TRUTHFULLY, RORY hadn't thought about Terry Silver once. In fact, she thought he was dead. He had impacted her life severely when he'd stabbed her father, but other than that, she didn't think about him once. And now, it was all she could think about.

Because of Terry, the Iron Dragons were here, Zara was here, Hell had gotten hotter and vastly larger.

In other news, Carmen was okay and so was the baby. Kenny had also arrived and would take Devon place in the replace for the duration of the rest of the competition.

Rory could hardly focus once she was surrounded by the remaining teams. Her eyes were locked onto the floor, she bounced on her feet. She was in and out of focus as she listened to the rules of the next match.

She had worked so hard and put so much pressure on herself on the first couple of days of being here and winning the last match and getting Miyagi-Do here with the help of Miguel greatly boosted her confidence. She was such high spirits earlier that morning with the incident with Zara and the Terry Silver news.

Rory gently shut her eyes and took in a deep breath. She felt the tension in her shoulders creep higher, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. Her heart pounded harder than it should have, and she couldn't quite calm herself enough to tune in to what the announcer was saying.

She quickly fluttered her eyes opened as she felt a hand grabbing hers gently. The touch familiar, but only knocking nerves higher for a second as she feared that she had blinked a missed everything.

Robby's gaze remained forward, listening to the announcer. His thumb moved in a small, calming circle over the back of her hand, and she let out a slow exhale, her shoulders relaxing slightly. Rory tilted her head toward him, catching his eye briefly. The corner of his mouth twitched in a subtle, encouraging smile.

She straightened her posture, gripping his hand a little tighter before releasing it. A faint smile curved her lips as she faced forward again.

In an explanation that she was listening to in full, each team would go head to head in an ongoing battle with two members in each team being in the center fighting at all times. You could tag people in as many people as you pleased, but, the first dojo to score three points would win the match.

And Miyagi-Do would be going against Furia de Pantera.

Demetri found himself in the circle first and for whatever reason, would not tag Eli in. In the end, Demetri would get kicked in the face causing Furia de Pantera to gain a point.

As he stumbled off the mat, he tagged Sam in, the girl not backing down as Maria was tagged in from the opposite team, but Sam would easily gain a point for Miyagi-Do.

She tagged in Eli would went against another opponent of the opposing team and he was able to knock him to the ground, but he was running out of steam quickly and Kenny had been asking to be tagged in.

From the sidelines, Eli looked over, Demetri telling the boy not to tag in Kenny by any means necessary, though the others around him had been begging him to tag in Kenny.

Instead, he tagged in Robby who was not ready by any means. He was quickly flipped over, landing on his back. The male opponent quickly striking him in his chest and gaining a point for his team.

Rory stuck her hand out to be tagged it and as Robby made her way over, the male opponent kicked Robby's hand away and was able to score a point for his team.

Which meant, Furia de Pantera had won their round and Miyagi-Do had been on the verge of going home... once again.

Rory turned as she let out a deep breath and easily spotted the mohawk she'd been looking for.

"Why the fuck did you not tag in Kenny?" She asked.

"He just go here." Eli argued. "You expect us to trust him?"

"Trust me to what?" Kenny approached. "Not get my ass kicked like you and Demetri?"

"Oh yeah, like you'd do any better against Spanish Hawk." Demetri barked. "You completely disappeared after the Shittening? And the you coincidentally come back the same time as Silver. You really want to tag in a mole?"

"We're about to be sent home, Demetri." Rory scoffed. "You rather lose than give him chance?"

"Everybody laughed at me in the woods, but somehow, I'm the bad guy, right?" Kenny argued.

"See? He's still pissed." Eli approached. "It makes sense he'd want revenge."

Kenny stepped forward his chest brushing up against Eli's. "Say something, you—"

"Hey!" Robby shouted, pushing the two apart. "This isn't about Kenny. I'm the one who lost the match. Me."

With that, Robby marched off.

Rory glanced at Kenny, her expression softening for a moment before she turned back to the others. "This is bigger than any of us individually. You don't have to like each other, but you do have to work together. Or else we might as well pack up and go home now."

Without another word, she turned and walked off, her focus shifting to finding Robby. She wasn't going to let him carry the blame alone—not when the team's survival was on the line.

Rory stepped onto the upper deck, her eyes scanning the open space until she spotted Robby at the far end. His movements were sharp and precise, but there was an edge to them—a simmering frustration that bled into every strike and kick. He wasn't practicing. He was venting.

She hesitated for a moment, unsure if he'd even want her there, but then she took a breath and closed the distance between them.

"Robby," she called softly, keeping her voice calm, almost hesitant.

He didn't turn around. "You should head back," he muttered, his tone hollow. "No point wasting your energy on me."

Rory sighed. "I'd waste all my energy on you." She said, her voice never rising as he turned. "What's going on?"

He looked away, his jaw tightening as he took a deep breath. "I'm screwing it up, Rory. Out there, on the mat. Off the mat. Everywhere. I'm blowing it."

Her brows furrowed, and she stepped closer. "What do you mean 'off the mat'? What's that supposed to mean?"

Robby didn't answer right away. His gaze dropped to the floor as he exhaled heavily. "I just... I don't know. I can't get anything right. Every decision I make feels wrong."

Rory's chest tightened. She didn't need him to say it to know that his words had layers—things he wasn't ready to admit yet. Her mind briefly flashed to Zara and the drunken mess from the night before, but she shoved the thought aside. Now wasn't the time.

"Robby," she said, her tone steady but firm. "This wasn't just your loss. It was a team loss. We win and lose together."

"I'm supposed to be leading this team, Rory. Miguel was right—I shouldn't be captain. He should've been. He's got it all figured out, and I... I'm just messing everything up."

Rory's expression softened, but her voice was resolute. "You didn't become captain by chance. You earned it, Robby. You don't have to be perfect to lead. You just have to care, and you do. You fight for what you believe in—that's what a leader does."

He shook his head, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I don't know if that's enough."

"It is," Rory said firmly, stepping closer. "You're enough. You inspire people, Robby. Even when you don't think you do. And yeah, things are messy right now, but that doesn't mean you're failing."

For a moment, Robby didn't respond, his eyes searching hers for something—maybe reassurance, maybe belief. Finally, he sighed, the tension in his frame loosening just slightly. "Thanks," he muttered, his voice low.

Before Rory could respond, another voice cut through the quiet.

"Robby," Miguel called as he approached, his tone neutral but his expression intent.

Rory glanced between the two of them, sensing the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air. She looked at Robby, giving his arm a light squeeze. "I'll let you two talk," she said gently.

Robby nodded, his gaze flicking to Miguel as Rory turned and walked away. She didn't look back this time, trusting them to handle whatever needed to be said.

As Rory made her way over to the other section for some air, right in front of her stood Zara. She'd been live-streaming and had been loud enough for Rory to hear.

"The Queen of Karate is still undefeated." Zara smiled towards the camera. "What's my secret? All day, I work hard. But at night, I play even harder. Isn't that right, Brewer?"

And Rory was going to let it go, she really was. She'd always believed that being a bigger person was the best way to go, but Zara wanted a rise out of her. That's what she wanted since she laid eyes on the girl.

So, Rory grabbed the phone from Zara's hands as the livestream continued. Zara tired to wrestle the phone from Rory's hands, but with her greatest might, Rory fought off and turned so she was facing the camera and Zara's Instagram followers.

"Your Queen of Karate is a two-faced bitch who isn't the girls girl she claims to be." Rory began. "She'll do anything she can to win even if that means taking advantage of people's boyfriends when they can't—."

Before things escalated further, another voice broke through the tension, low and commanding. "That's enough."

Layla's calm yet firm voice broke through the tension, and Rory turned to see her mother standing just a few feet away, her arms crossed. Layla's expression was unreadable, but the slight tilt of her head was enough to make Rory step back.

Layla's gaze shifted to Zara, her tone cold and dismissive. "I suggest you leave now."

Zara, clearly flustered, muttered something under her breath before storming off, her phone clutched tightly in her hand.

"Rory," Layla's voice came from behind her, calm but steady, pulling Rory's attention away from the storm raging in her head. "What's going on?"

Rory let out a sharp breath and turned to face her, her hands tightening into fists. "Nothing," she muttered, her voice tight. "It's nothing."

Layla didn't buy it. She stepped closer, her movements deliberate but unthreatening. "Doesn't look like nothing to me."

Rory pressed her lips together, her eyes darting away. She couldn't explain—not without unraveling all the anger and frustration bottled up inside her. Zara wasn't worth it, but the sting of her words and actions still burned.

Layla gently placed a hand on Rory's shoulder, her voice soft but firm. "You don't have to tell me, but I need you to hear this: whatever's going on, you don't need to stoop to her level. You're better than that."

Rory clenched her jaw, shaking her head. "She keeps pushing, Mom. And I'm tired of just... letting it happen."

"I get that," Layla said, her tone understanding but resolute. "But people like her? They feed off reactions. They want you to break. Don't give her that satisfaction. You're stronger than that."

Rory's shoulders sagged slightly, the fire in her chest beginning to cool. "It's just... hard. It feels like she's always one step ahead, always looking for a way to tear me down."

Layla offered her a small, knowing smile. "That's because she sees you as a threat. And do you know what you do to people like that?" She tilted her head, her voice light but purposeful. "You stay focused. You keep your head high and your heart steady. Because at the end of the day, her games don't matter. What matters is what you're here to do."

Rory blinked, the weight of her mother's words slowly sinking in. "You're right."

Layla gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "You've got bigger things to focus on, Rory. Don't waste your energy on someone who doesn't deserve it."

Rory nodded, the tension in her body beginning to ease. "Thanks, Mom."

"Always," Layla said with a soft smile. "Now, come on. The team's waiting for you."

Rory took a deep breath, letting it fill her lungs before exhaling slowly. With one last glance in the direction Zara had gone, she turned and followed her mother back toward the others.

"So we need to win this one to stay in the tournament. We know it's hard with Silver here, but we are not fighting his team now." Daniel spoke.

"We've heard this garbage going around about loyalty. But almost all of us trained somewhere else at some point." Johnny added. "What matters is where our asses are now. We're Miyagi-Do. Got it?"

Miguel clapped. "Come on, y'all. Let's go!"

With that, the group separated and stood in the circle with the Redentores. If they were to lose, they we would saying goodbye to Barcelona.

Miguel went first, but was quickly losing steam with his competitor. The boy turned and looked over at Robby, mounting something to him as he tagged him in.

It didn't take long for Robby to score the first point for Miyagi-Do, but the fight didn't end and Robby's next competitor was strong.

"Robby, tag me!" Kenny called.

"No. Over here. Tag me, tag me!" Eli called.

"Tag Kenny!" Miguel shouted.

"Do not tag Kenny." Demetri said. "Do not tag him!"

Robby's eyes darted between his teammates, the chaos of their shouting ringing in his ears. Everyone had an opinion, but none of them seemed to agree. His chest heaved as he tried to focus, the adrenaline pumping through his veins clouding his judgment.

And then his gaze locked onto Rory.

She was standing still amidst the noise, her expression calm but intent. Her eyes met his, unwavering, and in that quiet connection, Robby found the clarity he needed.

"Tag Kenny." Rory muttered, her voice just loud enough for him to hear, her tone firm and resolute.

For a moment, everything else faded. The shouting, the crowd, the pounding in his chest—it all quieted. Rory's calm confidence cut through the noise, and Robby nodded faintly, as though her words had unlocked something within him.

Without further hesitation, he spun and extended his hand to Kenny, the slap of their palms ringing sharp and decisive.

Kenny leapt onto the mat with explosive energy, his stance sharp and determined. The team's shouts quieted as all eyes turned to him. His first strike was fast and calculated, forcing his opponent onto the defensive. The crowd roared as Kenny's footwork grew more precise, his movements more confident.

And it didn't take long for Kenny to score the final two point of Miyagi-Do. With that, the group would make it to the final round they needed to make it next part of the competition and of course, they would be going head-to-head with Cobra Kai.

For now, Miyagi-Do sat in their respective locker room. Silence between the group as they stared at the floor or at each other. It felt like they hadn't won whatsoever with the atmosphere so thick.

"Come on, guys." Robby softly spoke. "We beat Cobra Kai before. We can do it again."

Miguel sighed, but nodded as he looked over at the group. "One more time. Let's send our captains into the finals."

"One last time." Sam said softly. "Win or lose this is the last time we'll ever fight together as a team."

Rory sat on the bench, her fingers laced together as her elbows rested on her knees. She kept her gaze low, staring at the cracks in the tiles of the locker room floor. The weight of Sam's words pressed against her chest, and she couldn't shake the feeling that this moment was slipping through their fingers.

One last time.

After this, they'd go their separate ways. Some would hang up their gis for good, others might continue the fight, but it wouldn't be the same. The locker room felt heavier now, the silence suffocating, not from defeat but from the bittersweet inevitability of what was to come.

"Damn." Miguel sighed. "I guess I never thought about it like that. After everything we've been through, this is... This is it."

"So? How do we wanna go out?" Robby asked.

A quick beat of silence passed before Demetri turned in his seat to face Eli. The two of them two stood to their feet and hugged, apologizing to each other.

"Okay, that's enough." Devon cried. "There's no crying in karate."

As she and Devon laughed, wiping their tears, Demetri turned. His gaze landed on Rory. "Come here, Rory," he said, his voice quieter than usual, carrying none of its usual sarcasm or playfulness.

Rory froze, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Wait... did you just call me Rory?" she asked, pointing at herself as if to confirm she'd heard him correctly.

Demetri gave her a pointed look, his hand extended toward her. "Yeah, Rory. Don't make me say it again—it feels weird enough as it is."

Rory blinked, still processing. "You never call me Rory," she said, her voice tinged with disbelief. "Like, not once. Not even when you're being nice."

"Yeah, well," Demetri huffed, "maybe the end of an era calls for a little sentimentality. Now get over here before I change my mind."

She held her smile as she stood to her feet and was brought into a hug with Miguel joining them. The embrace was warm and grounding, and as Demetri wrapped his arm around her.

"We're a family." Miguel said, turning towards the others. "All of us."

Robby slowly stood to his feet, a small smile painted on his face. "Who are we?"

"Miyagi-Do."

"Who are we?"

"Miyagi-Do!"

"I said who are we?"

"Miyagi-Do! Miyagi-Do!"

The cheers and the laughter would die down slowly as Daniel, Jack, and Johnny entered the locker room.

"You know, we did have one real doozy of an inspirational speech planned." Daniel said.

Johnny smiled, nodding slightly. "Looks like you guys beat us to it."

Sam stepped forward. "Our senseis taught us well."

"All right." Johnny called. "Enough of this kumbaya crap. It's time to get out there and kick some Cobra Kai ass!"

With that, Miyagi-Do stood in the circle with Cobra Kai. It was intimidating for sure, but win or lose... they were in this thing together.

First up was Robby and Tory. It didn't take long for Tory to push aside everything she felt about Miyagi-Do and knock the boy to his feet.

By his side stood Rory, who was tagged in. Rory knew that Tory wasn't going to go easy on here, she never had. They never fought for practice. They had always fought to fight. Either something going on with Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do back home or some jealousy shit that dealt with.

Rory took careful strides but Tory was quick. Rory didn't know anything about the Cobra Kai fighting style, it wasn't something she learned too much about or heavily relied on, but the girl was able to knock Tory onto her back and as she went in for her point, Tory tagged in Kwon.

Rory took in a deep breath and stepped back as Kwon slowly stepped forward, a smirk on his face.

She knew he wanted this, it was written all over his face. She knew how well he could fight, she'd seen it all competition. And she tried blocking his kicks, but man, could he fly.

And he was able to gain a point for Cobra Kai by kicking Rory in her side.

She licked her lips as she stepped back from the circle and tagged in Miguel.

Another competitor was tagged in and he was just as good as Miguel, but Miguel hit harder and was able to knock the boy to the ground and gaining a point for Cobra Kai.

1-1.

Miguel tagged in Demetri and Yoon from Cobra Kai had also stepped it. Easily enough, Demetri tagged in Eli and the two of them went back and forth tagging each other in to wear Yoon out.

Demetri tagged it Kenny who almost scored a point on Yoon but he was able to dodged the punch and made his way to tag his teammate in, but Kenny rushed over, tagging in Rory by her surprise and she quickly rushed over and kicked Yoon's arm away from Kwon's.

The two of them went back and forth, but Yoon's shots were weak. Rory was able to grab ahold of his arm, flipping him over onto his back and raising her fist to strike him in the chest.

2-1.

Rory, as quickly as she could, rushed over and tagged Miguel in and he stood in the circle with Kwon, but he was able to get the better hand on Miguel and score a point for Cobra Kai.

2-2.

This was it. This last point meant everything to each team.

Miguel tagged in Robby and quickly blocked Kwon's kick with ease.

"It's about time." Kwon teased. "Let's see what you got."

The fight lasted longer than the others, the two of them sending kicks towards each other and not daring to tag in another teammate.

You could see it on his face, Kwon was growing angrier and angrier by the second the longer the fight lasted, but he was losing steam and it was showing.

With one final motion, the two of them charged at each other, but Robby got the upper cut, being able to knock Kwon on his back and scoring the final point Miyagi-Do needed to win and send the captain's to the finals.

Rory was the first to rush into the circle, her heart pounding as she threw her arms around Robby in a tight embrace. The weight of the match, the tension, the stakes—all of it melted away as she held him.

"You did it!" she exclaimed, her voice breathless with excitement and pride. "We're going to the finals!"

Robby hugged her back just as fiercely, the adrenaline and relief clear in the way he held her.

Pulling back slightly, Rory looked up at him, her eyes shining with pride and a little disbelief. She smiled, and before either of them could overthink it, she leaned up and pressed her lips to his in a brief but meaningful kiss. It wasn't rushed or loud—it was full of relief, pride, and gratitude for everything they'd pushed through together.

When they pulled apart, their eyes met for a moment, the noise of the crowd fading in the background. Robby gave her a small, lopsided grin, his usual confidence returning. Rory couldn't help but smile back, a spark of hope lighting her chest.

The rest of the team quickly joined them in the circle, cheering and celebrating the hard-fought victory. Rory stayed close to Robby, her hand brushing against his as they were swept up in the excitement. For the first time in what felt like forever, everything seemed to fall into place.

— lucy has something to say !!

ending it here like tory isn't going home because my girl didn't deserve that

anyway

don't piss me off... drunk people can't consent no matter what happened in that room... my eye is twitching so bad yall don't get it... "i don't remember anything" and proceeded to kiss him don't piss me off hayden i knew a hayden once and he was an asshole (i knew him for less than a month i switched school (who cares))

anyway...

"trust me to what?" oh he put on his boomin' voice for that TELL THEM KENNY !!! (i like kenny now he's like my son like how kelly is bert's mother)

also... one chapter left before i leave you lots again... UNTIL FEBRUARY (allegedly) GODDAMN 😭

bye :))))