𐙚˙ ༘ ⋆｡ ˚( DECODE ! )
❛ SECOND TOURNAMENT ❜
CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO !

CHARLIE BOUNCED ON HER TOES, shaking out her limbs in a attempt to calm her nerves. Today was finally the tournament day, and all charlie could think about was fighting cobra kai.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you've been waiting a long time, but we're finally here." he began, and the crowd erupted in cheers, a sound that only raised Charlie's unease, "Dojos from all across the valley have been training for a year for their shot at glory!"

A year? Charlie struggled to wrap her mind around it. So much had happened in that time; it felt like a lifetime. Last year, she had been part of Cobra Kai, but now the dojo was under the control of two bullies she couldn't stand, people she'd do anything to keep away from her brother. The thought twisted her stomach further.

"Are you okay?" A voice broke through her spiraling thoughts. She turned to see Johnny standing behind her, concern etched across his face.

She forced a smile, her heart racing despite her past experiences in tournaments. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You've got nothing to worry about. You could kick everyone's ass any day." he reassured her, his gaze shifting toward Daryl, who stood confidently on stage.

"Thanks, Dad," she replied, "Is Mom here yet?"

"Yeah, I just spoke with her. Look in the middle to the left; Alyssa and her girlfriend are with her," Johnny explained, a proud smile creeping across his face for remembering Alyssa's name.

Charlie raised an eyebrow, impressed. "You actually got her name right—well done."

Johnny shook his head, a chuckle escaping his lips. But before she could say anything more, she spotted Eli standing with the Miyagi-Do's. "I'll be back in a minute," she said, setting off at a quick jog.

As she approached Eli, he looked up, and she tilted her head to get him to come over. They stood together, surrounded by the other dojos preparing for fight.

"You nervous?" Charlie asked, instinctively reaching for his hand. His confidence was clear, and it reassured her, if only a little.

"Nah. You?" he replied with a relaxed grin.

"No, no," she muttered quickly, but the skeptical look on his face prompted her to confess. "It's just . . . I don't want to fight Sam. Or Tory, for that matter."

"Listen, you and Sam both know it's nothing personal. And as for Tory, I'm pretty sure you'll show her what's what," he said, his words getting a small laugh from her. Just then, Daryl's voice boomed through the arena once more, announcing the teams.

Charlie glanced back at Eli. "Guess we gotta head back now. Good luck."

Eli cupped her cheek, leaning down to press a soft kiss on her lips. "You too."

Her heart fluttered as they parted, and she returned to her spot with the Eagle Fangs. Miguel shot her a suspicious glance, clearly curious about what he'd just witnessed, but her attention was drawn to the glare Johnny was sending Eli.

"All right! This sensei and dojo need no introduction. He took the All Valley by storm in 1984 and '85, and quickly became one of the greatest underdogs in the history of the sport. Last year, this dojo came out of nowhere and made it to the finals. They've got some new fighters, and they're ready to show the world that they're the best around. Give it up for miyagi-do karate, led by two-time all valley champion Daniel LaRusso!"

The crowd cheered as the Miyagi-Do team emerged from the smoke, and Charlie cupped her hands around her mouth, cheering loudly. Johnny shot her a puzzled look.

"What are you doing? They're not our team!" he exclaimed with his hounds out in front of him.

Charlie grinned, unbothered. "Well, my best friends and boyfriend are on that team. And regardless of what team they're on, I'm cheering for them!"

She watched as Eli walked into view, a broad smile on his face, and she couldn't resist another cheer.

Miguel raised an eyebrow. "So, you guys finally made it official now?"

Charlie nudged his shoulder, her eyes still locked on Eli. He caught her gaze, flashed his signature grin, and mouthed, "I love you." before she did the same.

"This next dojo took last year's title," Daryl announced, and Charlie's excitement disappeared as he introduced Cobra Kai. Her mood soured, and she rolled her eyes; they only won because of Johnny and Miguel.

"But they're under new management. Can they reign supreme once more? And last year's runner-up, he may be wearing a new gi, but one things for sure, Robby keene and his team are ready to strike! Hailing from reseda, defending champions and still the most badass name for a dojo, here comes cobra Kai!"

The dojo walked forward from the red smoke, with confident smirks plastered all over their faces. Charlie's gaze zeroed in on Robby, but as soon as he met her eyes, he looked away — a pit forming in her stomach once more.

"And finally, this dojo is making their all valley debut, though you'll recognise a few familiar faces. Every year, a new dojo rises up the ranks. Does this newcomer have what it takes to win it all? Please welcome eagle fang karate, led by sensei Johnny Lawrence, and defending champion Miguel Diaz!"

The crowd erupted in cheers for the last time as Charlie and the rest of the Eagle Fangs followed Johnny and Miguel. She scanned the crowd, sighing in relief when she spotted Alyssa, Moon, and her mom, all cheering them on.

As they took their place beside the Miyagi-Do team, Daryl continued, "At the end of the day, only one of these dojos can be crowned grand champion. Welcome to the 51st annual All Valley Under-18 Karate Tournament! It's karate time."

【☆】★【☆】

BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT BEGAN, johnny gathered the team for one final pep talk, and Charlie felt her nerves slightly ease.

She watched as everyone began competing in the skills competition and she made sure to cheer louder than everyone when her friends and teammates went on.

Finally, it was her turn. The karate bo; a staff that Johnny had drilled into her hands over many practices. Charlie took a deep breath, confidence running through her. She swung the bo, the air whistling around her as she twirled and spun. She stayed mostly centered on the stage, but with each small turn, people clapped.

As she finished her routine with a bow, the crowd erupted into applause, and a grin spread across her face. She returned to her spot with the Eagle Fangs, while Miguel pulled her into a small hug.

Her gaze found Eli, who flashed her a proud smile. Before he stepped onto the stage for his turn, she discreetly gave him a thumbs-up, wishing him all the luck in the world.

Eli approached the group of boards, breaking each one with powerful strikes. But when it came time to leap and shatter the final board mid-air, he missed, landing with a thud on the mat. The disappointment on his face tugged at Charlie's heart, but she met him with an encouraging look, silently assuring him that he had done his best.

Now it was Devon's turn and once she completed her skills routine, she rushed forward, and hugged charlie. Charlie rested her chin on top of her head, and swayed a little.

As the skills competition wrapped up, the results flashed on the scoreboard—Cobra Kai held the top spot, Miyagi-Do was second, and Eagle Fang found itself in sixth. Charlie's stomach twisted with anxiety; she had declared they would take down Cobra Kai at the dojo, but now doubt crept in.

"How the hell are we in sixth place?" Johnny grumbled, turning to face his students.

"The skills events are weighed differently than the karate divisions. Gold medals are ten points, silver—" Devon began to explain before Johnny interrupted her.

"I don't give a shit about the math! What do we need to do to beat Cobra Kai?" He shook his head.

Devon's eyes rolled slightly, her tone flat yet with sarcasm. "Uh, math. To catch up on points, we need to win as many matches in the qualifying rounds as possible. The further we get as a team, the tighter the vice around cobra kai's metaphorical balls."

Johnny's face lit up, "Okay, good. Now you're speaking my language."

Charlie smirked, wrapping an arm around Devon's shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Aren't we glad to have Devon?"

Before Johnny could shoot back another sarcastic remark, the announcer stepped onto the stage, getting the crowd's attention. "Ladies and gentlemen, the male and female division qualifiers are about to begin! And with them, we enter a new era! That's why we need a very special guest to kick things off. Let's give a big all valley welcome to multi-Grammy-award-winning, international superstar . . . "

The suspense was killing Charlie and clearly Miguel too because the two teenagers both tried leaning to the side to see who was coming out.

"Carrie Underwood!"

Charlie's eyes widened in disbelief, and she began jumping up and down as the blonde walked onto the stage. Her heart raced; she had learned every one of Carrie's songs and now, here she was.

Carrie delivered a heartfelt speech before singing one of Charlie's favorite songs. And she held her arms around Miguel and Bert, while they sang along.

After the song came to an end, daryl announced the tournament's start. Charlie carefully watched every match, cheering for everyone she knew, even those on the other teams.

Finally, it was her moment. "Good luck, Charls," Miguel whispered, leaning down to give her a reassuring smile. She returned it with a big grin, her heart pounding as she stepped onto the mat.

Her opponent was unfamiliar, but that didn't faze her. They bowed to one another before the ref began the fight. Charlie struck first, delivering a kick that scored her a point. The match was over in the next five minutes, ending with Charlie winning at 3-1.

She sprinted toward her team, and they walked forward to envelop her in a hug. When she pulled away, Eli mouthed a silent "well done." that made a smile break through her lips.

Bert was after her. The blonde went up and beat his opponent which made Charlie's eyes widened in surprise as he approached her first. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, giving him a quick squeeze. "You did great!"

With the majority of the matches finishing up, they all walked up onto the stage as they advanced to the quarter-finals. Only Miguel, Charlie, and Devon remained on the Eagle Fang team. Charlie's nerves returned when she watched the officials swap out the team names for their actual surnames.

Miguel noticed her anxiety as they stepped off the mats, and he leaned closer to give her a reassuring rub on the arm. "You've got this," he murmured before stepping back onto the stage to face his opponent.

Miguel easily had it in the bag, and Charlie knew it, so there was no surprise when his hand was lifted up and he was declared the winner.

Next up was Devon, and Charlie made sure to give her a small pep talk as a way to help her and give her some pointers.

Charlie winced as Tory landed a swift kick to Devon's face, earning the first point. Her heart sank even further when Johnny shouted from the sidelines, "C'mon, ref! She was out of bounds—where are your eyes!" But the referee remained oblivious, and continued the fight, until he announced tory the winner.

Devon wore an expression of frustration as she returned to her team. Charlie placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, rubbing it gently.

"It's all right. You did great out there today." Johnny tried to reassure.

But Devon shook her head, her mood darkening. "I let her shut me out! I should've focused on my low game."

"She's been at this longer than you. There's no reason to feel bad." Johnny tried again.

"Oh, I don't feel bad. I've only trained for six weeks," she replied, her gaze shifting toward Cobra Kai with a smirk now on her face, "I'm gonna be stomping all of these week ass bitches next year."

Charlie couldn't help but smile, patting Devon's shoulder. "That's my girl."

"So with you out, what's our chances of winning?" Johnny asked the shorter girl.

Devon quickly calculated, "If Charlie wins her match, and her and Miguel make it to the finals and they win, then, technically, we still have a chance."

Johnny's gaze drifted to the two teens standing behind devon. "Good chance."

Charlie and Miguel exchanged a look filled with confidence for each other, but uncertainty for themselves.

As the next match began, Charlie's attention shifted to Demetri. When he won, she did the same cheer she had done for everyone, and she could tell her voice was going. But her joy turned to concern when she spotted Cobra Kai making their way towards Eli.

"Be right back!" she muttered to her team, before walking around the stage to them. As she approached, she caught Kyler smirking, pointing above his top lip, "Lip." he taunted.

"Asshole," she muttered under her breath, brushing past him. She could hear the jabs aimed at her and her friends, but her focus was on Eli.

"Ignore Kyler; you know he's a dick," Charlie said, her voice steady as she reached her boyfriend, "He's just trying to get a rise out of you. But that's not who you are, anymore."

Eli looked down, a shadow of doubt crossing his face. "I don't know who I am these days."

"The Mohawk doesn't define you. I liked it, sure, but I've always had a soft spot for buzz cuts. Even the old one you had with the patchy pieces." Charlie and Eli broke out into a laugh, remember the day a few years ago when he tried to shave his own head.

His expression softened slightly as she continued, "But I didn't like you for that. I liked you for who you are and who you're becoming," she added, her tone honest. She was proud of how far he had come, after the person he'd been in cobra kai.

Yet Eli remained distant, still caught up in Kyler's taunts. Charlie stepped closer, gently cupping his face and pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

Just then, Daryl's voice echoed through the arena, cutting through the moment. "Next up in the quarter-finals, it's Kyler Park of Cobra Kai versus Eli Moskowitz of Miyagi-Do!"

As the announcer finished, Charlie broke away, a small smirk creeping onto her lips. "Looks like you've got some cobra kai ass to kick."

With a quick peck on his cheek, she watched Eli's confidence began to return, his posture straightening as he climbed onto the stage.

The referee signaled the start of the fight, and Eli lunged forward, striking first. Kyler was quick on his feet though, blocking each incoming hit. But then Eli went left and sent a solid punch into Kyler's stomach. The impact forced a groan from Kyler's lips, and Eli grinned, his first point secured.

From the sidelines, Charlie cheered him on, as she whistled through her fingers. Eli shot her a quick smile. The fight continued, and before Kyler could see it coming, Eli quickly kicked him again in the stomach, earning his second point of the fight.

The ref set them off again, while Eli jumped up to kick Kyler's chest, sending him crashing to the mat. Kyler groaned out as he lay on the floor and all of cobra kai's faces now looked annoyed.

As Charlie finished her cheers, her gaze shifted to the cobra kai corner, locking eyes with Robby. She raised an eyebrow, as if to silently challenge him with an 'I told you so.' His irritation was blatant as he turned away.

The next match was announced: Sam against Piper. Charlie crossed her fingers, holding her middle finger over her index, hoping for Sam's victory. Deep down, she knew Sam had it, but a little extra luck never hurt.

As expected, Sam won with a score of 3-1. Charlie clapped loudly, joined by Miguel, as Sam returned to her corner. She watched her argue with Daniel and she knew it was over Sam practicing with eagle fang. She had been, for a few days now, but if it meant she won, then Charlie didn't understand why Daniel was mad.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the announcer called out the next match that involved Robby versus Kenny. She furrowed her brows because they were on the same team and shouldn't be fighting but she shook it off, focusing on the fight.

Kenny managed to score a point, but a timeout was called by Kreese. Charlie watched, her heart sinking as she saw Kreese whispering insidiously to Robby, probably planting seeds of manipulation — because the look on his face and the immediate kick he did when the fight started made her look away.

The fight resumed, and Robby's aggressive hits quickly earned him two more points, the second one landing painfully on Kenny's face. A collective wince travelled through the crowd as Kenny stood up, clutching his nose in agony. He ran off the stage, while Robby hurried after him.

"And now, our first semifinal match will be Miguel Diaz of Eagle Fang versus Eli Moskowitz of Miyagi-Do!" Daryl's voice boomed through the microphone.

"Are you ready?" Charlie asked Miguel, standing beside him as he shook off the tension, preparing for battle.

"Yeah, we both know it's nothing personal," he replied, maintaining a focused expression.

"All right, just remember, you've beaten Hawk before, just remember that killer instinct," Johnny encouraged, and Miguel nodded until the last bit, "Take his ass out."

"Dad!" Charlie interjected, raising her voice slightly. She loved both of them and wanted them to win, but she wasn't thrilled by the aggression in Johnny's words.

Miguel frowned, taken aback. "What? Take his ass out? Hawk is my friend."

"He's fighting for LaRusso now. He picked his side. Whose side are you on?" Johnny questioned.

"Yours." Miguel replied reluctantly.

"Are you sure? Hawk may be your friend, but if you wanna win this thing, you need to beat him," Johnny insisted, gesturing toward Eli.

Miguel mirrored Charlie's earlier expression, confusion on his face. "Whose side are you on?"

Johnny hesitated, his brow furrowing. "What do you mean? I'm on your side, Diaz. Always."

As the referee called both fighters to the stage, Charlie's cheers rang out. A small smile formed on her lips as they both seemed to fight with full power and not less just because they were friends — it was good that they trusted each other like that.

Initially, Miguel held the upper hand. But as he jumped into the air for his kick, an unexpected twist in his back sent a sharp pain through him. He fell to the mat, gasps coming from the crowd as Charlie and Johnny rushed to his side.

"Miggy?" Charlie cried out as she knelt beside him. He clutched his back, still grimacing in pain.

Eli shared her concern, and crouched down beside them, his hands hovering uncertainly as the medic approached.

"Sensei!"

✧ • • 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 • • ✧ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

longgg chapter, I'm so tired

this sounds so repetitive so I'm deffo rewriting when I get the time, let's air rn

please comment and vote !