❛ Do you think all of this is worth it? ❜

     Mr. LaRusso didn't hold back with his training ideas for Ayane and Robby.

The lessons felt like a nostalgic callback to Ayane's earlier days at Miyagi-Do; the ones where she had sanded the dojo's deck and painted its fences.

Only this time, Johnny was part of the equation too.

After being chased down a street by Daniel and Johnny in a car, practicing kata routines on narrow ledges, and sparring two-on-one with both senseis, Ayane and Robby were finally given a break.

Miguel was there the entire time, cheering them on. To Ayane's relief, he seemed to have taken her advice and avoided bringing up the whole Robby situation. She appreciated that, because it could have completely shattered their focus for the tournament.

When they finished, they all gathered on the hotel's stairs. Ayane was drenched in sweat, panting heavily as she met Miguel at the top.

He grinned at her and held up his hand. She high-fived him with a tired smile, using her other hand to wipe her brow.

"Alright, good work," Daniel said, bowing to Ayane and Robby.

The two bowed back, and Johnny, standing beside Daniel, followed suit.

"You guys are gonna kill it," Johnny said, nodding firmly. "Seriously."

Daniel added, "There's no one we'd rather have representing Miyagi-Do than you two. You've earned this."

Ayane exchanged a look with Robby, both of them smiling. But as she glanced at Miguel, standing off to the side, a pang of guilt crept into her. She couldn't help but feel he deserved this more Robby did.

The senseis dismissed them, instructing them to rest up for the big day. But Ayane knew rest wouldn't come easily tonight.

As Robby, Daniel, and Johnny headed back into the hotel, Miguel noticed Ayane lingering behind. She walked over to the ledge in front of the building, leaning against it as she gazed out at the Barcelona skyline. The sun had dipped below the horizon, and the streetlights were beginning to flicker on, casting a warm glow over the city.

Miguel joined her, leaning beside her on the ledge.

"What's on your mind?" he asked, noticing how distant she seemed.

Ayane ran a hand through her hair and sighed, her fingers clasping together as she stared down at them.

"Do you think all of this is worth it?"

Miguel frowned, watching her closely.

"I mean... is this worth everything I've sacrificed to get here?" she asked, finally meeting his gaze.

Miguel hesitated, considering her words.

"Well, if you win, you're securing your future," he said carefully. "Your college gets paid for, and... the world will finally see who the greatest martial artist ever is."

Ayane snorted softly, brushing him off with a small laugh. She shook her head, a faint smile forming as she locked eyes with him.

"I still think it should've been you. You and me up there together," she said quietly.

Miguel's smile faded a little as he glanced down. With a small shrug, he replied, "Can't change that now. All I can do is support you. And I'm okay with that."

Ayane drew in a breath, reaching over to push a stray curl out of Miguel's face. Her thin smile returned.

"Well, I want you to know I'm doing this for you," she said softly. Miguel lifted his head, his eyes meeting hers.

"You, and the rest of Miyagi-Do," she continued. "I couldn't care less about winning, honestly. But I know what it means to you guys, and that's all that matters."

Miguel stared at her, admiration clear in his eyes. Ayane's selflessness left him momentarily speechless. When he didn't reply, still caught in his thoughts, she nudged him with her elbow.

"Hello?"

He blinked, snapping out of it. "Sorry. I just... this reminds me of our first date. Being out here, looking at the city lights."

Ayane smirked. "Should we spar again too?"

Miguel chuckled. "Well, I wouldn't be opposed... if it's anything like our first date."

Grinning, Ayane pushed off the ledge and playfully shoved Miguel. He caught her wrist, raising an eyebrow.

"So, you do wanna spar," she said with a teasing grin, delivering a quick jab to his chest with her free hand. Miguel stumbled back slightly, smirking at her.

He brought up his fists, and Ayane mirrored him. Thankfully, no one else was around to give them strange looks.

Miguel threw a couple of light strikes, which Ayane deflected with ease before hooking her arm around his neck. Miguel countered by grappling her waist, breaking her hold, and spinning them so Ayane was pinned against the ledge.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, rolling her eyes in mock exasperation.

"I don't think this is a very effective way to take down your opponent," she quipped.

Miguel's smirk widened as his eyes dropped to her lips.

"No, but it's effective for other things."

Ayane raised a brow, watching him as his grip loosened. Growing impatient, she leaned in and closed the gap, kissing him firmly. Miguel's arms slid around her further as he pressed closer, the kiss deepening.

Her back pressed against the ledge as Miguel's intensity grew, their lips moving as if they were made for each other. His tongue brushed hers, making her breath hitch, but he finally pulled back, his breathing uneven.

"Do you wanna go find a spot?" he asked in a low voice, urgency flickering in his eyes.

Ayane smiled, dropping her hands from his neck and giving him a light shove. Miguel found the assertiveness an ungodly amount of attractive, a smirk tugging at his lips as she grabbed his hand with a firm grip.

"I'll lead the way."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The long-awaited day had finally arrived, and Ayane Cain felt like she might throw up.

She was never nervous, until it was about to happen. Now, standing in the arena with her Miyagi-Do teammates, she was silently freaking out.

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for," Gunther's voice boomed over the microphone. "The Sekai Taikai tournament of champions!"

The crowd erupted into cheers, the energy reverberating through the arena. Ayane wiped her sweaty palms on her gi, her stomach twisting.

A hand rested on her shoulder, and she turned to see Miguel standing beside her, his calm smile offering reassurance. Ayane inhaled deeply, nodding as if to steel herself.

"Welcome, competitors, to the semifinal round of the Sekai Taikai," Gunther continued. "Each dojo retains the points accumulated so far. Matches will consist of three two-minute rounds, with unlimited scoring and no stoppages. One point for a hit, ten for a knockdown, and twenty for a knockout."

Ayane tried to block out the noise, including Cobra Kai. She avoided even glancing at them, refusing to let their presence get inside her head.

The scoreboard glowed, showing the Iron Dragons in the lead with 138 points, followed by Furia de Pantera, Miyagi-Do, and Cobra Kai.

"As you can see," Gunther added, "it's still anyone's tournament to win. No deficit is too large to overcome at this stage. Best of luck to all of you. May the best dojo win!"

Ayane tried to relax, shaking out her hands to dispel the nerves coursing through her. Three matches stood between her and her fight with Tory, and the wait was almost worse than the thought of stepping onto the mat.

The first match was Jae versus Diego Aguilar of Furia de Pantera.

Reluctantly, Ayane forced herself to watch. She wasn't sure why– maybe curiosity about whether Jae had what it took to beat Diego. Deep down, she felt like she already knew the answer.

The match was brutal, both fighters relentless and fast. Ayane noticed the familiar fire in Jae's eyes, a burning intensity that unsettled her. It mirrored something she recognized in herself– something dangerous.

Then, in the second round, Jae delivered a lightning-fast kick to Diego's face. The boy froze, stiffened, and collapsed sideways onto the mat.

Ayane's jaw dropped slightly as the announcer declared, "Winner by knockout, earning an impressive twenty-seven points for Cobra Kai and the first spot in the boys' final: Kwon Jae-Sung!"

Jae stepped back to his spot, his expression cold and composed. Ayane swallowed hard. He was more ruthless than she'd imagined.

There was no pause in the action, however. Next up was Zara Malik versus Maria Alvarez. Ayane already knew how that would go.

She studied Zara intently as the match unfolded. Zara's flair for showmanship didn't detract from her skill, unfortunately. Within a minute, she was scoring points with precision, overwhelming Maria with her speed and aggression.

Ayane's nerves mounted as she watched, though her face betrayed none of it. The scoreboard confirmed her fears; Maria hadn't scored a single point.

Then Zara ended it with a flashy flip and a final kick, the referee raising her hand in victory.

"Winner!" the announcement echoed as the crowd erupted.

Zara glanced across the mat, her eyes locking onto Ayane's. She smirked and mouthed, "You're next."

Ayane inhaled sharply, forcing herself to look away.

"Up next," Gunther announced, "our second boys' semifinal: Axel Kovačević of Iron Dragons versus Robby Keene of Miyagi-Do."

Ayane turned to Robby, who was stretching nearby. "Hey," she said, drawing his attention. "This is your moment. Prove to everyone what I already know. That you're capable of winning this. Are you ready?"

Robby smiled faintly, nodding. "I'm ready."

Ayane gave him a curt nod, bowing sharply. Robby returned the bow before stepping onto the mat. The team cheered him on, but Ayane's heart felt like it was in her throat.

"Ready? Fight!"

Robby started on the offensive, but Axel evaded each strike with ease, his movements calculated and unhurried. Ayane watched anxiously, biting her nails as Miguel stood beside her.

Suddenly, the Iron Dragons' sensei called out a command in Mandarin. Axel's demeanor shifted instantly. Now, he attacked with ruthless precision, every strike heavier than the last.

A hard blow to Robby's face sent blood spraying into the air. Ayane winced, her fists clenching. Robby struggled to recover, putting every Miyagi-Do tactic he'd learned to use, but Axel was relentless.

In a swift motion, Axel locked Robby's arms, towering over him. "Are you just going to defend," Axel growled, "or are you going to fight?"

With a shove, Axel sent Robby stumbling into Cobra Kai's section. Jae caught him, only to drive an elbow into his ribs.

"Hey!" Miguel shouted, stepping forward, only to be intercepted by Axel. With a hard shove, Axel sent Miguel sprawling to the ground.

Ayane didn't think– she moved. Sprinting toward the chaos, she saw Miguel spring to his feet and get in Axel's face.

Tension was growing around the arena. Jae and Robby stared each other down on one side, while Miguel and Axel squared off on the other. Ayane hesitated, unsure where to intervene.

"Stop!" Gunther's voice thundered from the stage. "Stop this right now, or–"

He didn't finish. The Tiger Strike sensei climbed onto the stage and knocked him out with a punch. Chaos erupted as the Tiger Strike fighters swarmed the arena.

Ayane turned just in time to see Axel knock Miguel off his feet. She sprinted forward, leaping into a flying kick that connected with Axel's face.

He staggered back, glaring at her, but didn't retaliate. His fists clenched, but his restraint was clear.

Then Ayane felt a sharp blow to her back, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Rolling onto her back, she saw Zara approaching with a predatory grin. Zara raised her heel for an axe kick, aiming straight for Ayane's face.

Ayane rolled away just in time, springing to her feet as Zara closed in.

The Sekai Taikai had descended into chaos. Fighters were scattered across the arena floor, clashing wildly, with no referees, no points, and no rules.

Zara stalked forward, her fists raised. Ayane locked eyes with her, the din of the chaos fading away as their focus narrowed to just each other.

"You're done, Cain," Zara growled, cracking her knuckles. "No mats, no judges... just me putting you down."

Ayane didn't respond. She shifted her stance, her hands up, her body relaxed but ready. She wasn't here to trade words.

Zara charged like a battering ram, her fist cocked back for a wild haymaker. Ayane sidestepped at the last second, slamming an elbow into Zara's ribs. Zara grunted but didn't slow, whipping around with a spinning backfist that clipped Ayane's temple. The force sent Ayane stumbling, and Zara pressed forward, slamming a knee into Ayane's stomach.

Ayane doubled over, gasping for air, but she reacted on instinct, grabbing Zara's leg and twisting hard. Zara yelped as she was thrown off balance, crashing to the ground. Ayane followed her down, aiming to pin her, but Zara lashed out with a vicious kick to Ayane's jaw, sending her reeling. Both fighters scrambled to their feet, Ayane now more pissed off than ever before.

"Maybe I'll actually get a challenge out of you this time," Zara spat, bringing her fists up again.

She launched herself at Ayane again, this time feinting high before driving her shoulder into Ayane's midsection. The two crashed into the mat, Ayane unprepared for the brutality coming from Zara. She straddled Ayane, raining down punches. Ayane raised her arms to block, but the blows came fast and brutal, forcing her into pure defense.

Desperate, Ayane twisted her hips and bucked Zara off, using her legs to push her the girl away. She rolled to her feet, panting, her face smeared with sweat and blood. Zara charged again, but Ayane stepped forward instead of retreating, catching Zara's incoming punch and twisting her arm into a brutal lock. Zara screamed, her free hand clawing at Ayane's grip.

Ayane didn't let go. She yanked Zara forward and drove her knee into Zara's chest, forcing the air from her lungs. Zara collapsed to one knee, coughing, but she wasn't finished. With a growl, she surged upward, slamming her head into Ayane's face. Ayane staggered back, her nose bleeding now, but her eyes burned with fire.

The fight turned primal. Zara swung wildly, blinded by her own rage. Ayane ducked the first swing and countered with a spinning heel kick that connected with Zara's wrist. Zara snarled and lunged again, aiming a punch at Ayane's throat, but Ayane sidestepped and delivered a brutal palm strike to Zara's jaw.

Zara stumbled but recovered quickly, grabbing Ayane's gi and yanking her forward into a brutal knee to the stomach. Ayane gasped in pain but retaliated immediately, slamming her elbow into Zara's face. Blood sprayed as Zara's nose cracked, but she only grinned through the pain, wiping her face with the back of her hand.

"You've got fight, bitch," Zara spat. "But not enough."

Zara lunged one final time, her attacks wild but relentless. Ayane dodged and deflected, her focus razor-sharp despite her battered body. As Zara overextended on a punch, Ayane stepped inside her guard, grabbed her by the collar, and twisted, using Zara's momentum against her. Zara crashed to the ground, and before she could rise, Ayane was on her, straddling her chest and pinning her arms.

Ayane's fist hovered above Zara's face, trembling with restraint. Zara glared up at her, fury blazing in her eyes. Around them, the brawl raged on, but Ayane knew she had won this one.

"You're done, Malik," Ayane said through gritted teeth, echoing Zara's words from before their fight began.

The girl dropped her fist and climbed to her feet. Her eyes scanned the room, widening slightly when they locked onto Jae. Across the space, his gaze fixed on her, and in that moment, she became his sole focus.

Jae began sprinting toward her, a crazed look in his eyes, while Ayane instinctively raised her fists in reluctant defense.

He launched into the air, spinning a kick toward her. Ayane blocked it, forcing him to land back on his feet. Jae began circling her, while Ayane's pleading expression grew more desperate.

"Jae," she said softly, "please don't do this."

But any trace of emotion had vanished from his eyes, leaving only an unrelenting thirst for violence.

"I'm getting my payback, noona," he sneered before lunging at her with a sharp kick.

Ayane braced herself to block, but before she could react, someone intervened, striking Jae hard across the face.

Startled, Ayane turned to see Axel standing there. Her jaw dropped in disbelief, but Jae's rage remained fixed on her, ignoring Axel's presence entirely.

Jae lunged at her again, only for Axel to shove him back once more. Ayane felt a hand on her shoulder and spun around, her guard instinctively rising.

Standing before her was Ennis. Fear swept over her as she took a step back, while he advanced closer.

"This is the most you have ever disappointed me," Ennis said coldly. Ayane kept her fists raised, trembling. "That you would go against your own family."

Shaking with rage and fear, Ayane's voice wavered. "You will never be my family."

Ennis stepped closer, his eyes mirroring the same violent intensity as Jae's. They radiated hatred and pure malice.

"Then it seems you must be taught another lesson," he said with eerie calmness, raising his hand as if to strike her.

Ayane prepared herself, but the blow never came. Instead, another hand intercepted Ennis's wrist.

Turning her head, Ayane saw Daniel gripping Ennis's arm, forcing him back.

"LaRusso," Ennis sneered, laughing bitterly. "This is a family matter. It doesn't concern you."

Daniel's glare hardened. "When it comes to Ayane, it concerns me."

Ayane watched as Ennis threw a punch, only for Daniel to block it with practiced precision.

Desperate for a moment of clarity, Ayane scanned the chaos in the arena. Her eyes landed on Miguel, who was searching the crowd, seemingly looking for her.

She rushed toward him, and Miguel immediately reached out as she ran into his arms.

"Hey, you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah– holy shit, your nose," he said, noticing the dried blood on her face.

Ayane exhaled shakily. "I'm okay."

But her attention quickly shifted. She saw Jae and Axel still locked in combat, with Axel slamming Jae into a camera. Hesitating for a brief moment, Ayane broke away from Miguel to intervene.

"Jae!" she called as he began to rise.

Positioning herself in front of Axel, she locked eyes with Jae. He let out a bloodcurdling scream, and Ayane prepared herself to end this fight at any cost.

Jae charged at her, but Axel intervened, pushing Ayane aside. She landed hard and skidded to a stop, watching as Jae unleashed a flurry of kicks at Axel.

He leaped into a spinning kick aimed at Axel's face, but missed, crashing to the ground with a scream of pure agony.

Ayane scrambled to her feet and rushed to his side. Her mouth fell open in shock as she saw dark red blood pooling beneath her brother.

Dizziness overwhelmed her, and she dropped to her knees beside him, trembling as she shook his unresponsive body.

"No," Ayane choked out, grasping his shoulder and turning him onto his back. Her face paled as her hands became stained with blood, revealing a knife embedded in Jae's stomach.

She couldn't breathe, tears stinging her eyes as she sat in horror. Shaking him again, a lump formed in her throat.

"Jae," she cried, placing her hands on either side of his face, tears streaming down as a sob escaped her lips. Her mind couldn't process the sight of her brother's lifeless body, and she breathed rapidly, panic rising.

"Jae," Ayane repeated, shaking her head as more sobs broke free. "No, no. Please. Please!"

Her broken sobs echoed through the room as she collapsed over Jae's body, her white gi now stained red, her entire body shaking violently with grief.

Someone gently pulled her away; through her tears, she recognized Miguel. He held her close as she sobbed into his chest.

Gunther, having finally grasped the situation, stared down at Jae in shock.

"Cut the feed," he muttered, then raised his voice to the camera.

"Cut the feed!"

Notes.
everyone take a breather!

to be honest with you guys, that was the hardest scene i have ever had to write in my history of writing fanfiction. i am like mentally drained from it

anyway... this is the final update until february 13th 🥲 maybe by then we'll have had enough time to process our grief

on a more positive note, my girl kicked zara's fucking ass and i could not be more proud

so... what do you think ayane will do after the sekai taikai is over?