A Living Shield (John Price x OC/Reader slowburn)

4) Trials and Tribulations

[Song 🎵: Sahara - Hensonn]

The feeling of free falling overtook your senses.

You kept falling backwards until you landed on your back, breaking your fall effortlessly as you rolled with the motion. Bringing your left foot upwards, you placed it in your opponents lower stomach as you heard the air being kicked out of them when your foot settled in. Launching them over your head, you used the momentum in one swift move to roll over your head and land back on your feet, crouched. 

You brought your hands closer to your face, a protective stance, your palms relaxed and open. Keeping light on your feet, you pivoted in their direction, ready for them to come back at you. Eyes focused, searching for theirs. Like a predator scanning for movement of their prey to betray their location. 

To your surprise you had launched your opponent further than expected. They had barreled off the training mat and hadn't had the opportunity to get up yet, groaning as they pulled themselves together. 

Don't tell me that's all? Stupid of me to expect the men here to be less disappointing. 

You blew some hair out of your eyes that had started to unfurl from your bun.

Waiting patiently for them to return to you, you straightened your back and with it heightened your fighting stance. You were opting to go back to something in between kick boxing and muay thai, rather than staying low to the ground. 

You had always been fast to adapt to various martial arts styles, combining them as you saw fit to fight with as much advantage as you could give yourself. Some people called it cheap and cheating, but in staying alive, there was no such thing as cheating. Fair fights rarely happened when it came to life or death. Men always tried to take advantage of your size and diminished strength as a woman, so why wouldn't you create an advantage for yourself? 

Always the pathetic double standards. They just can't admit they're scared of a woman's potential in kicking arse. 

Today had been your first trial of a total of four, as stated by General Shepherd.

It was set by Laswell for today after almost 2 whole weeks of impatient waiting ever since you had gotten reinstated. It was hand to hand in close combat. No weapons. Just punching and kicking. 

You had been giddy to get started and get your body moving again. But as the timer on the wall passed its 3 minute mark, your opponent had started struggling to keep up. 

You weren't sure whether they had underestimated you and had given you an easy one, or if this was truly the worst they got here.

Granted, he was tall and built like an upside down triangle, but to you that meant nothing. The bigger, the better. Made them fall harder. You desperately hoped this wasn't the best in competition they could give you.

What is it with men and a three minute performance rate?

The people you sparred with in the past years were ruthless and relentless mercenaries, it had made you fit to keep going for as long as necessary. This guy wasn't bad by any means, but it was almost sad to see how short they lasted in a fight against you. 

You almost felt bad for him.

Almost.

After picking himself up, he came back at you again, albeit slower this time, the previous damage done weighing on his body. He tried grabbing and immobilizing your arms by twisting them behind your back, opting for strength over speed this time.

He had tried outpacing you before and had failed miserably. 

As he was getting ready to more than likely drop you on your stomach and pin you down, you quickly lowered your centre of balance almost directly underneath him. You shifted your weight from one feet to the other, forcing him to follow suit faster than he could adapt to. His stance faltered as he bent above you awkwardly, trying to keep you in his grip and you saw your opening.