Dedicated to @AbbyWatson4, @Robby2Keene, @NewYorkDoll, LOVESTODOODLE, @CamrynKissel, @@Krystal1601, M_Mazariegos, and @madi658 for their amazing support on my Cobra Kai stories :)

“Do you really wanna try this again? You know, after I kicked your butt during our prom?” Remarked Tory as she and Sam stood opposite one another.

Even from their mere appearances you could tell how heavily their personalities contrasted. 

Tory wore a two-piece black and gold dress that fit her lean body paired with rhinestone embellished platform heels. Sam, on the other hand, wore a knee-length lavender dress paired with pink high heels.  And those were only the differences that lay on the surface, the smallest of all things.

She doesn’t know the half of what I’ve been through, lately.

“You’re not going to hurt my family,” stated Sam, determinedly.

Tory scoffed sarcastically at her enemy’s comment, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

“Despite what you think, I’m not a killer and I don’t enjoy hurting others,” retorted Tory, the two girls now circling one another.

Each of their singular looks of anger were strong enough to kill anything that stood between them and their enemy.

“Really, because I remember you being the one who tried to do just that in the school brawl,” countered Sam, her usually gentle voice filled with contempt.

I’m a different person now, but of course she wouldn’t understand that because to her, people like me can never change.

“I’m not in the mood to deal with your self-esteem issues right now, LaRusso, so just get out of my way,” commanded Tory.

She tried to push past Sam but the latter held out her right arm, blocking the path to the door.

“Move or I’ll make you,” threatened Tory, her fists clenching tightly at her sides.

It was taking every bit of will she had not to strike first at her arch-enemy, but she knew it wouldn’t do her any favors.

As stupid as it is, I promised Mrs. LaRusso that I wasn’t going to hurt her daughter again and I need to actually try and keep that promise.

“I’m done letting my fears control my life, and that includes you,” Sam stated, passion coursing through her veins like burning red flames.

“Last chance to back out,” offered Tory, raising an eyebrow, warningly.

“Never,” answered Sam, pulling one flat hand up to the side of her head and the other to her waist in a defensive position.

Sorry, Mrs. LaRusso, but this one’s not on me…

Tory immediately kicked forward, her foot slamming against Sam’s hand. The impact did minimal damage to either fighter, both of the two girls bouncing back into action without a second wasted for recovery. Tory threw several more punches without much success due to Sam’s quick reflexes when it came to blocking.

No way this girl gave up Miyagi-Do for even a day, much less weeks…

Sam jumped backwards onto a table, using this built momentum to kick Tory across the side of the face. 

“Oh, it’s on, LaRusso!” shouted Tory, rolling her jaw slightly before delivering a returning blow to Sam’s ribs.

She stumbled backwards from the hit, though her hands remained at the ready for her enemy’s next attack.

Clearly, she’d learned some new techniques from her Senseis.

I did too, only I can’t use mine unless, I wanna break her neck and I’m pretty sure that falls under the no-injury rule.

Tory kicked the leg out from the table behind Sam, causing it to knock into her back. She fell onto the ground, her brunette hair falling in front of her face. Sam quickly rebounded with a sudden punch to Tory’s side before returning to her defensive position.

“Is that the best you have?” questioned Sam, tauntingly.

“No, this is,” declared Tory, swiftly swinging her leg to the side.

Sam ducked beneath the blow, only to have her legs swept by Tory’s other foot.

“You wanna know why you’re always the one on the ground, LaRusso?” Started Tory as she watched Sam regaining her balance.

“Because you’re so focused on your own problems that you don’t realize when you’re hurting others. But guess what, your actions have consequences!” Tory shouted, her anger overwhelming her as she punched Sam in the face.

Is it too much to ask for her to let me try and do the right thing?!

“I know I’ve made mistakes, trust me,” stated Sam, kicking her heels off before finally getting back onto her feet.

“Maybe, but you don’t act like it,” retorted Tory, her fist hitting into Sam’s hand.

Neither fighters were holding back as they ducked and punched one another, their offensive and defensive moves perfectly countering the other’s attacks.

“And what about you? You always say how you’ve had to fight for everything in your life, yet whenever someone gives you the chance at something better, you just rub their kindness in their face!” Shot Sam, dodging to the side to avoid Tory’s frontal kick.

“It’s not easy always being second place just because you’re not as lucky. Have you ever thought about how hard it is for someone like me to accept help after being alone for so long?!” Yelled Tory, unable to keep the pain out of her voice any longer.

Why am I even saying this? It’s not like she’d ever understand… 

“What are you talking about?” Asked Sam, quietly.

Tory used her enemy’s sudden distraction to slam her through one of the surrounding ballroom chairs and back onto the cold tile ground.

“You don’t see how lucky you are to have people who actually care about you. People like your dad, your boyfriend, your mother (that one stung especially hard to say aloud)! And who do I have? No one,” Spat Tory, standing over Sam.

Sam just looked up at her, a small glint of sympathy suddenly showing on her face.

“And the one person who actually cares about me, who’s actually nice to me is the one person who I can’t talk to,” sighed Tory, looking away, distantly.

Sam still said nothing as she looked up at her enemy, her heart beating fastly.

“And the worst part of it all is that I can’t even just blame you because most of those mistakes are on me,” admitted Tory through gritted teeth.

“I, I never knew you felt so bad,” said Sam, regret quickly flooding her body as she realized how oblivious she’d been to Tory’s pain.

What is she doing? We’re supposed to be enemies. 

Tory took a few steps back, unsure of what to do next.

All reason would tell her to use her enemy’s weakness against her, ending the fight right then and there, but she couldn’t seem to bring herself to strike Sam down.

“Nooo!” They heard a sudden shout of terror ring throughout the chaotic room as all the fighters below looked up in horror.