The Way of the Fist 🐉Tory Nichols🐉

10. PUNISHMENT

NEXT MORNING

I stood around and watched the others mixing cement together. "Don't add too much water. You wanna make it nice and thick." Johnny told them. "Sensei, why are we mixing cement?" Diaz asked Johnny. "No questions. Keep stirring." Johnny answered. Johnny walked over to Mr. Kreese, my father, and me. "Their muscles are gonna ache, sure, but if you wanna make 'em tough, you gotta give 'em something to be afraid of. No one's afraid of a little cement." Mr. Kreese told Johnny. "They will be." Johnny stated. The blaring of a truck horn blasted behind me. I turned around to find a cement truck. The driver got out and headed over to us giving the keys to Johnny. "Thanks, Cutter. I'll take it from here." Johnny told the man. "Hey, you didn't say nothing about no kids, Johnny." Cutter voiced. "Hey, you want your bar tab paid off or not?" Johnny asked him. "You get caught, you take the heat." The man told him walking away. 

Johnny stood in front of the truck staring at the students. My dad was standing near Mr. Kreese while I stood directly facing them in the middle. "You think winning the All Valley gives you the right to goof off? Well, I got news for you. Winning one championship don't mean squat, isn't that right, Mr. Holland?!" Johnny stated. "Yes, Sensei!" I answered. "A true champion never stops training. You gotta keep moving forward...or else you can get stuck exactly where you are. It's like the cement in this truck. That drum doesn't start turning, the cement inside will harden and get stuck. Is that what you want to happen to you?" Johnny explained. "No, Sensei!" The students answered. "Good. Then climb up, get inside, and make it spin." Johnny told them. I raised a brow looking over at Johnny. The students looked around conversing among themselves. "Sensei, we're sorry for messing around." Aisha stated. "We learned our lesson." Hawk added. Johnny pulled the ladder of the truck down. "Get in!" He shouted as I crossed my arms. "Sensei, this seems kinda dangerous. I mean, the fumes alone--" Diaz started. "Quiet!" Kreese yelled. He walked over to the amassed group. "This man led you to the mountaintop, and you question him? Look at you. Look at all of you. I can't believe this pathetic pack of pussies competed in the All Valley and let alone won. It's an absolute miracle. And who's responsible for that miracle? Johnny Lawrence. The best student in the history of Cobra Kai. My student." Kreese stated. "You were Sensei's sensei?" Hawk asked him. "You better believe it, kid. And I tell you I've never trained a tougher student in my whole life. So, if you know what's good for you, you better listen to every goddamn word he says. Or...would you rather spend the rest of the day training with Renshi Holland until he makes you bleed?" Kreese said. "I'll do it, Sensei." Diaz said. Diaz climbed up the truck followed by Hawk and others. They entered the drum as I watched. Johnny climbed the ladder and looked inside. "Don't just stand there! You wanna get stuck? Move!" Johnny told them.

"Let's go, guys! Move it!" Johnny shouted to them. "You ever done this before?" Kreese asked Johnny. "Don't worry. I got this." Johnny answered. "That's encouraging." I voiced. I looked behind me and looked at the silent group of students. "So, let me get this straight. Your teammates are putting their life on the line in that damn truck and all you're doing is standing there? Is that what you would do if you went to war? Stand there like a dumbass? Those are your friends in there! You want them to succeed don't you?!" I asked them. "Yes, Renshi!" They shouted. "Then, cheer them on! Encourage them! Don't just stand around like a bunch of silent losers!" I exclaimed. "Yes, Renshi!" They responded before they began to cheer the others on. I shook my head turning back around. Kreese was staring at me and nodded his head with a smile. Eventually, the drum began to the spin faster and faster. A smile grew upon my lips impressed. 

"You should all be proud of yourselves." Johnny told them as he hosed them down. "I know I'm proud." He added. "Your parents would be proud, too, if you told them what we did here today, which we won't. You pushed forward like champions. Never stopping. Never being satisfied. Never giving up. And if you keep pushing and keep moving forward, you're gonna go to places you never even dreamed of." Johnny finished with a nod.