❝i didn't know your dojo had an asshole day.❞

AYANE CAIN HAD ONLY BEEN IN THE VALLEY for five minutes, and she already hated it.

She lost track of the number of rich, skinny, blonde white girls that they passed by in the car. Ayane felt more interested staring at the car headrest.

The girl was jetlagged, tired, and pissed. She had no interest in whatever reason her parents decided to move. Ayane wanted to go back to Chicago. That was her home.

Looking up at once, Ayane quirked an eyebrow as they pulled into a gated driveway, showcasing a massive white house.

"Is this our new house?" she asked, craning her neck to see it.

"Indeed it is," Ennis replied, shutting the car engine off.

She got out of the car, stretching her legs and taking it in. This place was going to be hard to make a home. It looked so uninviting, so unwelcoming.

The moving trucks pulled in behind them, and as soon as they parked Ayane got right to taking her things in. She wanted to be the first to get a room. It was the least her parents could allow, since they dragged her to this shithole.

Ayane settled on a room, not really giving a shit whether it was the master bedroom or not. Her dad may have been the strictest man alive, but he gave Ayane the best.

After all, she was his 'prized possession'.

It was not until a few minutes later that Liana came knocking.

Ayane turned to her mother, visibly hassled.

"Getting settled?" she asked, walking into the room.

Ayane and Liana's relationship was very complicated. While Ayane knew that Liana loved her, it was not the love like a mother to a daughter. It was more of a love like when you just feel like you're supposed to.

Liana loved her because Ennis loved her. But the way Ennis loved her was how someone loves their favorite sports team, not their daughter. When Ayane disappointed him, there was not much love to go around then.

And it was what she was used to. What she expected. She had never known a true love, a deep and caring love that you just feel in your soul.

Ayane nodded to her mother at once. "Sure."

Liana's face remained expressionless as she finally looked at Ayane and said, "Your father wants us to go explore the city. Get to know it."

She frowned, shaking her head. "Why? It's not like I'm going to be able to go anywhere, anyway-"

"Just..." Liana drew in a breath, closing her eyes briefly, "just come on. It's gonna be just you and me."

Ayane blinked a few times. "What about dad? What's he doing?"

Liana tapped her foot impatiently. "He's helping the movers, alright? Now come on."

At that, Ayane followed her mother out. They got in the car, Ayane yearning to be the one behind the steering wheel. But, no surprise, driving had been strictly forbidden for her because God forbid she get in an accident.

Ayane looked out of the window as they drove down the street of their neighborhood, seeing giant house after giant house. Nothing she had not expected, though.

And then they drove into the city itself. Los Angeles, California. There were good parts and bad parts, from what Ayane had seen and heard. It was comparable to Chicago in that way, but Ayane would be offed in a split second if she ever set foot in the bad parts.

"Your father wanted me to tell you something," Liana finally broke the silence, glancing over at Ayane.

She turned her head slowly, bracing herself with a frown. It was rare that Ennis made any kind of changes to Ayane's lifestyle.

"You... are going to be going to a public high school."

"What?" Ayane halfway laughed, feeling a rush of excitement run through her. She had been homeschooled her whole life, but she would always see kids outside who ran for the bus in the mornings, and them getting off of it in the afternoons. And, strangely enough, Ayane wished that was her.

"He says it's time for you to branch out... socially. And- well, I'm not supposed to tell you this part, but- there's a girl he wants you to become friends with."

Now Ayane was confused. Why the hell would he want her to become friends with someone, and someone from here? She did not think he had any ties to anyone from California.

"Who?" she asked slowly, her heart sinking a bit. Ayane already knew she was going to be shit at making any friends.

"Um," Liana thought, snapping her fingers, "something... LaRusso. Sydney, maybe? I'm not sure-"

"Okay, but why?"

Liana rolled her eyes shortly, pointing through the windshield.

"You see that billboard?"

Ayane leaned forward, seeing a car dealership billboard with a man's face plastered on it.

LaRusso Auto Group.

She leaned back, shaking her head. "Dad wants to be friends with a car salesman?"

"Not just any car salesman. Daniel LaRusso."

Ayane strained her memory for a moment, trying to remember where she had heard that name. Then it came to her.

Daniel LaRusso, the winner of the All Valley Karate Tournament in 1984. Ennis had taught her about it in Ayane's 'history lessons'. It was really all just related to martial arts.

"Don't tell me we moved all the way to California just for dad to be friends with a retired karate champion."

Liana was quiet for a moment, shrugging her shoulders slightly. "It's not the only reason."

She pulled into a parking lot of a big, vacant building, looking over at her daughter.

"He wants you to be the next All Valley Karate champion."

. . . .

THE TWO CAIN WOMEN PARKED AT a strip mall, and then took a walk around Los Angeles.

Ayane was still in disbelief over what her mother had told her. Her father wanted her, a taekwondo fighter, to enter in a karate tournament?

But for now, Ayane dismissed it. She was already so pissed at Ennis that she wanted to tear her hair out, so what would one more thing do?

They were returning back to their car when Ayane noticed something at the strip that she had not noticed before.

It was in the corner of the strip, but the sign was assured to catch your eye.

COBRA KAI.

Ayane tilted her head, looking at Liana. "Is that a dojo?" she asked her mother, pointing.

Liana looked over, shrugging. "Looks like it is. Well- let's go on and get home-"

But Ayane was already walking over to the building. She was intrigued; she had never seen a real dojo before. The only 'dojo' she knew was her father's, at home.

As she opened the door, Ayane could feel an entirely different energy. An energy that she recognized; violence.

She did not hesitate to barge right in, immediately being seen.

A middle-aged blonde man, wearing a black gi with a snake emblem on the back, turned quickly to face her.

And behind him was a boy, Ayane's age, dressed- well, rather poorly. But his face made up for it, or at least Ayane thought.

"Can I help you?" the man asked, visibly impatient.

Liana followed in behind Ayane, wanting to be angry but not even having enough will to do so.

"Ayane-" she hissed, but Ayane was focused on the man.

"Is this your dojo?"

He held his hands out. "So what if it is? Who's asking?"

Ayane furrowed her eyebrows, annoyed at his attitude. He was making it clear he did not want her to be here.

"I'm asking. Is this your dojo or not?"

The man crossed his arms, rolling his eyes. "Yes, it is. Is that all?"

Ayane tilted her head, rolling her eyes back. "I didn't know your dojo had an asshole day."

"Ayane!" Liana scolded, grabbing her daughter's arm. Ayane yanked it back, ignoring her mother.

"Are you taking students?"

Her eyes traveled over to the boy, who's eyes happened to catch hers at that moment. Ayane quickly glanced away.

"Sorry, I don't teach... er..."

"Girls? Is that the word you're looking for?"

He gritted his teeth, raising his hands in mock surrender. "So what? Look, females aren't made for fighting, alright? Their bones are too fragile and hollow-"

"I want to spar you."

Liana finally cut in once more. "No. Ayane, we are leaving right now. Not another word."

She took her daughter by the arm, with an iron grip. Liana looked at the man as they were leaving, saying, "I'm so sorry, sir. My apologies."

With that, Liana dragged Ayane out of the dojo. She had never been this pissed.

"That was beyond inappropriate, young lady! Since when did you ever think it was okay to talk to an adult, or a person in general, like that?"

Ayane's eyes fluttered to hold back her eye roll, getting in the car.

"I was just doing what dad taught me. Don't take shit from anyone. Sorry- crap."

Liana stared at her daughter in disbelief as they drove off, trying to think of something to say. Ayane focused her attention out the window, arms crossed over her chest.

"Are you acting this way because you're angry at us?" Liana finally asked in a soft voice.

Ayana drew her lips in, turning her head over to her mom as they pulled into the garage of their new home.

"Angry? No, why would I be angry? You guys only forced me to move halfway across the country just for a karate tournament, why would I be angry-"

What happened next left Ayane dazed, shocked. The back of Liana's hand struck Ayane's face, so fast that Ayane had barely comprehended it.

But when she realized what happened, Ayane could feel the anger boiling up inside of her; pitting in her stomach and rising to her chest.

She unbuckled and furiously stormed out of the vehicle, slamming the door with a rattle of the cracked window.

Liana held a hand to her face, leaning her head against the steering wheel.

She had hurt Ayane, Ennis' precious Ayane. And if their daughter told him, well- Liana could expect to be signing divorce papers within ten minutes.

But as Liana walked inside, she saw Ennis, impassive as ever. The last of the movers were leaving, having gotten the furniture into place.

Ayane seemed to have had gone up to her room. Liana sighed, wondering how she should apologize. She couldn't just not say sorry; she had not that much pride, like her husband.

As it neared six o'clock, Ayane appeared downstairs. Liana was in the living room, hanging pictures on the wall. She looked down from her stepstool to see Ayane walking by, entering her father's office.

"Dad," she said hesitantly, hoping she had not caught him at a bad time.

Ennis glanced up from his desk, then back down.

Liana stepped down from the stool, listening around the corner inconspicuously. She feared that Ayane was going to snitch.

"I just want to say that... I'm excited for school."

Ennis looked up fully now, peering at Ayane over his glasses. At once, he shrugged his shoulders back and replied, "I assume your mother told you, then. Well, yes. You're going to be attending West Valley High School."

Ayane frowned, as she was still waiting on him to mention the other part.

"So... what about training? We usually train during the day since you work at night-"

"Well, that's the most important reason I've brought you here."

Ayane shook her head slightly, not following. Ennis drew in a breath, standing and walking around his new desk.

"I hate to admit that I... I've gotten too old and too out of shape to train you. My talents- my skills- are in different places than yours."

Ayane looked up at her father, swallowing. "What are you saying?" she asked slowly, remaining deadly serious.

Ennis folded his hands, glancing around the room.

"You're going to train with Daniel LaRusso."

NOTES!
eyyy chapter one bitchesss i hope y'all liked it and i hope y'all like ayane so far!! mwah <3