 ( chapter twenty eight )
QUEEN COBRA.

"The goal is to win at all costs. Those we thought to be our allies have turned against us. Now our enemies are attacking us from all sides. There is no turning back. Now is the time to show them what you are truly made of." Sensei Kreese spoke, standing before the class. "You're going to need to be strong enough to both start the fight and finish it. For good. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Sensei." The class spoke, working on punching and blocking as the man stood before them with a smirk. "Everybody circle up, we're going to spar today." Sensei Kreese directed, sending Syd a quick glance. She smirked, knowing that show she'd be able to show just how strong she was to anyone in the class who'd forgotten.

They all moved into a circle, Sensei Kreese walking around. He stopped before Syd. "You're up, Miss McKinley." Syd nodded, looking around as Sensei Kreese continued around the circle to find someone to fight her. All the boys put their heads down, basically avoiding Sensei Kreese's eye as he walked by them. She just smirked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Sensei Kreese glared around the room. "Scared, are we? Pathetic. If you can't even muster up the courage to face your own teammate how will any of you win in war?" He turned his head to Kyler, finishing the plan the way he intended. "Mr. Park, you're up." Syd watched Kyler nod, slowly moving across from her.

"Remember, right now the person across from you is your enemy. No mercy." Sensei Kreese directed. "Aits!" He shouted, moving to watch the fight with the rest of the team. Eli sighed, Kyler had no idea what was coming his way.

Kyler smirked, building up his confidence as he swung at the girl. Syd immediately dodged it, grabbing his arm and throwing him forward. He flipped over himself, landing on his back with a groan. Syd wasn't done, pulling the boy up by the front of his shirt and punching him across the face, hard.

He fell back down when she let him go, quickly standing and shakily getting into his own fighting position as the girl quickly attacked again, punching and dodging his counter attacks, suddenly sweeping his legs and slamming her leg down on his stomach. "Finish him." Sensei Kreese demanded, smirking. He'd set up a fight he knew Kyler couldn't win and he was happy to do it as he saw the fire fall back into Sydney's eyes.

She nodded, slamming her foot down onto his face before walking off. Kyler groaned, standing up himself and running back to his spot on the mat. Syd caught his eye, raising her eyebrows at the boy as he quickly looked away, not wanting to mess with the girl again. She smirked, facing the front again as Sensei Kreese continued matching people up to fight.

When class was over Syd checked her phone with a frown, looking toward Tory and Eli confused. "They cancelled the All Valley." Eli's eyes widened, moving to look over her shoulder and read it too. "What?"

"How could they cancel it?" Tory frowned, doing the same thing as she looked over Syds shoulder. Syd looked around, noticing the way the rest of the class seemed to be looking at the same thing she was. It was all because of the school fight, but removing a place to get all that aggression out didn't seem like the best plan to the girl.

Syd just frowned, reading over the message over and over again. Without the All Valley there was nothing to work towards, no goal at the end of the tunnel besides taking down their enemies. And Syd wanted to do more with her training than take down those who'd wronged her.

"Everyone, it seems you all see the news. People are scared, scared of what you all can do. They've seen the power you have now and want to snuff it. I will not let that happen. I will find a way to bring back the All Valley and our training will continue like normal. Does that make sense?" Sensei Kreese spoke, looking around the room. "Yes, Sensei!" The class responded, nerves easing.

"Then everyone head home, do not worry about this." Sensei Kreese finished, walking back into his office.

Syd smiled lightly, already feeling better about the whole situation. Sensei Kreese had their back, and he wouldn't let them down.

———————

Sydney laughed as she sat on Moons bed, the other girl dancing around, shaking her pom poms at Syd. "I still wish you'd ditch the guys and do cheer with me. The team could use your flexibility." Moon smiled, once again shaking her poms in her friend's face. "It could be fun!"

Syd just laughed again, pushing the pom poms away from her face. "Sorry, not for me. Besides, Cobra Kai is going really well and I've never been stronger, even my instructors at ballet have said so." Moon frowned slightly, nodding. "Okay. Just know you'll always be welcome if you change your mind. What's been up with Cobra Kai anyway? Sam says everyone is a bunch of bullies but I have a hard time seeing that when you're there. I still don't get what happened between the two of you."

Syd sighed, shrugging. "She just went too far with the rivalry and then acted like she never did. I don't need people surrounding me who are going to say nasty things just because our dojos aren't the same. And I wouldn't say the people defending themselves should be seen as bullies. Any fights that have happened since the school fight weren't started by us." Moon bit her lip, not really knowing what to say. She was still friends with both girls, but she'd been friends with Syd for as long as she could remember. But that didn't mean she was willing to just drop Sam either. It was just hard to see the fighting all the time.

"Well, I'm just happy you're happy. As long as there isn't unnecessary violence, I'm okay with both sides. I just want us all to be able to be friends again." Moon spoke honestly. "A good goal, but not very realistic at this point. I think too much has happened for anything to ever be the same again." Syd replied.

Moon sighed. "I don't think so either, but all of us moving on and being friends again doesn't mean it has to be the same as before, just better then now." Syd shrugged, smiling lightly as she grabbed Moons poms, moving them around for a moment. "How do you find these fun at all?" Both girls laughed, Syd handing the poms back to her friend as she once again went back to watching Moon jump around and dance.

"You know, it's always funny to see you surrounded by all those boys. They all bend at your every word, it's like you're the queen cobra." Moon giggled. "You'd think that title would be a good thing." Syd replied, laughing as well. "Oh, come on. A bunch of guys that will ask how high when you say jump can't be the worst thing in the world." Syd rolled her eyes, smiling. "Maybe not the worst but I swear it's like having 10 plus brothers at all times no matter where I am."

Soon enough Yasmine joined the two, sitting next to Syd on Moons bed. "What's been up with you, Yas? You were acting a bit skiddish at school." Moon recounted. Syd nodded, remembering how Yasmine kept looking back and forth as if she was trying to avoid someone.

Yasmine sighed. "Promise me you'll both forgive me for this. I had a moment of weakness." Moon and Syd looked to each other confused, both looking back at the girl. "Sure." Syd shrugged. Yasmine sighed, dragging the moment on. "I may have kissed Demetri and we may have been seen by Miguel and Sam. I have no idea why I finally find him so attractive, it's horrible!"

Syd had to hold back her laughter while Moon just let it out, both girls giggling as they looked at their friend. "This is serious!" Yasmine frowned, looking back and forth between the two. "I'm— I'm sorry, you're right." Syd nodded. "Thank you." Yasmine replied. Syd just made eye contact with Moon again, both girls laughing even harder than before.

"Okay what about this is so funny? You guys don't think I'm good enough for him or something?" Yasmine questioned. "Oh, god no, Yas. You're completely good enough for anyone you want to date. I think we were both just expecting something a lot worse." Moon laughed, wiping her eyes slightly.

Syd nodded. "I may have my own shit against him, but I promise you he is not better than you in any way. I'm sure he knows how lucky he is that you're interested." Yasmine nodded, sighing. "Okay, thank you. I don't know why I care for the dork but it just randomly hit me and now I kinda want to be around him more. It's horrible." Syd rolled her eyes. She definitely wasn't happy that her life with her friends just seemed to be getting even more intertwined with Miyagi-Do, but it wasn't her life. She wanted to keep Yasmine and Moon in her life which meant sometimes it didn't matter who she didn't like.

"You're acting like dating him could hurt your reputation. If you like him, go for it. And if you don't, keep waiting for his arm to heal and get that A." Syd shrugged. Yasmine nodded. "You're right. Thanks." Syd smiled lightly, "Anytime."

Moon smiled as she looked at the two, suddenly jumping on her bed and landing on them both with a laugh. Yasmine and Syd both laughed as well, Moon going between them as they all sat together like old times.

Syd remembered when she was little and the three would sit in this exact position, just talking for hours. Everything was so much simpler then and she missed it.

Syd laid her head on Moons shoulder, just listening as her two friends discussed the plans the three would have once summer finally hit.

———————

Syd walked down the stairs at Eli's, smiling as she caught the boy just hanging out on the couch, hair out of his mohawk and everything. "Hey there." Syd smiled. The boy looked up, shocked to see her but happy she was there. "How'd you get in?" He wondered.

"Your mom, what can I say she loves me." Syd smiled, sitting next to him. "I thought we could hang out." He nodded, wrapping an arm around her waist as she moved closer to him. "Yeah? I think I like that idea." Syd smiled, directing the boys chin so he was looking at her. She watched as his eyes immediately softened, smile only growing before she planted a kiss on his lips. He was quick to kiss back, facing her completely as he placed both hands on her waist.

Suddenly Syd felt herself pulled forward, laying over the boy as moved one of his hands to cup her face while the other stayed on her waist.

When the two pulled apart, Eli held her close, wrapping both arms around her frame as her head laid on his chest. "Hey, Syd?" Eli suddenly spoke. "Yeah?" The girl wondered, looking up slightly to look at the boys face. "Is your favorite color still green?" He asked. She laughed slightly, not knowing why he was suddenly asking her such a random question. "Yeah, why?"

"Just wondering." The boy replied, lightly drawing shapes on her back. In his mind he knew why he wanted to know. He wanted to know if any part of the girl was staying the same as she continued to change right before his eyes. He wanted to know if one of the first things she'd told him about herself and her likes was still apart of who she was. And he was happy to hear that it was.

Syd smiled, shaking her head. "You're so weird." Eli just laughed. "Yeah, yeah." Syd switched their positions quickly, the boy finding himself suddenly lying over her as Syd found her hand playing in his hair while the other hand held onto his arm. Eli smiled, melting into the girl as she continued. "Do you ever wonder if we chose the right side?" Eli wondered softly. Syd frowned, almost instinctively holding onto the boy tighter. "No." She replied, knowing deep down it was a lie.

"Do you?" She asked, pretty certain of the response she'd get. "Sometimes, but then I think about how we're on the same side and I stop questioning it." Eli replied, truthfully. Syd sighed, feeling tears prickling the corners of her eyes. "What happens if we end up on different sides?"

He looked up at that, instantly wiping the girls eye on one side. She leaned into his touch, smiling slightly. "I won't let that happen, okay? No matter what, I'll always be on your side." She nodded, believing him. Eli quickly pressed him lips to hers, smiling at the girl as he pulled away and just looked at her for a moment. He truly couldn't think of a single person he'd rather be with and he was just so happy he'd been lucky enough to be there with her.

"You've always got me, no matter what." Eli voiced again. "And you've always got me." Syd replied, smiling as the boy laid back on her chest again. She felt better, but she still worried where people would end once the war was over.

AUTHORS NOTE!
gotta love having my OC not understand cheer when I've literally been a cheerleader for almost 6 years