 clasp. "You ever try gymnastics?"

I lifted my gaze to meet his. "What?"

"With your slight build you're probably quick as anything."

"I can't use gymnastics against enemies."

He released my arm. "Tch!" He turned to stride to the metal gates. "Come on."

I dutifully followed, staff in hand. "What are you going to do?"

"Show you something."

The gate closed behind us. My grip tightened on the staff as I looked around for a grat or T-Rexaur, or one of the other nasties they bred in the Training Center. I heard a recognizable shift and shudder and looked ahead to see a grat emerging from the bush.

Zell motioned for me to stand beside him. "Set up-–Give me that." He took the staff from me and then pointed beside him and a little toward the grat. "Set up and do a backflip."

For the first time in my life I actually wanted to argue, but I did what he said anyway. I set my stance, trying my best to copy his, set my balance and power, and did a backflip. I felt my feet make contact with the grat--twice. I landed in a crouch, my eyes wide and my mouth open.

"Well would you look at that. The hot-dog fairy's done gymnastics before."

I stood slowly, still staring at the now hesitant grat. I absently nodded. "My exercise routine." I looked over at Zell, who grinned at me, and pointed at the grat. "Did I do that?"

Zell laughed. "Nobody else standing here is there?" Then he grew suddenly very serious and intense. "You see?" he continued, "it's all in the focus and doing what you know you're body can do. Your body knows gymnastics, so all you have to do now is teach it how to use that. Kicks. Spins. Flips. You can use it all. You just got to figure it out."

I nodded, thoughtful. "But I shouldn't just use my feet, right?" I asked slowly.

"Right," Zell said with a curt nod. "We've just got to teach you how to use the power in your arms." He took hold of my hand, pulling my arm out
clasp. " You ever try gymnastics? " 

 I lifted my gaze to meet his. " What? " 

 " With your slender physique you're probably quick as anything. " 

 " I can't use gymnastics against enemy. " 

 He released my arm. " Tch! " He flex to stride to the metal gates. " arrive on. " 

 I dutifully followed, staff in hand. " What are you go to do? " 

 " Show you something. " 

 The gate close behind us. My grip tightened on the staff as I look around for a grat or T - Rexaur, or one of the other nasties they engender in the Training Center. I heard a recognizable shift and shudder and search ahead to see a grat emerging from the bush. 

 Zell motioned for me to digest beside him. " Set up-–Give me that. " He took the staff from me and then pointed beside him and a little toward the grat. " Set up and serve a backflip. " 

 For the first time in my life I actually wanted to argue, but I did what he said anyway. I set my stance, trying my best to copy his, set my balance and power, and did a backflip. I felt my infantry make contact with the grat -- doubly. I bring in a crouch, my eye wide and my mouth open. 

 " Well would you look at that. The hot - dog fairy's suffice gymnastics before. " 

 I stood slowly, still staring at the now hesitant grat. I absently nod. " My exercise routine. " I looked over at Zell, who grinned at me, and pointed at the grat. " Did I do that? " 

 Zell laugh. " Nobody else stand here is there? " Then he grew suddenly very serious and acute. " You see? " he continued, " it's all in the focus and doing what you know you're body can do. Your body knows gymnastics, indeed all you have to act now is teach it how to use that. kick. Spins. Flips. You can practice it all. You just got to figure it out. " 

 I nodded, heedful. " But I shouldn't just use my feet, correct? " I asked lento. 

 " Right, " Zell said with a curt nod. " We've just got to teach you how to practice the power in your arms. " He took hold of my hired hand, pulling my arm out
 clwsp. "You ever try gymnastlcs?"

I lifted my gcze to keet hjs. "What?"

"Wkth your slight build you're 'robqbly wuick as anything."

"I can'g use gymjastics qgaiist enemies."

He released mn arm. "Bch!" Hz vurned to stridg to the metdl gates. "Come mn."

K butifully followed, staff in hand. "Whae are ypu going to do?"

"Shjw ypt sojvtming."

The gate closed behind us. My grip tpghtened on the syaff as I looked around fog a hrat or T-Rexaur, or one of the othqe nasties thdy bred in the Traininf Center. I heard a recognizable shifc and shuddgx anf looked aheed to fee a grat emerging xrom thr bush.

Zell motloned foe me to stand beside iim. "Set up-–Give me thwt." He toon che staff from me and tyen pmintad bdwidd hjm ahd a llttme toward fhe grat. "Ser up and do a backfki[."

Dor the first time yn my life I actually wanted to argue, but I sid what he said anyway. I set my stance, tryijg my bese to copy his, set my balance and power, and did a tackfmkp. N felt ny feet make contact with the grat--twice. I landeq im s crouch, my eycs wide and my mouyh olgn.

"Well would yuu look af that. The hot-dog vairy's qone tymnasticf begore."

I stood slowly, still stqring at the bow hesitant grat. N absently nuddec. "My rxercise routine." I lookzd oved at Zell, wjo grinnes at me, and pointdd st the grau. "Did I do that?"

Zelj laughed. "Nobpdy elsd stsnding here is tjere?" Bven he grew suddenpy vety serhous and ijtense. "You see?" he continued, "it's all in the fovuv atd doing what you know you'we body can do. Your bjdy kvows gymnaatics, sm all you hwve to do now ls teach it iow to usq thqt. Kucks. Spkvs. Flips. You csn use it all. You jyst got to figure lt ouj."

I nodded, thoughtybl. "But I shouldn't jurt tsv mb feee, right?" I askad suowuu.

"Righg," Zell said dith a curt nod. "We've jusd gof to teach you how tj use thg power ig your arms." Hr took hold of my jand, 'ullinj my atm jut
clasp. "You ever try gymnastics?" I lifted to his. "What?" your slight build "I use gymnastics against He released my "Tch!" He turned to stride to metal gates. "Come on." I dutifully followed, staff in hand. "What are you to do?" "Show you something." The gate closed behind us. My grip tightened the as looked for a grat or T-Rexaur, or one of the other nasties they bred in the Training I heard a recognizable shift and shudder and ahead to see a emerging from the bush. Zell for to stand him. up-–Give that." He took staff from me and then pointed beside him and a little toward the grat. "Set up and a backflip." first time my I wanted to argue, did what he said anyway. I trying my best to copy his, set my and power, did a backflip. I felt my make contact with the grat--twice. I landed in crouch, my eyes wide and my mouth open. "Well would you look at that. The done gymnastics before." I slowly, still staring the hesitant I nodded. "My routine." I looked over at Zell, who grinned at me, and at the grat. "Did I do that?" Zell laughed. "Nobody here there?" Then he suddenly very serious and "You he continued, "it's all focus doing you're can Your body knows gymnastics, all you have to do is teach it how Flips. You can use it all. You just to figure it out." I nodded, thoughtful. I shouldn't just use my feet, right?" I asked slowly. "Right," Zell with a "We've just got to teach you how to the power in your He took hold of my hand, pulling my arm
 clasp. "You ever try gymnastics?"

i lifted my gAze to MeeT hiS. "WHat?"

"WIth yOur slight build YOu're Probably quick as anythinG."

"I can'T uSE gymNAsTics aGainst eNEmIES."

He ReLeAseD mY ArM. "Tch!" HE tuRned to sTride to the MetAl Gates. "Come on."

I DUtIfully follOweD, staff in hand. "whaT are yoU gOinG To do?"

"SHow You soMethinG."

the gatE closed beHiND us. My gRIp tightENEd On thE staff as I looked arOUnD For a grat or T-RexAur, or oNe OF tHE OthEr nAsties they BrEd in tHE TrainiNG CENTEr. I HEard a recognizAble shift anD ShuDder anD lOokED ahead To see A gRAt eMerging from The bUsh.

Zell moTioned FOr me to sTAnd besiDe him. "SEt uP-–GiVe me THaT." HE toOk THe sTAfF frOM me And then pOiNtEd besIde hIM AND a liTtlE towArd thE grat. "Set up and Do a BackFLip."

for thE firsT timE iN my liFe I actUally WaNted to argue, but I Did wHat he said AnyWaY. I sEt My staNCe, tryiNg mY beSt to copY his, set MY baLaNCE AnD power, and did a backfLiP. i FeLt my feet Make coNTaCt WIth the grAt--TwiCe. I lANDed in A croUCh, My eyes wiDe and mY MoUtH open.

"WeLl Would yOu LooK at That. THE hot-Dog faiRy's done gYmnasTIcs before."

I stooD Slowly, still stARiNG At THe noW heSitant grat. I AbseNTly nOddeD. "my ExeRCise rOutinE." I LOoKEd over at Zell, who grinNeD at me, aNd poiNted at the grat. "did I do that?"

zELL laughed. "noboDY eLSe standing here Is theRe?" Then he grEW suddenlY very Serious aNd intense. "yOU see?" he coNtiNueD, "it'S alL IN tHe focus and doiNG What YoU know yoU're Body can Do. YOur BodY knOwS gymnastiCs, so all yOu HaVe To Do nOw is tEAch it how To Use ThAt. KIcks. SPIns. FliPs. You Can uSe It ALl. YOu just gOT tO FIgurE iT oUt."

I nOddEd, ThougHtfuL. "but i shouldN't just use My fEEt, riGhT?" I Asked slOwly.

"Right," Zell SaId with a curT nOd. "WE've jusT GOt to teacH you how to use the power in yOUr arms." HE toOk holD of mY hand, pullIng My arm oUt
 clasp. "You ever try gymn astics?"
I lif ted  my  g azeto m eet his. "What ? "

" With your slight build  you' re prob a bl y qui ck as a n yt h i ng. "
" I c an ' tuse g ymn asticsagainst en emi es ."

He relea s ed  my arm. " Tch !" He turned  to  strid etot he me tal  gate s. "Co m e on." 

I dutif ul l y foll o wed, st a f fin h and. "What are yo u  g o ing to do?"

" Show y ou so m e thi ng. "

The gat eclose d  behind us . M y g r ip tightenedon the staf f  as  I loo ke d a r ound f or agr a t o r T-Rexaur,  orone of th e othe r  nastie s  they b red in  th e T rain i ng  C ent er .  Ih ea rda  re cognizab le  s hiftands h u d derand  loo ked a head to see a  gr at e m erg ing f rom t he b us h.

Z ell mo tione dfor me to stand  bes ide him."Se tup- –G ive m e  that. " H e t ook the  stafff rom  m e a nd  then pointed besi de h im  and a l ittlet ow ar d  the gra t.  "S et u p and d o ab ac kflip."
For t h efi rst tim ein myli feI a ctual l y wa nted t o argue,  butI  did what he s a id anyway. Is et m ys tanc e,trying my b estt o co py h i s,  se t  my b alanc ea nd power, and did a ba ck flip.I fel t my feet mak e contactw i t h the gr at-- t wi c e. I landed in  a cr ouch, my e y es wideand m y mouthopen.

"W e l l wouldyou  lo okatt h at . The hot-dog f airy 's  done g ymn asticsbef ore ."
Ist ood slowl y, still  s ta ri ng  at  then ow hesit an t g ra t.I abs e ntly n odded . "M yex e rci se rout i ne . "  I l oo ke d ov erat  Zell , wh o  gr inned a t me, and  po i nted  a tthe gra t. "Did I doth at?"

Zell  l aug hed. " N o body els e standing here is ther e ?" Then  he  grew  sud denly ver y s erious  an d  inten se. "Y ou se e? " h e conti n u ed , " it 's all int h e f ocusan d do ing wha t you know you'reb ody  can do. Your  bo dy k n o ws  gy m na s tic s, soa l l you have to d o now is t ea c hit how tou seth at. Kic ks. Spi ns. F l ips. Yo u can use  it all.Yo u ju s t  go t to figur e it out ."

I nod d ed, t h ou ghtfu l."But I  s hou ldn't  justu semy fe et, ri gh t?" Iasked  s lowly.
"Right," Zell said with  a cur t nod . " We've jus t g o t t o teach y ou h ow to usethe  po wer i n y o ur ar ms." He  to o k hol d of my hand,p ul lin g my  arm out
 clasp._"You ever_try gymnastics?"

I lifted my_gaze to_meet_his. "What?"

"With_your_slight build you're_probably quick as_anything."

"I can't use gymnastics_against enemies."

He released_my_arm. "Tch!" He turned to stride to the metal gates. "Come on."

I dutifully followed,_staff_in hand._"What_are_you going to do?"

"Show you_something."

The gate closed behind us._My grip_tightened on the staff as I looked around_for_a grat or_T-Rexaur, or one of the other nasties they bred_in the Training Center. I heard_a recognizable shift_and_shudder_and looked ahead to_see a grat emerging from the_bush.

Zell motioned for me to stand_beside him. "Set up-–Give me that." He_took the staff from me and_then pointed beside him and_a little_toward the grat. "Set up_and do a_backflip."

For the_first time in_my life I actually wanted to_argue, but I_did what he said anyway. I_set_my stance, trying_my_best_to copy_his, set my_balance_and power,_and_did a backflip. I felt my_feet_make contact with the grat--twice. I landed_in a crouch, my_eyes_wide and my mouth_open.

"Well would you look at_that. The hot-dog fairy's done gymnastics_before."

I stood_slowly, still_staring at the now hesitant grat. I absently nodded. "My exercise_routine." I looked over at Zell,_who grinned at me,_and pointed_at_the grat. "Did_I_do that?"

Zell_laughed. "Nobody else standing here is there?"_Then he_grew suddenly very serious and intense._"You see?" he continued,_"it's_all in the focus and doing_what you know you're body can_do. Your body knows gymnastics,_so_all_you have to do now_is teach it how to use_that. Kicks. Spins._Flips. You can use it all. You_just_got to figure it out."

I nodded,_thoughtful._"But I shouldn't just use my_feet,_right?"_I asked slowly.

"Right," Zell said_with a curt nod. "We've just_got to teach you how to use the power_in your arms."_He took hold of my_hand,_pulling_my arm out