pompey_01

Title: Momentum of a Round Stone

Author: Pompey

Universe: ACD

Rating: G

Warnings: none

Word count: 221B

Summary: Watson goes into a metaphoric battle at Holmes’ orders.

Prompt: July 25 – unusual battle cry

A/N: From Sun Tzuh’s “Art of War”:Thus the energy developed by good fighting men is as the momentum of a round stone rolled down a mountain thousands of feet in height.

I am no stranger to battle. Whether it be on a literal battlefield soaked with men’s blood, the midnight battle against sickness and the power of death itself, or a battle of wits that pitched Holmes and our agency against the criminal element, I was quite familiar with it all.

However, a battle of wits is inclined to take the strangest forms at times and be played upon the weirdest of fields with the most bizarre weaponry.

When I suspected Holmes of malingering even to me after Baron Gruner’s cowardly attack, I understood this to be part of his plan to convince the public he was at death’s door. Keeping the scoundrel overconfident and self-assured would provide us a weapon – the element of surprise.

Then Holmes sent me off to metaphoric battle armed with naught but a priceless blue saucer, a card with a false identity, and a brain freshly filled with all the knowledge of Chinese pottery that I could cram into it in twenty-four hours.

As far as battle cries go, I admit “Shang, Zhou, Han, Sui, Tang, Song, Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming, Qing” is not one that will readily rouse the blood. Yet I chanted these names as my carriage rattled to Vernon Lodge. I remain convinced this manta provided a serenity of mind to face the baron.