Rampant: A Divergent FanFiction (Book Two) ©

Chapter 27

               “Remember Ally, always look forward,” I said as I continued to hold onto the punching bag from behind; occasionally, giving the bag a shove to simulate an attack. “Pay attention to your opponent’s body. Be alert and aware of anything he does. Watch his movements so you can react to them, or even take advantage.”

               Ally nodded as she threw a jab, and I couldn’t help but grin; she was an incredibly fast learner. It hadn’t taken me long to vocally explain some of the secrets I’d learned to winning fights, and it had taken even less time for her to learn the actual movements. Though small, if she kept up the rigorous training I’d shown her, she’d be lethal.

               “What are you looking for?” I quickly tested her.

               “An opening,” she answered as she struck another fist out.

               “Which is?”

               “Openings are where you want to land a punch, where your fist needs to go to inflict damage. But you shouldn’t stare at your objective because it could telegraph your attack.”

               “Correct,” I beamed. “And always remember, stay alert. Be aware of everything, not just your opponent, but the arena as well. The best fighters can see everything without actually taking time to give a pointed look.”

               She nodded, simultaneously kicking her leg out to hit the bag on the side. She was about to follow up with an elbow strike, but I quickly held my hands out and made a T sign to indicate that she needed to take a break.

               “But I’m on a roll!” She protested with a laugh as she continued to bounce on her feet.

               “Well that’s just too bad,” I said as I tossed her a water bottle. “That roll’s going to have to wait while you get rehydrated.”

               “M’kay,” she said with a silly pout. “But we’ll keep practicing after, right?”

               I chuckled at her obvious eagerness, but then quickly nodded. We’d been at work for quite a while already, and I didn’t want to tire her out too much. After all, unbeknownst to her, she and her fellow initiates had an impromptu game of capture the flag scheduled for later tonight.

               As we sat on one of the nearby benches that lined the outer area of the training room, I couldn’t help but worriedly try to gauge her level of exhaustion. While we’d only been training with the punching-sacks and speed-bags, I still worried that it might be too much.

               “Hey Sage?” Ally asked as she finished taking another gulp of her water.

               “Yeah?”

               “Well, you’ve taught me all these new techniques about how to gain the upper hand, but I was wondering,” she said, hesitation for a second.

               “Wondering what?” I prompted.

               “These tips are all fine and dandy if I fight someone my size, maybe Jade, Vera, or Mel, but what can I do if I’m paired with one of the boys?” She asked as her brow puckered in thought. “They’re bigger than me, stronger too. How could I ever stand a chance of winning then?”

               “I won’t lie to you Ally, it wouldn’t be the easiest thing to accomplish,” I admitted. “But it’s not impossible either. You remember Grace, your nurse?” She nodded, and I continued. “Well, she and I were initiates together, and believe it or not, she actually won several fights against males that had several pounds over her.”