positions | jean kirstein

chapter four: touch

Using my ribbon to pull my hair back, I threw it up into a high ponytail. Raising my fists and getting into position, I was ready.

The squad formed a single line in front of me with Jean off to the side, watching me. I was going to be fighting them one-on-one. The first one on the ground or the first one to tap out loses.

Sasha was up first. She gulps as she nervously gets into fighting position.

I make my first move, attempting to send a hook to her right side. She ducks, barely dodge it. I quickly pull my other fist back, sending it into her stomach. She steps back, coughing, as she tried to recover. Taking this chance, I hook my leg behind her's, bringing her to the floor. She grunts as she hits the ground.

"Ok! Ok!" she says frantically, putting her hands up to show surrender. "You win!" I smile at her before offering her my hand. She takes it cautiously, and I help her up.

"Next," I simply state, putting my fists up once again.

Miles was up next. Not wasting any time, he throws a series of powerful punches at me. I dodge them all before elbowing him in the stomach and face. Holding his nose, he scowls before charging at me again. I waited until he was close enough before side-stepping him. He turns and sends a left hook at my face. Crouching down and dodging it, I sweep my leg under him as he falls onto the floor. He groans to himself as he lies on the floor, accepting defeat. I also offer him a hand and help him up.

The next person was up. Connie, more concentrated and serious than yesterday, comes at me. He throws a punch my way but I use my arm, wrapping it around his before turning him around and trapping him. With my arm pinning his behind his back, I wrap my other arm around his neck, putting him in a head lock. Cutting off his air flow as his face gets red from the blood rushing to his head, he begins slapping my arm that I had wrapped around his neck, tapping out. I release him and he falls to the floor, gasping for air.

"Damn, you're strong," he breathes out before crawling over to where Sasha and Miles stood. I could hear Sasha laughing at him.

There was one more person I needed to fight. It was Otto, the best fighter on the team.

Other than me, of course.

We get into position as we begin circling each other. I throw the first punch and he effortlessly dodges it. He attempts to combo me and sends multiple punches to my stomach. I block both punches with my arms. Using the opening I had created, I pull back my fist and sent it directly to his stomach. Surprisingly, he manages to avoid it just in time and backs up, sending a roundhouse kick to my face. I duck just in time and send him a smirk.

This guy is better than I thought.

Attempting to throw him off, I send him a punch which he easily dodges. While he is busy dodging, I send a knifehand strike into his neck. He grunts and breaks his stance. I quickly deliver a skipping front kick to his chest, sending him flying to the floor.

I walk up to him and give him my hand, pulling him up. Once he was brought to his feet, I turn back to the squad. All of their faces held shocked expressions as if they did not expect me to beat them all, especially without any of them getting a single scratch on me. Jean, on the other hand, had his arms crossed as he smirked at me.

"So," I begin. "As you guys just saw, you all need to work on your combat skills. You all need to stay in your fighting position. Never put your arms down. Always read your opponent and anticipate their next move. Never blindly swing, especially without a plan."

My eyes flicker between each squad member.

"If no one has any questions," I say while turning my body and walking back to the tree to retrieve my jacket. "Then practice is dismissed."