Forbidden Things || Cobra Kai

48 Why?

Penelope held a hand up to her mouth in shock, her eyes wide as she looked around the training yard of Miyagi-Do. Assessing all of the damage was disheartening, but she couldn't look away from everything that had been destroyed and vandalized. Everywhere she looked, it just got worse and she was beginning to feel sick to her stomach. It was the last thing she expected to find when she'd arrived early for practice.

The wait for the others hadn't been long, but when they opened the door, it revealed the horrors that awaited them inside. Equipment was strewn across the room, the scrolls pulled from the walls, glass scattered on the floor; the screen doors were ripped and torn, a trail of toilet paper leading them outside where the trees were disturbed. They were wearing scarves of paper in the hot summer, the balanced bonsai was turned over, and pots were broken. The grass was littered with empty spray paint cans and trash, everything left behind by the vandals. Graffiti was on nearly every surface imaginable, only adding to the interrupted peace in a stark and unsightly fashion.

Behind her, Robby inspected the space with a silent glare. It was an awful view for anyone to behold, but Penelope imagined it was even harder for him. He'd helped Mr. LaRusso restore the house to its glory, putting in all of the hard work necessary so that it could be a beautiful and peaceful dojo.

Although it was a bright and sunny day, everything felt dim and dark.

They both turned and walked inside, avoiding the shards of glass on the floor. Mr. LaRusso was crouched among it, holding a broken display case.

"They even took Mr. Miyagi's Medal of Honor," he said, voice raw. He couldn't look at his students as they stood around him, all feeling helpless.

The vandalization was one thing, but the theft was like a knife to the heart.

"Dad!" Sam's distressed voice yelled from outside.

They all rushed to see what she had found, running outside to Mr. Miyagi's cars, where Sam stood frozen and despondent. Her eyes were trained on the bright red paint that tarnished the side of one car, reading: COBRA KAI NEVER DIES.

Penelope felt her mouth go dry. Rawness overtook her throat as tears brimmed her eyes. She wanted to cry, but only a pitched whine escaped her lips before she covered her mouth with her hand.

Her already sunken heart sank deeper, into the unexplored depths of the ocean where the pressure crushed it.

Too many thoughts were running through her mind. The biggest one of all being why, but she couldn't come up with any answers. She felt overwhelmed, lost from reality as she continued to stare at the harsh, crude letters. They were haunting and painful, the hue too close to blood not to think that the car had been bodily harmed in the attack.

Sudden shouts broke Penelope free and she blinked, looking up to see what was going on.

Mr. LaRusso had gotten into the car without a word and started it up. He was quick to drive away without giving his daughter or other students an answer as to where he was going, a stern and angry look etched into his features. He left Penelope, Sam, and Robby where they stood, the dust settling at their feet. They were on their own with no idea of what to do.

Penelope found herself asking if all of this was an act of anger.

The next natural response that came to her was to clean up the mess.

As if on autopilot, she turned and started for the door.

"Penelope?" Sam called behind her, but it fell on unfocused ears.

Penelope walked into the dojo and took a quick glance around, then decided the most pressing of matters were the dangerous ones. She searched the place with shaky, buzzing hands for supplies. They only calmed when her hands curled around a broom and she pulled it from the closet, setting out to sweep up the glass.