closer.
“What’s the commotion about?” Tyra asked, with the rest of the squad following behind her.
“We’re having an impromptu tournament,” Cain answered with a grin. “If they ever actually start that is.”
“Is that Owen fighting?” Hiroko asked in surprise.
Owen took his attention off Ronald for a second as he looked toward the approaching girls. Ronald launched his attack at his distracted opponent. He easily swept Owen’s feet out from under him. As Owen started to fall, Ronald swung his right hand with incredible speed. Brent couldn’t believe his eyes. Owen moved even faster than Ronald had, grabbing the striking fist and swinging himself around. Using his weight as he fell, Owen caught Ronald off balance and forced him to the ground. Ronald hit the ground face first, Owen on his back. Ronald was pinned with his right arm behind his back. Owen was as surprised as Ronald was.
“Guess I did learn something from gramps after all,” Owen chuckled nervously.
The squad and the Protectorates stared at him in amazement. As he helped Ronald up, Doug quickly took his place. When their match started, Doug rushed him. Taken by surprise, Owen closed his eyes. In an instant, Doug was pinned on the ground in the exact same fashion. Brent felt a hand on his back. Without warning he was being shoved into the next match with Owen. Cain started the match and Owen tensed. Brent rubbed his chin for a moment, thinking things over. Calmly, he slowly approached Owen. He smiled as he put a hand gently down on nervous young man’s shoulder. Owen looked at the hand confused, completely at ease. With the hand on his shoulder, Brent casually pushed Owen over. He simply fell on his back without a fight. Cain burst into laughter.
“What was that ?” Hiroko shouted.
“Leave it to Brent to do something outlandish.” Kindra started laughing alongside Cain.
“But he defeated Ronald .” Erin was almost shouting in disbelief. “How could Brent just push him over?”
“Simple.” Brent helped Owen up. “His amazing defense is a reflex. He can’t use it by himself. He has to be taken by surprise for it to work.”
“How’d you know that?” Doug asked, rubbing his shoulder.
“It was obvious.” Brent shrugged.
Most of the squad broke into laughter. The gathered Protectorates didn’t know what to think about what they’d just seen.
“Okay, who’s up next?” Cain asked.
The squad exchanged glances.
“Oh, come on,’ Cain pressed. “Surely someone has the guts to at least try a match with Brent.”
“I’ll do it,” Doug said.
“You’ve already had your chance.” Cain shook his head at Doug. “We need a new challenger.”
“What about Frank?” Penny asked. “Back in the SW he was the best in singles combat.”
“Perfect! Mr. Sneaky, if you’d please.” Cain gestured toward Brent.
Penny giggled at the nickname as the lanky trooper shrugged and took his position. Brent used everything he had learned back in the academy to take a solid defensive stance. When Cain began the match, Frank moved with amazing speed. Brent realized in an instant he was completely out matched. Frank feinted to the right as he landed a punch squarely against Brent’s left leg. He backed away from Frank, trying to ignore the pain. Behind his opponent, he noticed a familiar face in the gathering of Protectorates. It was the young boy he had helped. The boy was silently rooting for him, his fists clenched so tightly the knuckles were turning white. Frank attacked again. The feint was to the right, so Brent moved to dodge a blow from the left. To his surprise, Frank quickly struck his right leg. The feint wasn’t a feint but the real strike. Brent tried to keep his distance as Frank continued to press the attack. He started to notice a pattern as Frank landed one blow after another.
The feints were random, but
“What’s the commotion about?” Tyra asked, with the rest of the squad following behind her.
“We’re having an impromptu tournament,” Cain answered with a grin. “If they ever actually start that is.”
“Is that Owen fighting?” Hiroko asked in surprise.
Owen took his attention off Ronald for a second as he looked toward the approaching girls. Ronald launched his attack at his distracted opponent. He easily swept Owen’s feet out from under him. As Owen started to fall, Ronald swung his right hand with incredible speed. Brent couldn’t believe his eyes. Owen moved even faster than Ronald had, grabbing the striking fist and swinging himself around. Using his weight as he fell, Owen caught Ronald off balance and forced him to the ground. Ronald hit the ground face first, Owen on his back. Ronald was pinned with his right arm behind his back. Owen was as surprised as Ronald was.
“Guess I did learn something from gramps after all,” Owen chuckled nervously.
The squad and the Protectorates stared at him in amazement. As he helped Ronald up, Doug quickly took his place. When their match started, Doug rushed him. Taken by surprise, Owen closed his eyes. In an instant, Doug was pinned on the ground in the exact same fashion. Brent felt a hand on his back. Without warning he was being shoved into the next match with Owen. Cain started the match and Owen tensed. Brent rubbed his chin for a moment, thinking things over. Calmly, he slowly approached Owen. He smiled as he put a hand gently down on nervous young man’s shoulder. Owen looked at the hand confused, completely at ease. With the hand on his shoulder, Brent casually pushed Owen over. He simply fell on his back without a fight. Cain burst into laughter.
“What was that ?” Hiroko shouted.
“Leave it to Brent to do something outlandish.” Kindra started laughing alongside Cain.
“But he defeated Ronald .” Erin was almost shouting in disbelief. “How could Brent just push him over?”
“Simple.” Brent helped Owen up. “His amazing defense is a reflex. He can’t use it by himself. He has to be taken by surprise for it to work.”
“How’d you know that?” Doug asked, rubbing his shoulder.
“It was obvious.” Brent shrugged.
Most of the squad broke into laughter. The gathered Protectorates didn’t know what to think about what they’d just seen.
“Okay, who’s up next?” Cain asked.
The squad exchanged glances.
“Oh, come on,’ Cain pressed. “Surely someone has the guts to at least try a match with Brent.”
“I’ll do it,” Doug said.
“You’ve already had your chance.” Cain shook his head at Doug. “We need a new challenger.”
“What about Frank?” Penny asked. “Back in the SW he was the best in singles combat.”
“Perfect! Mr. Sneaky, if you’d please.” Cain gestured toward Brent.
Penny giggled at the nickname as the lanky trooper shrugged and took his position. Brent used everything he had learned back in the academy to take a solid defensive stance. When Cain began the match, Frank moved with amazing speed. Brent realized in an instant he was completely out matched. Frank feinted to the right as he landed a punch squarely against Brent’s left leg. He backed away from Frank, trying to ignore the pain. Behind his opponent, he noticed a familiar face in the gathering of Protectorates. It was the young boy he had helped. The boy was silently rooting for him, his fists clenched so tightly the knuckles were turning white. Frank attacked again. The feint was to the right, so Brent moved to dodge a blow from the left. To his surprise, Frank quickly struck his right leg. The feint wasn’t a feint but the real strike. Brent tried to keep his distance as Frank continued to press the attack. He started to notice a pattern as Frank landed one blow after another.
The feints were random, but
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