THIRTY THREE.
( I should've built a home with a fountain for us. ) 

"Wait, so, you can just come here whenever you want? Why don't you just crash here instead of Kyler's?"

"I considered it at first," Emmy shrugged. "But, with his dad away, and his mom having to work and take care of him, I didn't want to give her something else to worry about. And, I didn't really feel like bringing all this karate drama here. They don't deserve that."

Robby hummed, staring at her side profile. "You know, I thought you were entirely different when I first met you."

She snorted. "Yeah, because when we first met, you were just a random kid in my backyard."

He cracked a smile. "I was, huh? And Sam didn't make anything better."

"I wasn't expecting her to," Emmy glanced at him. "Let me guess. She told you that I'm not big on family time and things are always awkward with me?"

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Yeah, actually. She said exactly that. How'd you know?"

Emmy chuckled. "It was my families default response when I was in a mood and they didn't want people to pry."

"Damn. That's harsh," he told her. "Do you think we would have been friends if none of that happened?"

"Of course," she said in disbelief. "You are way too much like me for our paths not to cross at least once. I feel like we would have gotten close regardless of what happens."

He didn't respond as she knocked on the door, only staring at her face. Was she always this pretty?

Robby was quickly snapped out of his thoughts as the door opened, revealing a confused Kenny. 

"What's up, bud?" Emmy smiled, holding out his backpack. "You left your backpack."

Kenny didn't smile once, only grabbing it and tossing it to the side. "Thanks."

"So how's Shawn?" Robby asked. "Is he still getting out this summer?"

"They gave him an extra month because he spit in a guard's face," Kenny solemnly answered. 

Robby chuckled. "Okay. Yeah, sounds like him. Hope it was the guard in the computer lab."

"Is that the guy who was always intensely staring at me when I came to visit you?" Emmy wondered. 

Robby thought for a moment. "Yeah, it was."

"I knew it!" she exclaimed. And then she turned her attention back to Kenny, and began to snap in his face. "Hey. What's with the look?"

"It's my fault," he gently said. 

"What do you mean?" Robby asked. 

"Shawn had some bad friends at school," Kenny began. "I caught one of them stealing from my parents. Guy came at me, but Shawn got between us. Beat him pretty bad. He was just defending me. With him gone, I've got no one. That's why I was hoping you could ⎯ "

"Look. We can't be your tutor," Robby cut him off, glancing at Emmy. "We have to focus on the All Valley. Especially her."

Emmy pressed her lips tightly together, knowing he was right. "He's right. I'm sorry, Ken."

"It's all right," he reassured her, before getting a notification from his phone and pulling it out from his pocket. His saddened mood was even more deflated as he watched whatever was on his phone. 

"What?" Robby furrowed his eyebrows. 

Kenny looked at him before shaking his head. "It's nothing."

"Bull," Emmy scoffed, before holding out her hand. "Give it. Now."

Kenny just sighed and handed her his phone. She looked down at the preview, seeing Kenny stood in front of his locker. She pressed play, watching as he opened his locker and gallons of milk began to pour out of it. "Oh, shit."

She turned to Robby, who had the same look on his face. She turned back to Kenny. "I guess a few moves wouldn't hurt."

✸

"You two have fun being boys?" Emmy walked into Kenny's bedroom, holding two cans of Pepsi. She handed them each a can before flopping onto Kenny's bed. 

"It was all right," Robby answered. "I do think it would have gone a lot smoother if you joined in instead of eating cake."

"Hey!" she exclaimed. "Kenny said I could have the last slice and I didn't wanna forget about it. Plus, it looks like to me you had it handled. Ain't that right, Kenny?"

The boy grinned, turning to Robby. "You are so cool."

Robby's eyebrows shot up in surprise, turning to Emmy. "Okay. Maybe it went a lot better than I thought."

"Told ya," she grinned, tucking her hair behind her ear. 

"So how long have you guys been dating?" Kenny asked. 

Immediate silence. 

"Kenny," Emmy nervously chuckled. "We aren't dating."

"Oh," the kid furrowed his eyebrows. "But, you always talked about him ⎯ "

Emmy stumbled off of Kenny's bed, running towards him and slapped a hand over his mouth. "And that's enough for today! Let's go do some homework, huh?"

Her hand remained on his face as she dragged him out of the room, giving Robby a quick smile. "We'll be downstairs."

He just nodded wordlessly, eyes following her until she was out of view. He leaned back in Kenny's chair, a small smile on his face. 

"She talks about me," he muttered under his breath, his smile growing bigger before taking a sip of his drink.

✸

"When is he coming?"

"Um, he should have been here by now," Emmy said, looking over at the clock in Kreese's office. Then, right on cue, the sound of the door bell ringing made her look over, and her face lit up. "Right on time."

"Look who's back for more," Tory leaned in closer to the both of them with a scoff. 

All the students looked to Kreese, wondering what he was going to say. 

"I want another shot," Kenny confidently said, his attitude much more different than his previous one. 

Kreese scoffed in disbelief. "I'm sorry, I don't have the time to teach weaklings."

"Give him another chance, Sensei," Robby spoke up, everyone turning to him.

"He's full of surprises," Emmy added on, Kenny looking at her with a smile. She smiled back, nodding at him.

"All right. On the mat," Kreese let in, gesturing for Kenny to step on the mat. "Mr. Park, make this quick."

"You got is, Sensei," Kyler sighed, not feeling intimidated at all. 

Kenny took off his shoes, a new found determination on his face as she huffed through his nose, eyes glaring into Kyler. He got in his fighting position, and Emmy clenched her fist tightly, eyes narrowly watching. 

"Ais!" Kyler grunted and charged at Kenny, who's face immediately dropped and he backed off the mat. 

Kyler burst out laughing. "Look at him, running to mommy. Bye, you little bitch."

And soon enough, everyone was laughing along with Kyler, and Emmy's fist tightened. 

"If Kenny doesn't do something, I'm gonna shove my foot up his ass," Emmy grumbled, eyes glaring into Kyler. 

"Just wait," Robby held out an arm in front of her, eyes curiously looking at Kenny, who was intensively staring at Kyler. "I have a feeling something's gonna happen."

And almost right after, Kenny stalked up to Kyler, and swung his fist into his face, causing Kyler to stumble back, face dropped in shock. "What the hell?"

Emmy's eyebrows shot up. "What did you teach him when I wasn't looking?"

"Just what I thought you would've taught him," Robby shrugged. 

Emmy looked at him with amusement, a smile growing. 

"He hit me when I wasn't looking," Kyler breathed out. "That's some bullshit."

"You're right. He didn't line up," Kreese said. "So that won't count as a point."

"Sorry, I didn't know the rules," Kenny frowned. 

"That was your one chance," Kreese told him. 

Kenny's shoulders deflated, turning to Emmy. She just looked at him, not sure what to say or do. He shook his head. "Okay."

Kreese watched as he went to walk away. "Where you going, Mr. Payne? Take your spot."

Kenny's face immediately lit up, eyes going to Emmy who looked at him excitedly. He gave a small fist pump, taking a spot on the mat. 

Emmy turned to Robby, who looked at her with a smile at the two quietly fist bumped. 

✸

"Yo, guys. My boy Rory, he got some free tickets to the drive-in tonight. I think they're going old school, something called Bloodsport?" Kyler walked up toe Tory, Emmy, and Robby. 

"I know that movie," Robby said. "My dad left an old VHS at our place. It was the only evidence I had that he even existed."

Emmy pursed her lips, patting his back. "We'll unpack that later."

He copied her facial expressions and nodded. 

"I heard it's dope. So, if you guys are in, let's do this," Kyler suggested. 

"Depends on how late I have to work tonight," Tory told him. "My new boss put on the schedule for today. Guy's a total creep."

Emmy frowned, wrapping her arms around Tory. "Want me to kick his ass?"

Tory sighed and shook her head, rubbing the girl's arm. "Maybe. But, it's all right for now."

"Okay," Emmy leaned her head on Tory's shoulder for a moment, rubbing her shoulders before pulling away. "Just call me."

"You got a new job? Where you working?" Robby asked. 

Tory's face turned sour. "It's none of your business."

"Okay," Robby looked at her weirdly. 

Kenny then walked into the dojo, wearing his white gi. Emmy immediately smiled at the sight of him, but it slowly started to fade as she saw the look on his face. "Kenny."

"Look who made it," Kyler commented. 

The boy came up in between Emmy and Robby, the blue look on his face no going away. Robby noticed. "What's up?"

"I was at the high school yesterday, and these older kids started messing with me," Kenny explained. "One guy told me I should quit Cobra Kai."

Emmy had a feeling. "Did he have a red mohawk?"

"Yeah," Kenny nodded and her heart dropped. 

"We still owe that Judas some payback," Tory scoffed.

"Everyone fall in," Kreese said. 

Robby turned to Emmy, frowning at the look on her face. "What's wrong?"

She let out a breath and shook her head. "Nothing."

She walked away from him, his eyes watching her with worry as he slowly got to his spot. 

"As you know, our enemies are working together. They are combining their styles to beat us. But they are destined to fail. Because there is only one way. And what is that way?"

"The Way of the Fist, sir!"

"Exactly. However, that does mean that we can't double down. Class, meet Sensei Terry Silver."

In walked a tall man with a white ponytail. 

"Co-founder of Cobra Kai and one of the most ferocious fighters in the history of the sport. Together, we built Cobra Kai from the ground up, and now he is here to help you prepare for the All Valley," Kreese then looked to Emmy. "Ms. LaRusso. I'm sure you can attest to my words."

Emmy thickly swallowed and nodded. During one of her father's drunken nights, she had heard him spill all of his worries to Mr. Miyagi's photo. 

"LaRusso?" Silver raised his eyebrows. "In Cobra Kai?"

Emmy felt an immediate chill run up her spine. 

"Yes," Kreese nodded. "LaRusso has been here since Johnny Lawrence started it up again. Even won her first ever All Valley. She has been an...incredible addition to the dojo."

Emmy mustered up her best small smile, glancing over at Kreese. "Thank you, Sensei."

"I must say," Silver stepped next to Kreese. "I'm impressed. I'm sure it wasn't easy to run by your father."

"I didn't tell him. He found out," Emmy quietly said. 

Silver hummed, looking her up and down. "I'm excited to see what you can do, Ms. LaRusso."

She bit her lip and bowed. "Thank you, Sensei Silver."

The man looked pleased and turned to Kreese. "Thank you, Sensei Kreese. It's an honor to be here."

Kreese continued on. "With two senseis, you will receive twice the instruction. That means twice the work. And if you are not prepared to put in 200%, then you can leave right now."

"But if you dig in and follow our lead," Silver spoke up. "We're gonna take you to the next level."

Emmy made eye contact with Silver, and gave a subtle nod. He smirked and nodded back at her. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE !

a bit of a shorter chapter but the ship is starting to sail