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Two days after their tearful and cathartic heart-to-heart, Sam and Tory once again met at the dojo early in the morning. Today would be the first Miyagi-do and Eagle Fang class since the showdown with Cobra Kai, now that everyone - teachers and students alike - had taken some time to rest and recover. Sam, as usual, had come early to warm up by herself, when she heard the gate open slowly and saw Tory arrive. Tory had also come by herself, which surprised Sam. She’d thought Tory and Robby would have arrived together this time.
Sam smiled and waved, and Tory waved back. Sam thought Tory looked tired, even a bit distraught, so she hurried down from the deck to meet her.
“Hey, hi. Is everything alright?”
Tory nodded. “Yeah, I’m good. I just…” she held up her right hand, now almost fully healed, and flexed it gingerly. “I just had a nightmare about what they did to me.”
“Oh, that sucks.” Sam laid a hand on Tory’s shoulder. “Do you wanna talk about it?”
Tory shook her head and let out her breath. “Thanks, I’m alright. It was just a dream.”
“Yeah but still, it’s horrible what happened to you.” Sam didn’t know what else to say. Tory could only nod again, so Sam pulled her closer. “C’mere.” Tory came to her without hesitating, and Sam hugged her tenderly. “It’s okay, Tory,” she whispered, rubbing Tory’s back much like Tory had done for her the other day. “You were there for me… now I’m here for you.” It was Sam’s turn to give Tory a kiss, soft and gently on the cheek. Tory sighed and lay her head on Sam’s shoulder. Sam felt the rock-hard muscles all across Tory’s upper body release some of their tension, ever so slightly. “Cobra Kai can’t hurt you anymore,” she said then.
“I know.” Tory held on to her a little more snugly.
They held each other quietly for a moment. Sam closed her eyes, feeling the warm sunrise at her back and Tory’s strong figure in her arms. It amazed her how far they’d come in a short time, and how much she now truly wanted Tory’s friendship. “You know, I can’t even believe this is happening,” she said softly, close by Tory’s ear. “But, Tory… I’m really, really glad you’re here.”
“Me too, Sam.” Tory squeezed her even tighter for an instant and kissed her on the cheek. Then she stood up straight and stretched her arms overhead. “Thank you, baby,” she continued. “I’m alright now, for real. Robby’s on his way with his dad and Miguel. They’ll be here soon.”
“Oh good. In the meantime,” Sam grinned and gestured around the dojo. “Welcome, officially, to Miyagi-do Karate. Want to do anything together till they get here? We could stretch out, or do some basics or something.”
“Actually…” Tory looked at Sam more closely and smiled. “Could you show me your kata?”
“Of course!” Sam’s baby blue eyes were practically twinkling, Tory thought, as she took hold of Tory’s good hand and brought her up onto the sparring deck. “Kata,” Sam explained, “is the foundation of Miyagi-do.”
“Really? It doesn’t even look much like karate, from what I’ve seen.”
“That’s because Miyagi-do isn’t an aggressive style like Cobra Kai. Still, it has its hard-hitting moves, and you’ll recognize some of the defensive techniques Robby taught you.” Sam paused and showed Tory one of the deeper, more difficult stances. “More than anything, though,” she continued, “kata trains you to keep your balance at all times. Balance is the key to karate, my dad says. Actually, he says Mr. Miyagi used to say, ‘Balance good, karate good, everything good. Balance bad, better pack up and go home!”
Tory burst out laughing. Sam came out of her stance and looked at her curiously. “What?” Tory asked, still smiling.
“Nothing.” Sam shook her head. “I’ve just never seen you laugh like that.”
“It’s been a long time,” Tory admitted. “But I needed a good laugh.”
“Yeah. You know, I think you would’ve liked Mr. Miyagi. He could be really funny sometimes.” Sam looked over at the indoor dojo, that had once been Mr. Miyagi’s house, for a moment. “But, moving on.” She turned back to Tory. “Watch me once, and then we’ll do it together, alright? We’ll go slow.”
She demonstrated her kata at a beginner’s pace, while Tory stood and watched closely. Tory soon found that she did recognize some of the individual moves that Robby had taught her and the other Cobras before the All-Valley. Other techniques, various stances, and the overall sequence, however, were unlike anything she’d ever done before. Nevertheless, Tory welcomed the new challenge. When Sam finished the kata and began anew, Tory joined in beside her. Sam did her best to give tidbits of instruction as they went.
The first time through was slow and awkward, but Tory was eager to try again. She gradually began to memorize the moves, and she did her best to understand the purpose of each of them as Sam described. By the start of the third repetition, she was smiling as widely as Sam. Training beside her former rival, challenging her body and mind without aggression, seemed to awaken something within herself. She couldn’t quite understand it, but she liked the feeling nonetheless.
They were almost through when they heard the dojo gate swing open. They looked up and saw Miguel and Robby coming towards them.
“Look at this!” Miguel said, grinning. He turned to Robby and continued, “Practicing kata together instead of trying to kill each other.”
Robby nodded. “It’s a beautiful thing.”
The girls finished their kata, bowed, and stood up straight.
“Hey guys.” Sam grinned and mopped her brow, and Tory brushed her ponytail off her shoulder.
Robby and Miguel walked up to the sparring deck. Robby looked at Tory for a moment, then turned to Sam. “So, you convinced her to join up after I couldn’t.” He grinned then. “I gotta say I’m impressed, Sam.”
Sam shrugged. “I’m just glad we can finally all be friends, and do this together instead of against each other. And, actually… Robby, I need your help.” She motioned for Robby to join her and Tory on the sparring deck. “Can you show Tory kata, while I try to explain it to her?”
“You got it.” Robby jogged up the steps.
“Robby’s really good at kata,” Sam explained, turning to Tory… who simply nodded and grinned. Sam thought she was actually blushing, slightly.
Tory watched Robby perform his kata with the same fluidity and grace that Sam had, yet with a degree of focus and power all his own. It was almost mesmerizing, she thought, though she made herself concentrate and listen to Sam as much as she watched Robby.
“Okay, ready to try it again?” Sam asked, once Robby had finished. Tory nodded.
“How about you and I do it on either side of Tory this time?” Robby suggested.
“And wait for me. I need to practice too.” Miguel joined them on the deck and took his place on Sam’s other side.
Side by side beneath the rising sun, Miguel, Sam, Tory, and Robby performed their kata slowly… then again, a little faster… then again, and again, until even Tory could do it at a natural pace.
“Looking good, guys!” said a voice. Johnny strode into the yard.
Robby smirked. “Hey, Dad. When are you gonna learn this?”
“I dunno, man. You wanna teach me sometime?”
“Anytime!”
“Cool.” Johnny looked at Tory. “Miss Nichols, could I see you for a second?”
Tory hesitated, looking at each of her friends.
“Go on,” Miguel urged her, “I’m sure he just wants to catch up.”
“Yeah, he’s gotten pretty chill these days,” Robby added. “Still, we can go with you if you want.”
Tory shook her head. “Thanks. If you guys are sure, then I think I got this.” She took a deep breath and made her way down from the sparring deck and over to Johnny. “Yes, Sensei?”
Johnny looked at her for a moment, then simply said, “How are you doing? It’s good to have you back.”
“Thanks, Sensei. I’m alright.” Tory let out her breath and looked at him more closely. “And, you know, I’m really sorry that I -”
“Don’t be.” Johnny shook his head. “You were only doing what you thought was right. Plus, I was still learning how to be a sensei when you first joined up. I’m just glad Kreese isn’t around anymore, to mess with you like he did with me.”
“Yeah, I really thought he had my back. But in the end…” Tory trailed off and sighed.
“I know, it sucks,” Johnny admitted. “But now you’re back with us, and we can put all that crap behind us, for good. Alright?”
Tory stood quietly for a moment, then bowed. “Yes, Sensei. And thanks again.”
Johnny bowed back. “Carry on, Miss Nichols.”
Tory rejoined her friends, where they’d stood watching her and Johnny. “Well, you guys were right.” She laughed softly, feeling a certain weight lifted from her chest.
“Yeah, you’re gonna fit right in,” said Miguel. “Cause, I mean, everything Sensei Lawrence teaches is straight out of Cobra Kai anyway, just less…” He shrugged.
“Psycho?” Tory suggested. Reflexively, she cradled her right hand in her left.
“Exactly.” Miguel nodded. “Anyway, why don’t we stretch out before class?”
They ran through some light calisthenics and static stretches, and it wasn’t long before Daniel arrived, coming through the sliding door of the inner dojo. After chatting quietly with Johnny for a moment, he approached the sparring deck.
“How are we doing?” He rubbed his hands together.
“Hey, Dad, we’re doing great. And look who’s here!” Sam wrapped her arm around Tory’s waist.
Daniel nodded. “Nice to see you, Tory. Welcome to Miyagi-do.”
“Thanks, Sensei LaRusso. And…” Tory shook her head and looked down at her sneakers. Sam held her a little more snugly.
“No apologies or explanations are necessary,” Daniel said. “You’re here. That’s what matters. I’ve told my students before… anyone can get drawn in by Cobra Kai, but you can always come back from the path that it sets you on. I’ve been there and back myself.”
Tory looked curiously at Daniel. “You were in Cobra Kai?”
“That’s right. Believe it or not, I wasn’t much older than you when I first got mixed up with Terry Silver. We can talk about that sometime, if you like.” Daniel glanced at his watch. “It’s almost class time though, so you guys can keep warming up. I’m sure everyone will be along any minute.”
Demetri and Eli were the first to come through the gate, and they hurried to join their friends on the sparring deck. After exchanging fist bumps with Robby, Miguel, and Sam, Eli turned to Tory and grinned.
“So, you made it.” Tory nodded, and he added, “You know, if you think about it, you’re actually back where you started - with Sensei Lawrence, Miguel, and me - just in a better place now.” He paused for a moment. Tory stood quietly, but eventually she smiled and Eli held his hand out high. “Welcome home, Tory!” They slapped high five and clasped hands firmly, then pulled each other closer and hugged.
Sam stood nearby and watched Tory and Eli. Her eyes misted over and she dabbed at them with the back of her hand. Miguel put his arm around her, and she leaned against his shoulder.
Demetri gave Tory a fist bump. “I’m just glad you’re on our side now.”
“Me too,” Tory replied. “Though hopefully there won’t be sides anymore.”
“That’d be nice.” Demetri cracked his knuckles. “Still, I’ve got a sinking feeling we haven’t seen the last of the Wicked Witch yet.”
Sam noticed Tory flexing and cradling her right hand again, and came to her side. “If Sensei Kim does show up again,” she said, “we’ll deal with her then, together. All of us.”
Many other Miyagi-do and Eagle Fang students came up to Tory before practice, offering words of welcome and gratitude. Unused to such an outpouring, she accepted them all graciously but grew quiet, staying close to Sam, Miguel and Robby. Eventually the class spread out in the yard and the students began to loosen up.
One of the last arrivals was Devon, wearing her red and black Eagle Fang gi. She paused in the gateway, looking around curiously at the Miyagi dojo - the sparring deck, the koi pond, and the house-turned-inner-dojo. Then she caught Tory’s eye, and Tory waved her over. Devon jogged across the yard, pausing to exchange a bow and a few words with Johnny before joining Tory and the others on the sparring deck.
“You made it!” Tory said, echoing Eli.
Devon nodded. “No gi’s here, huh?”
“Yeah, this place is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, but I like it already.” Tory winked at Sam, who smiled but said nothing.
“It’s beautiful here,” Devon agreed, looking around. “And after Eagle Fang’s grimy warehouse, I’m ready for anything.”
“Oh, we still work out there sometimes!” Laughing, Miguel came over to greet Devon as well. “This is just our ‘flagship dojo’ now, and Sam’s dad is the head sensei.”
“Got it.” Devon then turned to Sam and held out a hand. “It’s nice to finally, officially, meet you, Sam.”
“You too, Devon.” They shook hands firmly, looking each other in the eye. “I’m really glad Tory had a friend while she was stuck in Cobra Kai.”
Devon tightened the knot in her belt. “It was actually Tory who was looking out for me, the whole time.”
“And you stuck by her when she really needed you,” Sam replied. “So, thank you.”
Devon looked closely at Sam for a moment. Then her eyes flicked back and forth between Tory and Sam. “So… you two are friends now, all of a sudden?”
Before Tory or Sam could answer, Johnny called out, “Alright guys, let’s fall in!”
The class lined up in rows, all across the yard. Sam and Tory stood next to each other with Miguel and Robby on their other sides, and Demetri, Eli, and Devon behind them - Devon directly behind Tory. They looked at each other quietly, baby blue and bright green eyes gazing into each other for a moment. Then they smiled and turned to face their senseis, bowing along with all their classmates.
“Ready?” Daniel called out.
And Johnny commanded, “Let’s begin!”