Prodigy

The water sluiced around her, washing away her sins, hiding her secrets, comforting her. She was embraced by something that never denied her, and that she never denied. Music blared above the water and she could feel its vibrations through the water. This was her third lap underwater and she could feel the worry in her father’s AI. AIs were not supposed to be able to worry, but Zara was different. A new sound penetrated the water. Her com unit was buzzing. She pushed herself to the surface of the pool and took a gulp of fresh air. “Senator Kathy Grant is calling,” Zara stated. “Answer”, Kate commanded as she pushed herself over the edge of the pool. An image of Kathy stepped into the pool house. She was a pretty woman, but not beautiful. She was dressed in an immaculate purple business suite and her strawberry blonde hair lightly brushed her shoulders. “Senator, please excuse my appearance.” Kate said as she picked up a towel and wrapped it around her waist, creating a skirt. Water still dripped down her body, pooling on the tile floor of the room. “To what do I owe the honor?” She asked as she walked towards the balcony. The senator’s image followed her. Kathy had known her since she was born and knew exactly where she was heading. “There is nothing to apologize for. I simply never understood why you do not compete. You are an excellent swimmer,” Kathy stated. Kate grimaced. “I compete in plenty, I swim to relax.” She stepped out into the summer heat. Three suns caressed her mostly bare skin. Walking to the balcony rail she leaned against it, and watched the fliers dive through the artificial canyons created by the buildings. Kathy smiled. “Your father likes looking at the city also. As much as you look like your mother, you act like your father. I thought you might like to get out of your house for a while. We are opening an athletic center and a center for the arts in the lower north side tomorrow, and I thought I might be able to use your face.” Kate turned to Kathy. She rubbed her skin, which was the color of light chocolate. The heat from the suns had already nearly dried them. Kate nodded. “I know it is rude…but could I invite myself over for the night?” “It isn’t rude to ask a friend. I will call your father, but you may pack. I know what his answer will be.” Kathy replied. “I will pick you up at seven.” Kathy said and her image vanished. Kate walked back into the house. She walked through the pool house and into her second favorite room of the house, her gymnasium. She unwrapped the towel from her waist and laid it over a rail, then stepped onto the padded floor of her gymnastics set. She didn’t even look up when she jumped. Her hands found the rings that were always the first stage of her individual practice. She pulled herself up till her arms were straight out to the side, savoring the tightness in her arms and abdomen. Then she rotated slowly till she was parallel to the mats, face pointing down. She held this position for fifteen seconds, then finished the rotation till she was upside down with her arms fully extended. She was now looking at her uneven bars. There were two, spaced roughly three meters apart. The second was also two meters higher than the first. In all, it was seven meters from the mats. This was much higher than they would be in competitions, but it was how she practiced, though she knew she would never do this in front of a crowd. It would simply create too many questions. She quickly pulled herself towards the mat, causing her body to spin around her arms. On the second rotation, she threw herself towards the lower bar of her set. She gasped in pure delight. This never got old. For seconds she was flying. Her extended hands caught the lower bar as the rest of her body continued on its previous path. Finally, her extended arms stopped the momentum of her body, causing her feet to rotate up, her body spun around the bar. She felt the top of her swimsuit adjust, and cool air touched her where it shouldn’t. Her face began to burn, despite the fact that no one was in the house. She didn’t let this distract her, though a voice in her head whistled. Shut up, p*****t. She screamed inside her head. The voice chucked. It’s hardly perverted for a boy to like the form of a girl. The voice replied. Kate let go of the first bar at the right moment, and her body was propelled to the second bar. This time as her body spun around the bar. She pushed off the bar when she was upside down, turned a flip, and her bare feet landed on the bar. I did not invite you to look. I am alone, I shouldn’t have you poking around my mind. She said as she adjusted the top of her two-piece. There was a reason you wore a one piece in competitions; it kept everything where it belonged. Once she was properly covered, she began the next stage of her practice. Her first stance was simple ballet. She lifted her right leg parallel to her body, then, while balancing on the bar, eight meters from the floor, lifted herself till she was balanced on her big toe. Her leg came down at an angle, causing her body to spin and a beautiful roundhouse kick started her martial arts routine. Her right foot landed on the bar and she instantly launched a kick with her left leg, then flipped backward as if she were evading a strike from an opponent. “Madam, when do you ever plan to fight while balanced on a bar less than three centimeters wide? I believe your opponent might simply fall to their death.” The AI said. Kate nearly lost her balance at the unexpected sound. “Zara, don’t you know it is dangerous to disturb me? If I fell…” She left the sentence hanging. She spun into a low sweep designed to take the legs out. Then she quickly reversed, as if to strike the back of a knee. “I don’t expect to fight like this, but if I can fight in the confines of this bar, I can fight anywhere.” Kate replied. The AI harrumphed. Zara had a true personality. Kate had seen to that herself. In many ways, Zara was like a big sister to her. After about ten minutes of fighting while balancing on the bar, Kate flipped to the floor. Her butt nearly touched the mats as her legs bent to absorb the fall. Eight meters was a very long fall. She considered dismounting from the lower bar next time, but shrugged it off. She could always make a safe dismount. “I need a shower. How long do I have before my physics tutor arrives?” She asked. “You have about fifteen minutes,” Zara answered. Kate sighed it wasn’t much time, but it would have to work.