Flashback Intro: Art of the Fist

[Cowlquape]

Fall 482 AV

"Hands up, that's how you block. On either side of your head. That's called Upper defensive stance," Vatson told him. Vatson was teaching Cowlquape how to fight, unarmed, in boxing. "Alright, now we are going to spar a bit but I want to see you blocking, okay? And I've been taking classes, so if you can't beat me it's okay I've had practice."

The sun was setting in the distance as they stood in a relatively non crowded section of the warehouse district. The sub was already below the walls.

Vatson was a book smart man. He learns things by and from the book. He was a straight grade student through school, and he always did well on tests, constantly studying. He never was very witty, but he had a clean record of never making mistakes.

Vatson drew back in offensive stance, preparing to lead with a right jab.

Cowlquape was the opposite. Cowlquape was intelligent too and he also had straight grades, but he was fundamentally different from Vatson. Where Vatson needed to study, Cowlquape didn't. Where Vatson couldn't grasp the concept, Cowlquape could. But, where Vatson understood norms, Cowlquape couldn't. Cowlquape's intelligence stemmed from his ability to synthesize information, where as Vatson's came from his knowledge.

Cowlquape sidestepped, pulling Vatson's arm, and placing his foot where Vatson would trip as he went. Vatson, completely surprised, came to a crash on the ground.

"What!? That's not fair!!" Vatson said angrily, as he picked himself up off the ground. He dusted himself off as Cowlquape laughed mercilessly.

"You aren't supposed to do that!!" Vatson told him.

Cowlquape shrugged, but said nothing. Cowlquape didn't know it was an actual combat move, he just thought it would be a clever thing to do. He had used it before, in one of the multitudes of fights he'd been in at school.

Vatson was one of Cowlquape's best friends.

"Alright we're going to do this again," Vatson said, once again going into offensive stance. "No cheating, okay? You've gotta learn this the right way."

Cowlquape shrugged, and then put up his defensive stance.