deernet | Video | 1stStrike

Video | 1stStrike

CW: Drug and Alcohol use, including with a minor. Insensitive Language

[The feed opens to a shot Johnny's dojo. There's a few bean bag chairs set up. There are various beer cans strewn about, some crushed and some open, along with a few lines of reddish orange powder on the coffee table.

That sight is soon blocked as Johnny Lawrence flops into view. His eyes are completely bloodshot and there's beer staining his shirt.]

Now listen up-

I've kept a little quiet since that Little Shit started their whole No Mercy campaign- Now that's on me. That shit rocked me to my core. When I started Cobra Kai here it was to help you little nerds gain confidence- Show them that you couldn't be pushed around. It was never my intention for people to get hurt or killed because some asshole stole my creed.

But you know what, punk? You want Cobra Kai? You want No Mercy? Then fine! It's yours! You can have it!
[He reaches down and picks up an empty can and throws it at the feed. It shifts a little but stays on focus.]

But that doesn't mean I'm out of the business. I'm coming at this from another point of view. Back when I hosted the tournament there was a badass sensei- She took the tournament by storm and with one student managed to take home a first place trophy. She was a lone wolf, she was fierce- And she was a good dog. Wagged her tail a lot.

Which is why in her honor now present to you-

[He stumbles across the dojo floor and pulls away at a banner revealing a new logo that looks strikingly similar to Amaterasu.]

Eagle Fang Karate. Because there's only one animal who can truly kill a snake.

[He then points to the camera and starts walking toward getting his face right up against the lense.]

And this isn't just a call out to Chara and their bullshit either- This is to any of you assholes who think you're better than us. Whether it's Sasuke Udickha and his Super Awesome Ninja School, Or D and his Tiny D, or John Fuckus and his stupid skeleton pack, Or Sailor Moon for- You know what? Just fuck her in particular!

And especially- Especially fuck Daniel Larusso and his cheap ass Crane kicking Miyagi Do shit-

[From off-camera someone clears their throat, quickly revealed as a dark-haired boy with dilated pupils who steps in to stand, belatedly, between the viewfeed and the table.]

Sensei - [Paul shakes his head, a thin crease of worry crossing his face] - I thought we said we weren’t going to try to make people angry.

[Johnny runs a hand through his hair. Eyes a little wide as he stares at Paul and realizes he’s getting more than a little heated. He takes a breath and nods.]

Right, right- It’s okay. I’m cool. I’m cool. No one’s going to get pissed off about that. Trust me.

[Paul relaxes, a smile replacing his concern. His trust is obvious, if also perhaps a little too easily swayed back to Johnny’s favor.]

Okay.

[Johnny relents a little more seeing the trust in Paul’s eyes. He takes another second to breathe and let built up anger pass. Between his latest argument with LaRusso and a few other things building up. It was easier than normal for him to get agitated. The beer and spice weren’t helping either. He reaches over and gives Paul a pat on the back before he reaches to turn off the feed, except his fingers fumble and he totally misses it.]

Look, see? Call out over. Eagle Fang is officially in business.

The part about Lady Amaterasu was good. [Paul offers, encouragingly.] So was the part about eagles.

[Paul hesitates, something else clearly on the tip of his tongue. He reaches for the wing-shaped silver pins at his open collar, then thumbs one free to hold in his palm.]

Birds of prey.

Listen - you can say no to this, I'd understand, but - I've been thinking about - a House, a dojo, they are what we decide they are. Who we decide they are.

[He addresses the pin in his hand at first, then raises nervous eyes to Johnny.]

I'm proud to be part of Eagle Fang, sensei. And I'd be proud to call you part of House Atreides, if you wanted.

[With that, Paul extends his hand to Johnny, pin shining.]

[Johnny stares dumb founded the pin for a long while. It could be the booze, it could be the spice, it could be the fact that he’s just a man who’s kept himself at arms length from having an actual family for a long time. But he starts to tear up a little at Paul’s words.

He takes the pin, but then with his other arm he pulls Paul into a hug.]

You kidding, kid? There’s no way I’d say no.

Yeah, I’ll join your house.

[And he hugs Paul all the tighter. He feels some more tears start to slide down his cheeks as he feels himself get flooded with emotion. And that’s when the words slip through his lips.]

I love Ro- Paubby.

[Because Paul wasn’t the only one here that Johnny wanted to say that to.

Not anymore.

Paul’s fingers curl in the back of Johnny’s shirt as his eyes widen, shoulders hitching slightly. He’s quiet for a beat too long, staring straight ahead, before he closes his eyes again and sinks into Johnny’s shoulder. Softly, he answers:]

I love you too, sensei.

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[ There's a tiny, logical part of his brain that tells Daniel that Johnny's drunk. That he is thinking even less about what he's saying here than he usually does. That he might not even mean all of it.

Daniel has always been particularly bad at listening to that voice, and even more so when he just feels fed up after trying so hard - relatively speaking, anyway - for someone who clearly isn't doing the same in return. How could his temper not flare up?

The only thing his temper doesn't make him forget is to lock this thread to private, because the last thing he wants to do is smear business that is not only his own out in public for everyone to see. ]

Oh, sure, Johnny. Are you implying that by leaving you to handle Robby, I should just let you leave him alone in a dark apartment again with only cereal to eat?! Or out alone on the street, without his father even coming to look for him?!

[ It's a low blow, and Daniel knows it.

But if Johnny is going to act like this, he has no choice but to throw that right in the other's face. ]

I'm not weaseling my way into anything, I'm trying to help out a kid who needs it! Unlike you! I've been trying to fight Cobra Kai all this time exactly to protect these kids, whereas you're the one who's thrown them all into this in the first place!

[And there Daniel goes doing the exact thing Johnny thought he would. Smearing things he didn't know about in his face. He's literally shaking in anger as Daniel finishes running his mouth. He stares for a just a minute and for half a second it's unknown whether he's going to back down or explode with rage.

And then his nostrils flair and he explodes with rage because this is Johnny Lawrence we're talking about.]

Don't you start that shit with me, LaRusso- I was trying to get him away from his mom and staying with me before you stuck your nose into everything. You getting a hard-on for making my life miserable wasn't making shit any easier.

Of course you're going to lord over the shit I don't know about again too. Last memory I have is dropping him off at school after you went and wrote him off- I was trying to help. I was trying to be there.

[He clenches his fist and slams it into the wall he's standing by. It hurts more than it does any sort of damage. Stupid concrete warehouse dojo walls.]

Fuck!

You're the one who turned this into a fucking dick measuring contest in the first place- When I started Cobra Kai back up it was to help kids. You're the one who stepped into my dojo and threw down the gauntlet because I stood up to defend someone from a bunch of assholes.

[He has conveniently forgotten that the thing that set him down that path was him taking Daniel's actions way way way too personally.]

When problems started popping up with Cobra Kai, I took action. I made an effort to fucking fix things. Just like I am now- And just like the last time. Instead of fucking believing me you're pulling this shit.

And why should I believe you, Johnny?!

[ Daniel's answer comes fairly quickly. Maybe since his hairtrigger temper always works like that. Just a little bit too fast, just speeding right ahead of much more logical or calm thoughts Daniel could have.

But this is probably the point he'd be addressing even without his temper picking it. There's a lot here they've gone over in the past already - though the Johnny he's speaking to right now might not remember them all in the first place, let alone while he seems to be drunk off his ass.

But this feels like the most important point to him, even in the face of Johnny nearly injuring himself by punching walls. ]

You haven't given me a single reason to do so since I showed up here! There hasn't been a single moment where you've treated me decently, even when I've made an effort to try and reach out to you! [ R-Relatively.. speaking..

Granted, a lot of this is just the frustration of dealing with a Johnny who hasn't reached back for him as much as the one he knows yet, simply since they haven't gotten even close to it from Johnny's perspective. But it was bound to spill out at some point, and apparently that point is right now. ]

Screw you, man!

[Daniel's hardly finished talking before Johnny snaps back.]

Even when you're "Trying to help out." You're fucking flaunting how much better you think you are. I was getting along just fine before you came back and started this shit all over me.

Treating you decently. Give me a fucking break. Respect is a two way straight, LaRusso.

[Johnny doesn't necessarily believe this. He thought he had shown Daniel respect. He thought inviting him along to help the kids out was just about the biggest sign of respect he could give him.

He probably could have been nicer about it, sure. But that was the furthest thing away from his mind right now.]

[ Daniel rolls his eyes so hard that it's almost audible. ]

Oh, sure, tell me about the ways in which I've wronged you since showing up here. I helped you out with the kids, I gave you a chance around Robby, I didn't shove you into the sea even though you were acting way out of order on the beach when I first showed up. [ And shoved an innocent Trenchie into the ocean!

Don't think he's forgotten, Johnny. Daniel doesn't. He resents and remembers. ]

If anything is going wrong around you now, then you're the one causing that right now with your drunk rambling for everyone to see! You can't spend the rest of your life blaming me for everything that goes wrong in your life!

[ Pot, kettle.

Honestly, most of this situation could be resolved by old men talking for once and realising they meant well towards each other in their own ways.. but instead they, of course, opt to not explain and just assume the worst.

What else is new. ]

Maybe take a look in the mirror for once! Or at least bother to sober up before you turn on the camera for the world to see!

Gave me a chance to talk to him? He's my fucking son, LaRusso. I don't need your permission to talk to him. And I didn't deserve you dropping that shit about memories to him. I should have had the chance to tell him that without you poking your fucking nose into things.

[There he is- Actually posing why he might be upset about all this. It doesn't last long though. He feels his hand tighten into fists somehow more intense then they were a moment about.]

Fuck- Maybe once I do I'll come over there and whip that smug fucking smile off your face. I could take you right now- But I don't want you saying you held back or some shit.

That's not--!

[ Daniel starts, quick to retort as always as he can feel his blood growing hot, the anger rising more and more to his head. It's always been so hard for him to stay calm, even when he tries, the anger just always a bit stronger than he himself is.

But the initial accusation - and the realisation of what his words might have sounded like - do bring him enough shame for a moment that he cuts himself off before continuing, even though he sure doesn't sound less angry when he does. ]

I meant I was staying quiet for your sake, Johnny! Don't you think I might have wanted to talk to the kid?! I know you hate to acknowledge it, but he and I share a bond as well! [ And he refuses to back down on that one.

If Robby told him off, sure, then he would. But not with Johnny telling him off, that's for sure. ]

The only thing I said back there was about the time difference, sure, but that's because he had to know! Were you even going to tell him at all? Do you know how much you could've hurt him if you didn't?!

[ Not that he knows anything about what might have happened between Johnny and Robby, since there's no way anything would have happened in front of his eyes back home. But it was clear that Robby was standing there expecting.. something out of Johnny. Something Robby must have remembered, and Robby doesn't.

But while a part of Daniel is saying this for the boy's sake, there's also something personal in this topic for sure. Because it has stung to want to reconnect with Johnny, only to find an even bigger brick wall than usually standing between them from the other's lack of memories. ]

Because let me tell you, it's annoying as hell to deal with that! [ More like painful.

But even Daniel would prefer to admit to anger than to sadness in the face of this dumb argument with his rival. God forbid men communicate about their true feelings, right.

A-At least he's ignoring the fight ~~invite~~ threat? T-That's good, right?

(Not really.) ]

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