Being a Cobra

"Does this amount cover both Devon and me?" Max handed over a check his uncle had given him to use however he pleased. These were simple gifts his uncle often gave, which Max typically spent on minor things.

After many birthdays, celebrations, and holidays, Max had amassed a small fortune.

"Are you sure?" Johnny asked, unable to believe someone could hand over so much money at once. He had been deeply stressed about the bills piling up and the lack of students.

At this rate, Johnny was close to begging for help from people he'd never have thought he'd have to turn to.

"I'll put you to the test. If you're good enough, you'll become the captain of my students," Johnny declared, boasting about his plans for the dojo's future.

Max didn't care much about this; it was a position he'd held in his previous martial arts school, and he didn't think it was all that significant.

Still, since Johnny brought it up, Max took note of the official opening date and left.

"By the way, who taught you to fight?" Johnny was curious about Max's teacher and if they were connected to Cobra Kai Karate.

Max simply smiled and replied, "Maybe you'll meet them someday—it'd be a fun surprise."

"I don't like surprises."

Max smirked slightly before leaving with Devon, feeling satisfied that Johnny seemed relieved. With the money in hand, Johnny could make plenty of improvements and pay off debts, alleviating his stress.

"Will he teach girls too?" Devon wondered if she'd even be allowed to join.

"He didn't say anything about not teaching girls, so you're in," Max replied as they walked to a nearby convenience store to grab some drinks.

...

Later, in the Jeep

Max glanced at the time and asked, "Would you mind if we stopped by a friend's gym to say hi? If you've got something else to do, I can drop you off wherever you need."

Devon thought about it briefly and said, "Let's go. I'd like to see what kind of friends you have."

"Don't get your hopes up." Max thought about Terry and couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.

If Max was reckless in fights, Terry was reckless in life. He relished being the "bad guy," using his power to get whatever he wanted.

But, as people often say, power sometimes comes with serious consequences.

Max knew from Terry that his family life was incredibly complicated—bad enough that he was sometimes physically abused.

"Don't fall for his jokes. He can be an idiot sometimes, but he's a good person," Max said, knowing everyone had their struggles, even someone like him.

That's why, over the years, Max had stopped judging those around him. He only befriended people who could handle his quirk.

"Does he fight too?" Devon guessed that all of Max's friends were fighters.

Max nodded, glanced in the rearview mirror before making a right turn, and said, "He mostly fights in illegal mixed martial arts tournaments—the best contact sport if you're looking for raw excitement."

"Have you fought in those?" Devon was genuinely intrigued by real-life contact sports. She loved action movies, but she'd never had a real-life glimpse into something that wasn't fictional.

"I used to. Not anymore." Max parked the car a short distance from the gym where Ryan trained.

Once parked, he didn't forget to send Ryan a message letting him know he was outside.

Devon followed Max; her curiosity piqued. She had never been to a place like this before and was eager to see what it was like.

"Looking for Ryan?" A tall man greeted Max, recognizing him.

"He's expecting me."

"He's not in a good mood today."

Max, knowing his friend well, replied, "He's always in a bad mood."