My Cobra Guy

Episode Seventy-Eight

Johnny sighed as the kids started sparring in groups of three. Sophie was paired with Chris and Robby. Sam, Blane, and Nathaniel formed another group. And the last was Regina, Hawk, and Miguel. They'd tried to mix up the groups with some newer and older members, leaving the more seasoned students to coach the newer. Miguel, Robby, and Sam were their three best, so one was placed in each group.

"Do you think he's telling the truth?" Johnny asked Daniel as he eyed Robby.

"It's hard to say. I believe June and Regina are keeping an eye on him," Daniel said, considering Robby.

"I want to believe him. He's my son." Johnny knew June or Regina gave Robby rides to and from school, and he only left the house with either one of them. But who was to say Robby wasn't skipping school?

"I understand," Daniel said, glancing at Sam, who neatly knocked Nathaniel onto his back. "Do you want him to come stay with us? I don't want to keep you from your son."

"It's not you who's keeping him from me," Johnny said. "If he's around me all the time, him or me, one of us is gonna fuck it up. And then he might be back to Cobra Kai." The letter from the tournament had, in Johnny's eyes, exonerated Robby. It was pathetic he needed a letter to do that, and not just Robby's word.

"You and I are living under one roof," Daniel said. "You and Robby can manage. Robby will be— is part of our family."

"I'll talk to him after class," Johnny agreed, trying to push away all his misgivings and embrace the warmth in Daniel's words about family.

Robby dodged a punch from Sophie that really would have hurt, and managed to land a kick in her ribs. He was holding back, and Johnny didn't blame him. It'd be strange to fight against a girl.

A loud "Fuck!" had Johnny and Daniel turning to see Regina standing in front of a reeling Miguel.

"Take this seriously," Regina taunted. "Come on. I know you're pissed Robby with the good hair's back. Maybe Sam's checking out the walking shampoo commercial. Hit m—"

Regina took a thrust kick to her gut, a damned hard one by the looks of it. Johnny waited for tears and howling.

Regina gave her ponytail a shake and came at him again.

Hawk looked on in confusion.

"What. The. Fuck?" Johnny whispered. Regina typically avoided sparring if she could. It was like the hits she took barely affected her. And she was not as good as Miguel; a lot more of his hits and kicks landed. But Regina's eyes weren't even tearing.

Hawk stared at Daniel and Johnny, full of concern, his body tensed as if he were going to go after Miguel.

When she took a jab to the jaw, a nasty bruise beginning to blossom, Johnny and Daniel both stepped in at the same time.

"That's enough!" Johnny said, but not in his loud, military voice. He didn't want the other students to stop their practice.

Regina and Miguel snapped out of their haze. Miguel lost his balance as he stopped mid-kick, and Regina steadied him. He cast her a confused look.

"Let's not kill each other," Daniel said.

"It's a bruise. It'll be gone by tomorrow mostly," Regina said, opening and closing her mouth, stretching her aching jaw.

What the hell was Johnny supposed to say? He noticed now she had some fading bruises on her forearms and her cheek was a little swollen beneath her makeup. Okay, so Regina had punched Robby.

"Miguel, you're getting sloppy," Johnny said. "You're letting yourself get distracted by what she's saying. You have to focus. Be aware of your opponent and your surroundings." Like railings behind you, too, so you don't get knocked over and end up in another coma.

"And, Regina, use your words in the tournament." Johnny wondered if he'd regret that bit of advice. "An angry opponent is gonna leave you more openings."

"But you need to focus, too," Daniel said. "You're so focused on landing hits that you aren't remembering your footwork and dodging. You were good at that before." That was what she'd done every time she got pulled into sparring.

"But a dodge isn't going to get my opponent down," Regina argued.

"Your opponent is going to tire from trying to hit you," Daniel said. "Use that to your advantage. And use dodges to get in your next blow."

"You'll also take a lot less hits that way," Johnny added.

"Yeah, but I've learned my opponents, or at least Robby and Miguel, get a little, um..." She twirled the end of her ponytail. "Unsettled? When I get back up."

"She's a freak!" Robby shouted, while he watched Sophie and Chris spar.

That announcement had everyone turning their heads.

"What do you mean by that?" Hawk asked, glaring daggers, swords, nukes - hell, a whole arsenal - at Robby.

Regina giggled as Robby said, "I mean she doesn't get hurt easy. Like at all. Even with a hit that dropped Kyler."

"Why would you do that?" Hawk demanded, fists clenched.

Regina grabbed his shoulder. "I asked. So, can we all continue?"

* * * * *

Daniel watched Sam as she fought the swift and agile Blane. He was probably the fastest and most flexible student, and also proved Daniel's point about dodging wearing down an opponent. But Sam was good at dodging his blows, too - the few he tried to land. Blane was not a violent boy, but was loving all the dodging and footwork. He was giggling as he ducked beneath a palm strike.

"Come on, Sam! Fake him out!" Daniel shouted. "Blane, don't just dodge. Try to get a hit."

He was again tempted to try to get Tory disqualified, just to make sure Sam wouldn't have to face her. He had no doubt the two would meet again in the ring. But if Sam wanted to face Tory, wouldn't he be doing her an injustice?

He thought of Johnny's coma and his fear of head injuries. If Sam were afraid, wasn't there a reason? Even if she took down Tory in the All Valley, that didn't mean Tory wouldn't come at her later with a weapon. Sam still had those scars from Tory's brass knuckles. But maybe Sam wanted to face Tory in an even fight. Daniel would speak to her later.