❝ you're better than this. ❞
―
SAM, DEMETRI, AND MIGUEL STOOD AT THE HEAD OF THE TABLE.
Demetri held a notebook and a pen in his hand as they discussed the details of their new dojo. He had insisted that they write everything down.
Decha leaned back in his chair, teetering back and forth on its legs as his fingers gripped the edge of the table. Demetri placed on his hand on top of Decha's. Decha turned his head, seeing him shake his head at him. Decha sighed, feeling like a child who had just gotten in trouble. He stopped and folded his arms on the table as Demetri spoke.
"So, we're all in agreement that our new combined dojo should train at Miyagi-Do. But deadlocked on a new name, Gi Design, Post-Training Snacks, and Sensei Dispute Protocol," Demetri tapped the notebook in his hand, placing it down on the table. "Okay, not good, but still, it's a start."
The faint sound of a cat meowing caused all of their heads to turn.
"Aw, I think your cat wants to come in," Bert stood up, walking towards the back door. "Here, kitty, kitty."
Miguel turned to sam, a confused expression on his face. "I didn't know you had a cat."
Sam shook her head. "We don't."
Decha furrowed his eyebrows. "Then what the fu—"
Decha was cut off by the sound of Bert screaming and shattering glass. Bert went flying through the window, landing on the kitchen floor. They all stood up, rushing to his side.
"Bert, what happened?" Miguel asked.
Bert turned his head, his face cut and bloody. "No cat."
Decha held his hand out, pulling Bert off the ground. As he asked Bert if he was okay, Hawk, Kyler, and three other Cobra Kai members stepped in through the back door.
Kyler stared directly at Miguel. "It's payback time, 'Rhea."
Decha rolled his eyes. "You know, that has got to be the dumbest nickname I've ever heard, and we call him Penis Breath." He pointed to Mitch.
Hawk and Kyler started to walk towards them, causing Decha and the other Miyagi-Dos and Eagle Fangs to step backwards. Glass crunched under their feet.
"Don't you have periodic elements to sing about, Boron Boy?" Kyler asked him.
Decha scoffed. "That's the best you could come up with? How pathetic."
The front door swung open. Decha turned his entire body around at the sound, seeing Tory walk in with Achara and two other Cobra Kais behind her. Achara stood next to Tory, staring directly at Decha with a scowl. Decha stared back at her, inhaling a sharp breath. He watched as her eyes shifted away from him, landing on Sam and Miguel.
"Heard you were throwing a party," Tory was the first to speak. "Hope you don't mind if we crash."
"Achara, Tory, you don't have to do this," Miguel tried to reason with them.
"This isn't who you are," Decha added. "You're better than this, Achara."
Achara glanced back and forth between Miguel and Decha. She didn't have the chance to react Tory's voice rang out once more.
"It's too late. This ends tonight," Tory spoke before yelling, "No mercy!"
As they started to approach them, Decha turned to Achara, noticing her hesitate before she started to move. He stepped backwards, bumping into Demetri as he watched Achara punch one of the Miyagi-Do boys in the face. She stared down at him for a split second, almost as if she didn't want to hit him, but she didn't stop. She just kept fighting whoever came in her path.
Decha felt someone grab his arm. He didn't even have the chance to completely turn around before a boy from Cobra Kai punched him in the nose. Decha struck him in the face with his fist. When he stumbled back, he kicked him in the abdomen. He gave him no time to recuperate before kicking him again in the shoulder. The boy groaned, falling back into the ground, his body smacking against the hardwood floor.
Decha looked over his shoulder, searching for Demetri, but he was no longer behind him. When he turned back around, he was instantly met with the face of another Cobra Kai student who was running towards him. As he approached him, Decha leaned over, causing the boy to roll over his back and onto the floor next to the other boy.
Decha started to run, ducking punches that were thrown his way. A fist almost collided his jaw, but he moved his head just in time, bending his back to avoid being hit. When he adjusted his posture upright, he swung his arm upward, his fist striking the side of a boy's head.
Decha found Demetri kneeling on the ground in front of a chair. Decha extended his hand out, pulling Demetri up. "Dem, come on. Get up."
Decha felt his arm being yanked and he was pulled back. Decha turned his head, seeing a boy standing behind him, pulling him by the arm.
As the lights suddenly turned off, Decha jabbed his elbow into the boy's ribcage, causing him let go of his arm. The boy regained his balance, stepping forward. Decha took a few steps back, but then felt a foot collide with his back. He tumbled forward, straight into the boy who stood in front of him.
He shoved Decha to the side, thrusting him forward and pushing him into the glass window. His arm was crushed between and window the weight of his torso. He was pulled back from the window, the guy who kicked him gripping into the collar of his shirt. As he let go, tossing him to the side, Decha's body twisted slightly, causing his to stumble. He tried to brace his fall, extending his arms out.
But he didn't brace himself fast enough. Between the force of the fall and losing his balance due to still being slightly drunk, all of Decha's body weight was pushed to one side. His left elbow banged against the hardwood floor. A sharp pain shot through his elbow, surging down his arm.
The sudden sensation of pain caused him to scream as he sat up and held his arm against his chest. The boy he was fighting stood over him, watching as Decha winced in pain. Decha looked down at his arm, tears starting to form in his eyes.
Decha looked up as a cut up and bloody hand with chipped baby blue nail polish appeared in front of him.
...
"Achara, Tory, you don't have to do this," Migeul said, looking at Achara.
"This isn't who you are," Decha added. "You're better than this, Achara."
Achara glanced back and forth between Miguel and Decha. Her chest was pounding. Achara knew that this wrong and she had told herself that no matter what, she wasn't going to fight, but something had snapped in her when she saw her brother standing next to Miguel and Sam. She could hear Kreese's voice in her head telling her that Decha had betrayed her.
"It's too late. This ends tonight. No mercy!"
Tory didn't hesitate to approach them. Achara didn't have the chance to breathe before the fighting began. Achara stepped forward, coming face to face with a boy from Miyagi-Do. He raised his fist to hit her, but she beat him to the punch. He groaned as he stumbled over onto the floor. Achara stared down at him, her heart racing in her chest.
This was wrong. She knew this was wrong, but she just couldn't stop herself no matter how much the angel on her shoulder was begging her to. The devil had won, his case proving to be more convincing. The strange thing was, the devil sounded exactly like Sensei Kreese.
Achara turned her head, just in time to see an Eagle Fang student approaching her. Hearing footsteps from behind her, Achara looked over her shoulder, seeing another boy standing behind her. As she turned, the boy in front of her thrusted his fist forward in attempt
to punch her, but Achara dodged it. His fist collided with the face of the boy behind her.
Achara squatted down, extending her leg forward and sweeping the guy in front of her's legs out from under him. As he fell, his back slamming against the floor, Achara turned her head toward the other guy, eye level with his knee. In one swift movement, she forcefully jabbed her elbow into his knee. He groaned and keeled over in pain.
Achara stood up and started to look around the room. She saw Decha doing the same. More than likely, he was searching for Demetri. He was all Decha cared about anymore.
Achara felt someone touch her shoulder. She spun around, jumping up in the air as she kicked a guy in the face. Before she even had the chance to move, she felt a hand pulling her by the neck. Achara gasped for air as she was wrapped in a headlock. She jabbed her elbow into the boy's ribcage, causing him to let go. Achara spun around, hitting him with a double side kick—first the chest, then the face.
Achara was pushed backwards, a dull pain piercing the small of her back as she collided with the edge of the dining table. The boy who shoved her approached her. Achara clenched her jaw as she leaned forward. The boy swung his fist at her, punching her bottom lip. Achara's head flung slightly back at the blow. She felt blood starting to trickle down her chin. She balled up her fist, feeling her fingernails digging into her palm.
A fearful look spread over the boys face as she stared at him. He started to step back, but with every step he took, Achara stepped forward.
Achara froze when she heard a familiar voice let out a scream. She unclenched her fist as she turned her head in the direction of the scream. Decha sat on the floor, cradling his arm against his chest as he groaned in pain.
Achara suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe. She looked around the house, seeing fighting everywhere she looked. In her distracted state, Achara felt a fist strike her in the jaw. Her knees buckled from underneath her and she fell to the ground, her hands landing in a pile of glass.
She lifted her hands, looking down at them. Small cuts covered her palms. One of her hands was covered in tiny shards of glass. Achara's chest was heaving up and down as she continued to glance around the room.
He betrayed the dojo, Achara. He betrayed you, Kreese's voice echoed in her mind.
Achara shook her head and stood up, running over to Decha. She held her hand that wasn't covered with shards of glass out in front of him. Decha stared up at her before he grabbed her hand. She lifted him up. They just stared at each other without saying a word.
Achara glanced around the room once more, seeing Tory staring at her, a disappointed look on her face.
Tory's gaze on Achara was broken when she set her eyes on Sam. The two girls stood motionless as they looked at one another before Sam started to back away.
The voice in Achara's head telling her that this was wrong returned, but there was an even louder voice pushing back. It was as if her mind was at war with itself, unsure whether or not it wanted to put an end to this or if it wanted Achara to keep fighting.
This isn't who you are. You're better than this, Decha's voice echoed in her head.
Don't listen to him. He betrayed the Cobra Kai. He betrayed you. It was almost as if her own voice was arguing back. Decha's your brother. Doesn't that mean anything?
Stop.
Achara, you have to fight.
No.
Fight, Achara!
Achara glanced at Decha and inhaled a deep breath before she turned on her heels, running in the direction that Sam and Tory had gone.
When she stepped into the dojo, Achara saw Sam sitting on the floor as Tory hovered over her with nunchucks in her hand. Sam stood up, ducking as Tory smashed a picture that hung on the wall.
Tory turned her head, making eye contact with Achara. She turned back around, swinging the nunchucks at Sam. She quickly moved out of the path on the nunchucks, grabbing a bo staff that was propped up against the wall.
Sam noticed Achara standing in the doorway. "Are you going to gang up on me again? Like you did at the school fight?"
Achara gulped. She stood in the doorway, frozen as she looked back and forth between Sam and Tory.
"What's the matter?" Sam questioned Achara. "Don't think you can handle it? Or are you afraid that I'll kick your ass again?"
Tory swung the nunchucks at San, but she blocked them with the bo staff. Achara's eyes darted back and forth as she watched them fight. She couldn't bring herself to move.
Don't just stand there, fight!
...
When Achara ran off, Decha debated if he should run after her. He nearly did, but then he saw Doug Rickenberger gripping Demetri's arm and holding it to his chest.
"Hey. Yo, Hawk!" Rickenberger called out. "Free shot!"
Decha turned his head, seeing Hawk standing on the other entrance to the bridge in front of him. Decha couldn't see his face. All he could see was the back of his head.
Holding his elbow, Decha started to run towards Hawk to stop him. Hawk started to run across the bridge. Decha reached out to grab him, but the fabric of Hawk's jacket barely grazed his fingertips.
Decha's breath hitched, expecting Hawk to snap Demetri's arm for the second time. Decha's eyes went wide as he watched Hawk flip over Demetri's back, kicking both Rickenberger and the boy standing next to him in one fell swoop. He flipped Rickenberger over, causing him to crash into the coffee table and shattering the glass.
Decha ran to Demetri's side and placed his hand on his arm. "Hey, are you okay?"
Demetri nodded his head, glancing down at Decha's arm that he was still holding to his chest, unable to bend it. "Are you? Your arm...is it?"
Decha shrugged. "It hurts like a bitch. I'm still a little tipsy so my balance is off. I fell on it and I...I think it might be broken."
Decha and Demetri turned their attention to Hawk who was staring to walk towards them. Decha and Demetri walked backwards as Hawk continued to approach them.
"Look, guys. I'm sorry. For all of it," Hawk apologized. "Do you wanna help me win this thing?"
Decha and Demetri shared a glance before they turned back to Hawk and nodded.
"Yeah," Demetri responded.
Demetri and Hawk grabbed each other's hand.
"Decha, duck," Hawk said suddenly.
Decha turned his head, seeing a fist flying in the air. He did as Hawk said and ducked. He quickly moved to the side as Demetri and Hawk worked together to fight the Cobra Kai members that came at them. As they stood back to back, Decha stood up, raising his fist and hitting a boy in the nose with the back of his hand. Another boy approached, standing in front of him.
With his arm pressed against his chest, Decha lifted his knee, jabbing the boy in the abdomen. When he started to fall to the ground, Decha swung his leg around and kicked him. The boy hit his head on the wall behind him. Decha ducked a punch that was thrown his way as he walked up to Demetri.
"Aren't you that guy who sang that periodic table song?"
Decha turned around at the voice. "What about it?"
The boy laughed. "What a loser."
Decha raised an eyebrow at him. "Fluorine-Uranium-Carbon-Potassium Yttrium-Oxygen-Uranium."
The boy gave him a confused look. "What?"
"Sorry, let me say that again in a way you can understand," Decha replied, punching him directly in the nose before landing a kick to his sternum. "F-U-C-K Y-O-U. Fuck you."
He punched him in the face one last time before walking away to stand next to Hawk and Demetri.
...
When Achara had finally escaped from her frozen state, she took a long, deep breath before grabbing the other bo staff from the wall. She swung it around in her hands, ignoring the sharp pain of the glass shards pushing into her palms.
As Sam hit Tory's back with the bo staff and then pinned her to the wall, Achara walked up to Sam and stood behind her. Tory raised her fists, holding them in the air.
"I am not afraid of you," Sam said to Tory.
Sam turned around, making eye contact with Achara. "Finally decided to fight, huh?"
Achara chuckled. "I really didn't want to have to fight you, but your ego needs a little deflating."
Achara swung the bo staff, but Sam reacted quickly and blocked the hit. Achara tried again, this time almost managing to hit Sam with it.
"I kicked your head into a railing at school," Sam said. "Guess I'll just have to settle for the wall this time. Maybe getting another concussion will knock some sense into you."
"Fight her!" Tory yelled from the sidelines. "Don't just stand there!"
Achara spun the bo staff around in her hands before swinging it at Sam, hitting her in the shoulder. Sam grunted and then swung her staff at Achara, but she blocked it seconds before it nearly hit her arm.
"You know, we could have been friends," Achara told Sam. "But you just couldn't let go of your obsession with Miguel and then you stole my best friend from me."
"Miguel and I are just friends now," Sam told her. "If you want him so bad, then you can have him! But do you really think he still wants you? After everything you've done?"
Achara faltered, allowing Sam to hit her in the side of her hip. Achara groaned in pain, but refused to give up.
"Guys, stop!"
Achara turned her head to see Miguel walking in with Hawk, Demetri, and Decha behind him. Achara lowered her bo staff.
"The fight's over," Hawk told them.
Tory shook her head. "It's not over. This will never be over, LaRusso. You hear me?"
"You know where to find me," Sam responded.
Tory walked up to the boys and shook her head at them. "Traitors." She glared at Hawk. "You better watch your back."
"He wont have to," Demetri said as Tory walked past him and Decha. "He's got friends watching it for him."
Tory glared at the boys one last time before turning around and looking at Achara. "Are you coming? Or are you a traitor too?"
Achara dropped the bo staff. It clattered to the ground as she looked at Decha. He was shaking her head as if he was begging her not follow Tory.
Achara looked between Tory and her brother. The angel and devil in her head fought against each other, their voices overlapping.
Go with Tory.
Achara, no!
Cobra Kai is where you're meant to be.
No, it's not. Cobra Kai is destroying you.
Cobra Kai is making you stronger. Kreese said it himself, Cobra Kai is nothing without you.
"Chara, please," Miguel begged.
Achara adverted her eyes to Tory. Her conversation with Olivia about her feelings replayed in her head. Achara bit the inside of her cheek.
She walked towards Tory, received a pleased smile. The two girls started to walk, leaving the others behind. Achara didn't dare look back. She made her decision. She just hoped she didn't end up regretting it.
— EMILIA'S NOTES
this was a LOT of back and forth.
don't hate me for not making achara switch sides. trust me, it's coming just not yet. staying in cobra kai is important to achara's character arc.
decha not being entirely sober and still kicking ass is iconic & he absolutely killed it. fractured his elbow in the process (because he was literally still slightly drunk) but still killed it.
also "Fluorine-Uranium-Carbon-Potassium Yttrium-Oxygen-Uranium" & him spelling it out is my new favorite decha quote.
and sorry achara, i love you, but sam ate. she devoured and left no crumbs. she absolutely rocked you.
chapter 38 will be the last chapter of act 3.
alternative chapter title: achara letting the devil win.