Fly Like A Hawk

Chapter 118 - Judgement Day Part 1

I walked to practice slowly, letting the breeze blow through my long hair. The sun was warm and felt nice on my skin.

As I got to the dojo and pushed through the gate I was met with Hawk, Robby and Miguel. They stood chatting in the entryway and had clearly just arrived. 

"Did you catch that video I sent you of last years Sekai Taikai?" Hawk asked Miguel.

"Who knew people could kick that high!" Miguel marvelled.

"Or that hard?" Robby tapped Hawk's shoulder playfully and I felt a small smile spreading across my face.

"What's the Sekai Taikai?" I asked, pushing into the group between Miguel and Hawk.

"Only one of the best karate competitions in the world." Miguel replied.

"You should see the competitors! They're on another level!" Robby mused.

Hawk pulled out his phone, "Here, I'll send you the video."

My messages pinged and I opened up a video of a kid jumping up to round kick his taller opponent in the face. 

I winced, "Damn, looked like that hurt."

Hawk nodded in agreement, "Seriously."

Sam walked over, followed by most of the dojo, "that's why its the biggest competition in the world."

"Last year's winner did a car advertisement in Taiwan." Hawk added and I tried to imagine getting that famous from karate.

As if he could read my mind Mitch voiced my exact thoughts, "Imagine being in a car commercial. What would you do with all that money?" 

Without thinking too much I answered, "Buy the car from the commercial." 

Everyone chuckled at my answer as Chris leaned over to tell his, "Buy a Yacht with a hot tub and fill it with smarties and hotties." then started dancing. I leaned over and gave him a playful hit.

"That's a terrible plan."

"All right, all right, let's not get ahead of ourselves" Everyone's attention turned to Sensei Daniel, "Remember Cobra Kai is gonna do everything they can to get a spot. And if they win this time, kids all over the world are going to have to deal with the same crap you've gone through."

I nodded sorrowfully, knowing that we'd have to give our all to stop that from happening.

"But if we win, we can show the world how to stop them." Sam explained.

"First you must prove, you can compete with best." Chosen added.

"But in order to do that, you have to be better than the best." I made eye contact with Johnny, "Which is why we're gonna kick your asses into high gear."

"I don't like the sound of this." I muttered and I heard Hawk snicker beside me.

"Sensei Lawrence, Sensei Toguchi and I, are gonna get you ready for the presentation. So come on. Let's get warmed up." 

"Go! Move those asses!" Sensei Lawrence yelled and everyone burst from the circle we'd been in and scattered across the dojo. 

I chose to take a space by the pond, under the shade of the trees, I started to go through the motions of my katas.

Nate and Bert appeared, standing in front of me and looking up at me with wide eyes. 

I smiled to myself but continued my kata, "What is it?"

"Well, we know you're one of the best." Bert explained.

"And Sensei Lawrence said we have to be better than the best." Nate followed on.

"Are you trying to tell me that you think you're better at karate than me?" I asked playfully and they looked at each other panicked.

"No, we-"

"I, we didn't-"

They interrupted each other, fumbling with what they were actually trying to say.

"I get it, I'm just messing with you. You want some help training right?" They both nodded vigorously and I laughed, "Ok, come on, join me doing some katas, we'll start there."

I worked with Nate and Bert for the next few hours until the judges for the Sekai Taikai turned up and then I was summoned away from them to joined the others in my age range.

"Our students start with the basic movements." Daniel paraded a group of judges around the dojo whilst we trained, I'd been drawn up to the main deck along with Robby, Miguel and Eli.

"We use chores to create muscle memory." Daniel gestured to Anthony sanding the smaller deck, "and once they have that down, they can master defence." Chosen instructed Chris and Mitch to sand the floor and they followed the move perfectly.

"Only after they master their defence," I took a deep breath as they came towards us.

"You've got this, Y/N." Johnny whispered, and gave me a supportive nod.

I readied myself, getting into fighting stance as Daniel led the judges to us, "So we teach offence." 

"But with a badass twist." Johnny announced and I looked to Miguel and Robby on both sides of me and nodded.

"Show them the screaming eagle." Johnny instructed, I adjusted my stance, "Ready?"

Miguel took over instructing, "Ais" 

We moved in sync, Robby, Me, Miguel, Hawk. We all stepped forwards at the same time and thrust out our arms. "Ais" Miguel called again and I lunged forwards into a high kick.

"Ais" I landed perfectly and took a strike forwards. 

We returned to our original positions and Johnny nodded triumphantly at the judges, shaking his fist in victory. 

I turned to Robby and smiled, "We did it." I whispered and he smiled back.

"Yeah, we did." I turned to Miguel and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Nice one Sensei." I joked and he laughed.

"It's not over yet." Hawk reminded me and I nodded, then looked over at Daniel and Johnny taking the judges into the inside dojo before jumping down off the deck.

"Ok, let's go rejoin with the others."