
Rickenberger threw a round kick leading into a spinning hook kick, both directly to the head.
Lucas leaned back from both to dodge only to be tied up for a moment as Mitch pinned his arms behind his back.
As Rickenberger managed to land a solid punch to Lucas' ribs and jaw, he struggled.
Lucas managed to shake his head and regain his senses as Rickenberger panted, preparing a third strike.
Lucas quickly shifted left and right to both dodge and squirm a bit out of Mitch's grasp.
Rickenberger's fist and feet flew harmlessly by his head as Lucas then used hikite, or the karate fist pull back to the hip to damn near break Mitch's floating ribs.
He gasped, walking backwards before Lucas grunted in rage.
He struck Mitch directly in the eye as hard as he could with a back fist and then another elbow to the jaw. This time, the blow was so clean and hard, Mitch's whole head rocked up and he was out cold.
Rickenberger socked Lucas in the back of the head, making him spin for a second.
He dodged randomly by ducking when he hit the arcade wall. Both Rickenberger and another Cobra Kai ganged up on Lucas when he covered up.
Lucas was able to recover from the stagger quickly enough to quickly grab Rickenberger's foot when he tried to go for a front kick to Lucas' chest.
He rolled under his friend's punch to sweep Rickenberger's rear leg, sending him flying hard to the ground before Lucas hit his friend instantly with a jab before he could blink, much less counter.
Lucas was just that fast. He all but teleported across the ground of the arcade with a point karate style jab so hard and so quick he punched the lights of the Cobra Kai he hit the second he hit his chin.
The remaining three Cobra Kais were enraged with Lucas.
Two were helping Mikey nurse a snapped wrist and could've easily left the fight but decided to stay instead.
Mikey was able to fight through his pain and merely kicked and wildly used his other hand to fight.
Fighting three boys his age all at once, the brawl turned bloody.
Lucas had to fight fast and hard again, and he had bruises and blood all over his knuckles, shoes, and elbows.
He rolled like a boxer, boxing and weaving, his hands strapped to his temples.
Lucas checked kicks off his shins to counter with his own. He kicked knees, headbutted, again throwing his opponents together to interrupt attacks by landing his own.
By the end of it, he had taken a few hits and almost was cornered a few times but it was over.
A helpless Mikey was smacked at full speed directly into his pals by a round kick to the head.
He tumbled over his friends like bowling pins and Lucas then started to knock them clean out. He kneed Mikey right in the head, Lucas threw his arm like a knife hand, using a haito, or open hand strike to one of Mikey's friend's mouth.
All the sweat on their head flew for a moment before they fell to the ground.
Roaring, Lucas twisted into a back kick to catch the last Cobra Kai's solar plexus at full power. The wind knocked completely out of him, he fell, wheezing.
Lucas spun and connected with another back fist, this time upon the temple, sending the Cobra Kai flying back.
He defeated Mikey, Rickenberger, Mitch, and four of their friends all on his own. He was bruised, bloodied, but standing.
Lucas panted, limping out of the arcade, leaving them all there.
…
Kreese held Mitch's face, pushing it away in disgust.
Mikey's wrist was in a cast, his knee was also in bad shape. Mitch's entire face had been all but rearranged from the fight he picked, and Rickenberger was suffering a shoulder, head, and neck injury from how hard Lucas had swept him to the ground.
Their other four friends weren't in much better shape.
Miguel merely stood there, his arms crossed wearing his Cobra Kai GI.
Kreese shook his head. "You're all pathetic."
"We were sure we could've won this fight." Mitch lifted his chin, almost pouting.
"Yeah I'll bet." Kreese sighed. "Who was it?"
"Luke Schwarber." muttered Mikey quietly.
Kreese looked away. "I did tell you I don't respect point fighting. But that doesn't mean a point fighting champion can't handle himself. When you all recover, I'll let you come back to the team, for now, go home, rest."
Mitch was surprised. "What're you going to do?"
"What any good Sensei should. Protect his students."
…
"Hello there Daniel."
Daniel LaRusso was quietly doing some paperwork for LaRusso Auto in his office when John Kreese walked into his office, wearing a trench coat.
Daniel reached for the phone instantly as if he was going to call the police but Kreese chuckled. "Don't worry I'm just here to talk."
"Never took you for the diplomatic type."
"I'm not. I prefer good old fashioned violence to take down my enemies. As does your student."
Daniel looked confused.
"What? You haven't heard? He beat down seven of my students all on his own, and I heard he was just a bit scratched up and had a limp."
Daniel shook his head. "That's not like Lucas."
"No? Perhaps you don't know him as well as you think you did."
"So what're you here for?"
"What I wanted the last time we talked like this. Retribution, some sort of answer for the pain of my students."
Daniel shrugged. "I can't give that to you."
"I want some sort of answer. Right now. Or I promise you, things will get ugly."
Daniel looked at the door, and then the knuckles Kreese was baring.
Between starting a fight with John Kreese in his own dealership, probably meaning a serious loss of his reputation, or working out some sort of deal with him. The choice was clear.
"What do you want?" asked Daniel calmly from his desk.
Kreese leaned both of his hands on the chair opposite to where Daniel was sitting.
"A rematch."
"You want me to fight Johnny?" Daniel asked boredly with a snort.
"I want your student to fight mine. Anywhere, anytime."
"Yeah, you're known to fight a bit dirty." Daniel smirked. "Miyagi-Do is not about fighting."
"Then how do you suggest we settle this?"
"Same way we did last time. A tournament, I'll meet you there with bells on."
Kreese inhaled loudly. "Gladly." he growled out.
He then left the office in a huff.
"Who was that guy?" Amanda brushed past Kreese.
"Just some nutjob."
Amanda did not believe her husband at all, but did not inquire further.
…
Kreese sighed loudly, sitting on his desk the next day in the office of the Reseda strip mall dojo.
Miguel entered Kreese's office curiously. "What?"
"Cobra Kai has been banned from competition." Kreese sighed. "It seems the only way I can ever ask to return to compete is to ask for an appeal."
He looked over at Miguel. "How did this, Lucas Schwarber ever manage to stumble upon Rickenberger and the others at that arcade?"
"Coincidence." Miguel shrugged.
"No." Kreese gestured to his office door and Miguel closed it.
Miguel approached and Kreese spoke calmly. "You're going to tell me the truth right now. I know you well enough to know when you're lying."
Miguel frowned. "I um, wanted revenge on Schwarber."
"For?"
"He's the guy I've been telling you about."
Kreese chuckled, crossing his arms. "So instead of facing him yourself. You send your friends to do your dirty work for him."
Miguel couldn't respond.
"You're many things Mr. Diaz." said Kreese. "But a liar and a coward aren't one of them. The future of this dojo will be decided in the next couple months. No more hiding, no more lies, no more weakness. Is that understood?"
"Yes Sensei."
"When you want to take down your rival. You fight him like you mean it, only this time, it won't be from afar. It'll be up close."
"And. Where will that be?"
Kreese nodded slightly to the poster on the wall of the dojo. The All Valley tournament, the fiftieth anniversary.
"Go warm up the class."
"Yes Sensei."
…
The members of the All Valley Karate tournament committee were Daryl, an African American man who was the announcer at tournaments, Ron, a bald man with glasses, and an Asian man named George, a woman named Sue, and a few other people sitting at a few tables.
John Kreese entered and knocked at the open door.
"Hello?"
"Hi there." Ron said calmly. "How can we help you?"
"I'm here for an appeal. My dojo has been banned from competition at the All Valley."
"Banned?" George laughed. "Barely anyone competes anymore, why would we ban anyone?"
"And your name?" asked Sue.
"John Kreese." Daniel LaRusso said, entering the room, "And I assure you, he has in fact been banned."
Kreese quietly watched Daniel take an open seat at the committe table, patting Ron on the shoulder.
"I'm sorry um, I thought that Senseis weren't allowed to organize the tournament." said Kreese.
"Daniel LaRusso has closed Miyagi-Do since the 1980s sir." assured Ron. "There's no funny business going on here."
"Mm." Kreese smiled. "That's not what I heard."
"I'm sorry?" George looked confused, glancing at both Kreese and Daniel.
"Using karate Mr. LaRusso taught him, a student of his you all might know well named Lucas Schwarber has assualted several of my own students." Kreese said calmly. "So I am quite sure that Miyagi-Do is in fact, very open."
"What?" Ron chuckled in surprise, looking at Daniel. "What is this, how come we're the last to know of this?"
"I promise you, these are all lies. My karate does not lie in violence. And this man, is a liar." Daniel pointed towards Kreese.
Kreese shrugged, sitting down in front of the committe. "I have nothing else left to offer anyone but karate. I merely wish to return my dojo to competition, as a send off for my service to this country."
"I think we need to look up some archives." Sue muttered, the rest of the committee agreed.
…
After blowing the dust off some old files, Ron spoke calmly.
"It seems that you were banned from competition by Mr. Pat Johnson, organizer of this committee, himself. After you were accused of quote, unsportsmanlike conduct completely unberefit, of the noble tradition of karate." said Ron.
"That was over thirty years ago." Kreese said. "I promise, I am no longer that person."
"Really?" asked Daniel. "Because I swear, just this past year he-"
"I'm sorry." George said. "Is it really true that Lucas Schwarber is your karate student?"
"I just train him on my own, Lucas hasn't officially returned to competition under Miyagi-Do." he responded.
"Really?" asked Sue. "We need to hear that from himself." she added, as the other committee members nodded in agreement.
Daniel bit his lip angrily as he saw Kreese smirk at him. "Otherwise." added Sue. "You technically are a competing Sensei, and you shouldn't be here."
"I should still have a voice." Daniel insisted.
"You should." Ron agreed. "Just not on the council."
Daniel sighed, standing up to fix his tie. "Fine."
He took a seat near to Kreese, across the aisle of empty chairs.
Ron sighed, fixing his glasses and continuing. "Mr. Kreese I understand this incident was over thirty years ago, but I need to know. What exactly happened?"
Before Daniel could say anything Kreese spoke. "I no longer associate at all with Mr. Barnes or Mr. Silver."
"Silver and him go way back." Daniel chuckled.
Kreese continued. "I want to give my kids a chance to prove themselves."
"Which kids?"
"Kids of all sorts. Kids bullied by people from the privileged lifestyle Mr. LaRusso represents." Kreese said calmly. "I want a safe and fair environment for these kids to face their bullies, and to show their strength. Their growth. I've watched my students really grow into their own. As young men and women, into the karatekas, and people I could be proud of." Daniel rolled his eyes and Kreese continued. "The All Valley could really benefit from seeing the strength Cobra Kai can give. It's an essential aspect of this town's history, especially in martial arts."
Ron and Sue looked at each other, without words the council all appeared to be in agreement.
George cleared his throat. "I'm afraid I speak for all of us Mr. Kreese. Regardless of your current attempt to change your dojo and return for the better. You are someone this council's founder itself decided should be removed from competition."
"It's still a badass name for a dojo." Daryl shrugged.
George raised his gavel, and with a clack of it, Kreese shook his head and looked aside as Daniel smiled.
"I think I can speak for Pat Johnson when I can say a rematch is due on the mat."
"Mr. Schwarber." Ron instantly recognized him. "It's wonderful to see you actually at the arena again."
Daniel turned, shocked to see Kreese was right, Lucas was bruised a bit around his face.
"Glad to be here."
"And. Why are you here?" asked Sue.
"To ask for Mr. Kreese's reinstatement." Lucas said.
Ron was utterly confused. "And why would you ever do that?"
"Because once I was Mr. Kreese's student."
The committee was confused and muttered amongst themselves.
"Wait." George was confused. "So, the karate you used when you won last year's All Valley. That was Mr. Kreese's karate?"
"Precisely. As well as my own combined with Daniel LaRusso's."
Utterly frustrated, Daniel looked aside and hid his face in his hands that Lucas was willing to tell the committe all at once this.
Daryl said the obvious. "I think that changes everything then."
"Well not necessarily." Ron added, nodding to Lucas. "Let's see what Mr. Schwarber has to say."
"Yes, I became the Valley's youngest and quickest champion. And I have to side with my current Sensei, and agree that John Kreese is very much the same man he was when he was banned."
Daniel instantly seemed to smile at a disappointed Kreese.
"He's cruel, and a cheater, liar, and dishonest. But he can bring something that this tournament hasn't seen in a while. Some actually kickass karate."
The smirk battle between Daniel and Kreese continued directly across from and behind Lucas.
"Reinstate Cobra Kai please. You all need to sell tickets to make a profit, or this tournament can't even be run. Kicks sell tickets."
Ron shook his head. "From everything you're telling us, Mr. Kreese will desecrate this tournament. Why would you even want to compete against him again?'
"Because I want to prove again I can become this Valley's champion. No matter who wants to fight me." Lucas said calmly.
"Yeah that's not enough." George looked around, fixing the papers of Kreese's ban on the table.
"Nope." Sue shook her head.
Ron sighed. "It's really not."
"Now hold on." said Daryl, pointing a pen at Lucas. "How far are you willing to endorse Cobra Kai?"
"I will drop out of competing at this next All Valley if John Kreese is not in it."
"Now that really does change everything now doesn't it?" Daryl chuckled.
"Okay then." Ron looked around a nodding All Valley tournament committe table, there was not even a need for discussion considering the amount of the public's interest in Lucas' karate. "In that case. Congratulations Mr. Kreese, welcome back to the All Valley."
Daniel threw his hands up in the air and shook his head, clenching his jaw and looking like he wanted to swear and throw something, as Kreese smiled and bowed his head. "Thank you."
George clacked his gavel twice and like that, Cobra Kai was back in competition.
"And now." Ron picked up a clipboard, as Lucas', Kreese's, and Daniel's attention instantly turned to him. "On to our next and final order of business for our yearly meeting. The rule and affiliation change for our entire tournament."
"I'm sorry what?" Daniel was shocked.
Both Lucas and Kreese were also completely bewildered.
…
Cobra Kai OST: Globo-Kai
(Last Minute of track)
…
"For the past fifty years, the All Valley has been Tang Soo Do affiliated, using the same outdated and inefficient rules for karate competition. Meanwhile." Ron shrugged. "The rest of the world has caught up."
Sue sighed, checking her clipboard. "Even here in the Valley, other dojos have found a new, similar, but new way to compete in karate."
"The USANKF, or, USA national karate-do federation." Ron fixed his glasses. "Has backing from the international olympic committee, karate might even get to the olympics. We've reached out to them, and they agreed to include us."
Daniel and Lucas, and then even Kreese and Daniel looked confused at each other.
"It's time for the All Valley to evolve, and more importantly, grow." Ron said. "We need more tickets, and for years, we've been excluding all sorts of dojos from competition just because we refused to reform. Well no longer."
Sue spoke. "Mr. Schwarber, you are without a doubt the best fighter we've ever seen in All Valley Under 18 karate, but you've never seemed to test yourself against competitors from other styles. Some of which are essentially yours."
In Santa Clarita, karatekas practicing on traditional tatami under a flag of the traditional Goju-Ryu fist were doing kata together. There were rows of karatekas all wearing white GIs and black belts moving simultaneously, young men and women between the ages of thirteen and seventeen.
"Mr. Kreese your karate has evolved as well, far from where you began it too decades ago."
Kreese crossed his arms and squinted as George spoke.
"From what we understand, your karate is based heavily in traditional Shotokan."
Wearing only red footguards and gloves, near Huntington Beach, two boys sparred under the watchful eye of a Sensei, a short man in a karategi with crossed arms.
"Here they more or less have the same style, it's merely evolved greatly."
They exchanged punches, kicks, sweeps, the very same techniques John Kreese had taught vigorously for decades on Lankershim avenue.
"Whethere you're ready or not. The future is here." said Ron. "It's a big world out there for competitive karate, and it's time to step into it."
George clacked his gavel, and All Valley history was made for the second time in only one year.
…
…
…