[SEASON THREE: EPISODE TWO]
[PART ONE]

In the Cobra Kai dojo, Kresse stood at the front, as his students lined up in pairs, diligently practicing their punches.

"Sometimes life isn't always fair. The fight at the school was an embarrassment. You lost soldiers and you lost the battle. But you will not lose again. Williams was one of our own."

"What did they to him, they did to all of us. And it will go unanswered. We will show no mercy. No weakness and strike back! Is that clear?"

"Yes, Sensei!" They chorused, nodding in unison.

Meanwhile, at West Valley General, Ethan was awake, with his mother right by his side, displaying the things people had brought him to show their support.

"This is from your skinny friend, Demetri? He mentioned that the plastic isn't UV resident, so avoid leaving it by the window." Elizabeth said, placing the book on the nightstand.

"Those flowers are from Sam and the basket is from Mr. and Ms. LaRusso." She added, pointing at the objects.

"Could you tell them I'm awake?" He mumbled, quickly.

"Oh—" Ethan attempted to move around and get out of the bed, but his mother stopped him.

"No, don't.... what is it? What do you need? Some cold water?"

"Where are they? I need to speak with them." He demanded, trying to hold back tears. She lowered her head, placing her hand in his own.

"Don't worry about anything, right now. You focus on getting better." His mother said, with a smile on her face.

Daniel and Johnny were in his car, cruising around through various parts of the Valley, searching for Robby.

"Hey, got you a juice. Advils in the glove compartment." He stated, handing him a energy drink.

"Looks like sewage." The blond groaned, and took a whiff.

"Suck it up. If we find Robby, you might wanna stay awake." Mr. LaRusso suggested, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Well, drive faster then. Feel like I'm in a rocking chair."

He opened the compartment, taking out a bottle of pills. After removing the cap, he took a few sips  before placing his hand on the ratio controls, switching to some 80s rock and roll.

"Knock it off. We're on a mission."

"What are we supposed to do? Drive around all day looking for a van?"

"No, but hopefully our mutual friend can point us to the right direction." Daniel said, driving up toward a large rehab center.

"What the...." Johnny started, almost looking shocked. They stopped by the front entrance and made their way inside, as a woman with a red robe approached them.

"Welcome to Malibu Canyon Recovery. You're doing a very brave thing."

"What? No, I'm not checking in. I'm no quitter." He said, declining her offer.

"I understand. It can be hard at first. Don't worry, he'll get used to it."

"I'm sure he will." Daniel agreed, letting out a laugh. She stepped away from them as he started walking outside.

"Yeah, laugh it up, LaRusso." The blond man mumbled, shortly following after him. They walked over to a middle-aged woman, sitting at a table.

"Shannon."

"Oh! Hi!" She said, looking at him and pulling him into a hug, as Johnny awkwardly stood there behind them.

"You still going to the kudos and concerns meeting?"

"Yea I am." Shannon answered. Suddenly, someone cleared their throat, grabbing their attention.

"Hi, Johnny."

"Hey, you look good."

"You.... too." She said, but it sounded more like a question.

"Thank you." Johnny nodded his head.

"When Daniel said that he wanted to talk about Robby, I wasn't expecting to see the two of you together."

"Yeah, well, whatever it takes to found our son." He retorted, mainly looking at Daniel.

"I really wanted to take a break from here so I could go look for him, but my life coach advised me against it." Shannon stated.

"Your life coach?"

"Might as well set your money on fire." Johnny mumbled as Daniel gave him an annoyed look.

"Johnny, rehab has done wonders for me. It works for a lot of people, actually."

"Glad you're doing better, I really am. But I don't need some rehab vacation."

"That's because your idea of a vacation is going to some to monster truck show."

"Hey, truckasaurus was badass. You loved every minute of it."

"Guys! Guys!" Daniel shouted, capturing their attention in the process.

"We just really need to know if you have any idea where Robby might've gone with the car, you know him the best."

"All I know is whenever Robby is in trouble. Those dimwits weren't far behind." Shannon said.

"What dimwits?" Johnny asked.

"One looks like Chris Brown, the other one looks vaguely Latin." She explained, and the two older men knew exactly who they were.

"How are we supposed to find those dirtdags?"

"I know where they are."

At the Cobra Kai dojo, after class ended, the students chatted random things, forming a large group.

"Class, you worked hard today." Kreese said, emerging from the office room.

"So, before you're dismissed, I have a little treat for y'all. I wanna introduced you to a friend of mine."

"Aw. Cool. What's his name?" Bert asked, taking a closer look.

"I don't know. What should it be?" The old man asked, looking around at his students, seeing if one of them would answer.

"Hawk junior." Hawk suggested, and the others nodded in agreement.

"Bert, what do you think?"

"Uh.... Clarence?"

"Clarence, good." Kreese said, handing the rat to him.

"He's so cute, guys." Bert stated as he petted the rat, and some of the kids smirked.

"You know? It's almost lunchtime."

"Ooh! I can I feed him?"

"No." He replied, making his way over to a pedestal covered up by a black cloak.

"But, you can feed him." The old man said, revealing a glass rectangular box with a big snake inside.

"Uh.... What does he like to eat?"

"He likes to eat, Clarence."

"It's okay. Come on. Come on. There you go." Kreese said, waving his hand, signaling for the boy to come over.

"I can't." Bert declined, but the old man smiled and took Clarence from him.

"I understand, Clarence is your friend. It's okay to object. Who else objects?" He asked, looking at the students, as some of them raised their hands.

"You're off the team. Get out!"

"But...." The boy started.

"I said get out!" Kresse demanded, as some of the kids left the dojo.

He slightly glanced at the others before dropping Clarence into the box with the snake inside. Hawk had rushed into his office.

"Are you sad to see your little friends go?" Sensei asked, placing a cigarette in his mouth.

"Uh.... No, Sensei." The boy blurted out, quickly.

"Go on. You can speak freely, son."

"Is this the right time to make cuts? We're already down students after the school fight." Hawk stated.

"This is addition by subtraction. A true cobra feels no sympathy for its meals. Do you have a problem with that?" Kresse questioned, observing if the boy would answer.

"No, Sensei."

"Good."

"I just don't understand the plan. With Miyagi-Do shutting down, we might be able to get new recruits."

"But we will. In due time." The older man said, fiddling around with the lighter in his hand.

"First, we're going to need to strengthen our core and with Williams out, we're gonna need a new champion. Someone with no fear.... And no mercy."

Meanwhile, Tory was in her apartment and hasn't been to the dojo recently because she's on probation from what happened at the high school.

She sat down at a table, preparing a sandwich for her mother, and her brother came over to deliver it.

"Take that to Mom."

The boy grabbed the plate from the kitchen table and walked over to their mom's room, handing her the food.

Tory stepped out to take the trash but noticed the landlord, who appeared to be fixing a water pipe.

"Hey. You haven't fixed the leak yet." She called out, gesturing to a black pole.

"And you haven't paid rent. See how that works?"

"I'll have it next week. I'm already working doubles."

"Last month it was some excuse about your mom's diabetes."

"Dialysis." She corrected him.

"Not my job to keep track of your excuses. It's my job to cash rent checks."

"If I can't do my job, then you can't live here." He stated, walking up closer to her.

"Don't do that. You know, my mom, she's not doing—" Tory started.

"That caretaker thing is the only reason you're not in juvie." The man said, and she looked shocked.

"Yeah. I heard about that cat fight that got you expelled."

"You know don't anything about that." She said firmly.

"I know if I had some mud and an inflatable pool I could've sold tickets. That boy you fought over woulda sat in front."

"Don't."

"Boys...." The man clicked his tongue before continuing.

"See, now if you had a man instead of a boy, maybe things'd be easier for you. Maybe you don't have to worry about rent." He said, placing his hand on her cheek. Tory angrily twisted his arm backward, ready to break it in half.

"I bet you wouldn't sound like a man if I broke your wrist."

"Mm-mmm. I wouldn't do that."

"What would your probation officer say?" The man asked. She let go of his arm and shoved him back.

"Whew. Think on what I said. Maybe I'll see you tonight, but if I don't.... I better see you with a check on the first." The man said, mimicking cat yowls before walking away.

She felt her anger beginning to bolt up inside and sent a hasty kick to a pole. Tory kicked it so hard that it left a big indention.

Back with Daniel and Johnny, after discovering  where those two friends of Robby's were, it was revealed that they were send to prison.

Now the two grown men sat down at a table outside, waiting patiently for an officer to bring those two to them.

"Worse than rehab, nicer than jail."

"Just let me do all the talking." LaRusso stated.

"We're not selling bimmers to soccer moms. This is my world, follow my lead."

And just a second later, an officer brought the two guys to their table.

"Bitch-ass Kevin James punk."

"Hey, morons!" Johnny called out, snapping his fingers together to get their attention.

"Hey, what?"

"We're looking for Robby." Daniel replied.

"If y'all two are the search party, I say he's screwed."

"Talk or you'll be drinking your toilet wine through a straw." He threatened.

"Ooh! Robby daddy talking a big game, ain't he? Does it look like we scared of you?"

"You should be."

"I don't think so, man. Look at your face. Looks like you already got your ass beat."

"Enough!" Daniel yelled angrily, slamming his hand down on the table.

"Tell us everything you know about Robby."

"Ok. All right, man. Damn, relax. We ain't mean no disrespect."

"Sorry, Mr. LaRusso."

"What the hell? You listen to him and not to me?"

"He know how to kick ass!"

"And he ain't no punk-ass bitch!" The other one said, and Johnny smacked him in the face.

"Johnny, what the hell?"

"He just hit me!"

"You don't see that?" Trey shouted, turning around to look at the officer behind him, who just shrugged it off.

"Oh, okay. All right." Rex stated, turning back around, suddenly got smacked in the face for the second time.

"Enough!"

"Damn!"

"Better start talking. I can do this all day." Johnny said, raising his hand, getting ready to strike again.

"No. Hey, hey, hey. It's not necessary."

"Look, we all used to scam people at Tech Town in Panorama City. He knows how to get by around there. All right?"

"You better be telling the truth or I'm sending him back alone next time." Daniel stated.

"Might wanna get your friend here a tampon." The blond said, as the two grown men got up and walked away.

Back at West Valley General hospital, they had removed that neck brace from Ethan, and a doctor came in the room to test all of his reflexes. Elizabeth stood right beside her son, feeding him some food.

"You're progressing nicely. How does this feel?" The doctor asked, moving his hand around.

"Great." Williams answered.

"Yeah?"

"What about this?" He asked, flexing his fingers back and forth.

"Feels fine."

"Great."

"Your grandma's happy. She's at the home cooking something special." She said, placing a spoon full of food in his mouth.

"That's nice, Mom."

"How about this?" The doctor asked, moving down towards his foot, slowly moving it.

"No. Don't feel a thing." Ethan replied.

"How about this?" He repeated, tapping the bottom of his foot with a pen.

"Still nothing."

"That's.... That's okay."

"The scans were okay, right?" Elizabeth asked, sounding a little worried.

"Yes. Yes." The man answered.

"So.... Am I going to be able to do karate again?"

"One day at a time. I'm gonna borrow your mom for a second, okay?" He asked, and the boy nodded his head.

"Let me turn on the TV." She said, grabbing the remote and turned the big TV on.

"The Dodgers played last night."

She stepped out of the room, and the doctor was waiting for her. They slowly started discussing the possibility of her son not being able to walk again.

Ethan slowly turned his head to straight look out the window and noticed a sad expression on his mom's face. Then, he glanced down at his legs, looking confused.

"Why I can't move my own legs?"

Tory was at her apartment, sitting on the couch, counting money to see if she had enough for rent. Suddenly, knocking started coming from the front door.

"Hey, get in the other room."

She ran over to the door, peeked through the tiny hole, then opened it to reveal Kreese standing there.

"How'd you find me?"

"I could say I did recon in Nam, special forces training, 18 months of convert ops, but your address was on your paperwork." He explained to her.

"Tory, who is it?" Her mother asked from her bedroom.

"Nobody, mom." Tory replied, stepping out and closing the door behind her.

"I'm not going back to the dojo."

"Why's that?"

"Community service hours, probation, trying to get my GED.... Taking care of my little brother and my mom. I have to paid rent this month." She said.

"Life is kinda kicking my ass right now."

"You can always kick back." Kresse stated.

"That's what got me into this."

"You know, Ethan.... It's.... my fault what happened to him. Yeah, I just gotta stay out of trouble. Can't go to juvie."

"Your mother.... she's sick?" He asked, and she kept looking at the window by the front door.

"Mine was too."

"We lived in a place even less charming than this. If you can believe it."

"Trust me, this place isn't charming." She said, just as the landlord came by to fix a broken pipe.

"So, did she get better?"

"No. She didn't. It was a different kind of sickness. I didn't understand at the time."

"Look, if I could get back into the dojo, I would. But I don't have money for rent, let alone karate."

"What if your dues were on me? Those other students, they weren't born fighters like you and Williams." Kresse said, taking a step closer to her.

"Thanks. I have to get ready for work. I need every hour I can get. Or else...." Tory started, looking over her shoulder at her landlord.

"Or else what?"

"Don't worry about it." She replied, walking back to her apartment.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE AND LEAVE ANY FEEDBACK YOU GUYS HAVE :)

SEE YOU GUYS IN THE NEXT ONE!!!!

EDITED: 3/2/2024