Derick was doing something.
“Where did you ever learn to fight like that?” Derick asked, half impressed and half jealous. “I stumbled in and you were like a ninja flying around everywhere. You’ve definitely gained 3,000 awesome points in the last few minutes. Not bad for a teacher.”
“I’m glad you were impressed,” Dr. Mackleprank said with a quick glance over his shoulder, “but it isn’t much really. Remember how I told you that I lived in Brazil?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I picked up something called capoeira . It’s a Brazilian martial art, but it has a little flair, ties to dance and music.”
“I don’t get it,” Derick admitted.
“Well, it is a little difficult to explain. It is a martial art, but the way you practice it is more like playing a game to a beat. One person plays a big stringed instrument that produces a twangy sound and rhythm. You move to the beat. You try to stay in complete control, complete rhythm, and you kick, fling fists, everything, but without actually touching each other.”
“It’s like a dance fight,” Derick said. “Sorry . . . that sounded really wimpy coming out of my mouth.”
“Did it look wimpy?”
“No, no, no, no, no.” Derick tried to cover up. “It was amazing! And it was definitely more than a dance. ”
Dr. Mackleprank looked over at Derick again. “For me, it is a great way to practice body control, which is an essential trait in my line of work.”
That made sense—amazing body control for the avatar teacher. They walked on through the dark corridor, following Grandpa. The legs Derick was carrying were starting to get pretty heavy.
“And speaking of body control, you’re getting better all the time with the avatars. The fact that Rafa wants to ask his club if you can join is a huge compliment.”
“I hope it works out,” Derick said.
“I hope so too. You have a lot of potential, Derick. But you ought to know that they are pretty intense. Racing Rafa is just the beginning.”
“Oh,” Derick said, looking down. “I hadn’t thought that it might just be one more way I can lose to that guy.”
Dr. Mackleprank stopped, which forced Derick to stop as well. “Rafa is quite the prodigy when it comes to avatars. But you realize that learning is not a race against anyone.”
Derick nodded.
“And that if someone is better than you at something, that doesn’t actually decrease what you learned or your abilities at all.”
Derick nodded again. Easy for him to say—the amazing ninja fight-dancing avatar teacher.
“Good,” Dr. Mackleprank said. “Be careful. A little healthy competition is good for just about everyone, but when it becomes only about winning or beating someone else, people tend to make some pretty rash and foolish decisions.” The avatar teacher gestured toward the men they carried. “Like Muns, for instance. I don’t think he’s playing anymore. And this is definitely not a healthy competition.”
• • •
Abby followed Dr. Mackleprank and Derick as they carried a time trespasser through the large metal door. Carol and a gorilla were waiting for them.
“Wow, it isn’t every day you see this, huh?” Carol said, watching them pass. Coaches Horne and Adonavich carried the other man who had entered into the past. “You’d better fill me in here, Abby.”
Abby just smiled. They did it! Despite all of Muns’s threats, they had stopped his efforts to change the past. Abby felt silly for ever having been so worried. Grandpa had been perfectly prepared.
The gorilla rushed over and took the unconscious man from the coaches.
“I can still carry him,” Coach Horne protested.
“We all know that,” Dr. Mackleprank said over his shoulder, panting. The way he struggled for air, Abby thought he might be faking a little. He might be stronger than he let on. Maybe he was trying to ease up on Coach Horne’s pride. Plus, the coach was still recovering from his injury. “But let the avatar take him. Robots
“Where did you ever learn to fight like that?” Derick asked, half impressed and half jealous. “I stumbled in and you were like a ninja flying around everywhere. You’ve definitely gained 3,000 awesome points in the last few minutes. Not bad for a teacher.”
“I’m glad you were impressed,” Dr. Mackleprank said with a quick glance over his shoulder, “but it isn’t much really. Remember how I told you that I lived in Brazil?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I picked up something called capoeira . It’s a Brazilian martial art, but it has a little flair, ties to dance and music.”
“I don’t get it,” Derick admitted.
“Well, it is a little difficult to explain. It is a martial art, but the way you practice it is more like playing a game to a beat. One person plays a big stringed instrument that produces a twangy sound and rhythm. You move to the beat. You try to stay in complete control, complete rhythm, and you kick, fling fists, everything, but without actually touching each other.”
“It’s like a dance fight,” Derick said. “Sorry . . . that sounded really wimpy coming out of my mouth.”
“Did it look wimpy?”
“No, no, no, no, no.” Derick tried to cover up. “It was amazing! And it was definitely more than a dance. ”
Dr. Mackleprank looked over at Derick again. “For me, it is a great way to practice body control, which is an essential trait in my line of work.”
That made sense—amazing body control for the avatar teacher. They walked on through the dark corridor, following Grandpa. The legs Derick was carrying were starting to get pretty heavy.
“And speaking of body control, you’re getting better all the time with the avatars. The fact that Rafa wants to ask his club if you can join is a huge compliment.”
“I hope it works out,” Derick said.
“I hope so too. You have a lot of potential, Derick. But you ought to know that they are pretty intense. Racing Rafa is just the beginning.”
“Oh,” Derick said, looking down. “I hadn’t thought that it might just be one more way I can lose to that guy.”
Dr. Mackleprank stopped, which forced Derick to stop as well. “Rafa is quite the prodigy when it comes to avatars. But you realize that learning is not a race against anyone.”
Derick nodded.
“And that if someone is better than you at something, that doesn’t actually decrease what you learned or your abilities at all.”
Derick nodded again. Easy for him to say—the amazing ninja fight-dancing avatar teacher.
“Good,” Dr. Mackleprank said. “Be careful. A little healthy competition is good for just about everyone, but when it becomes only about winning or beating someone else, people tend to make some pretty rash and foolish decisions.” The avatar teacher gestured toward the men they carried. “Like Muns, for instance. I don’t think he’s playing anymore. And this is definitely not a healthy competition.”
• • •
Abby followed Dr. Mackleprank and Derick as they carried a time trespasser through the large metal door. Carol and a gorilla were waiting for them.
“Wow, it isn’t every day you see this, huh?” Carol said, watching them pass. Coaches Horne and Adonavich carried the other man who had entered into the past. “You’d better fill me in here, Abby.”
Abby just smiled. They did it! Despite all of Muns’s threats, they had stopped his efforts to change the past. Abby felt silly for ever having been so worried. Grandpa had been perfectly prepared.
The gorilla rushed over and took the unconscious man from the coaches.
“I can still carry him,” Coach Horne protested.
“We all know that,” Dr. Mackleprank said over his shoulder, panting. The way he struggled for air, Abby thought he might be faking a little. He might be stronger than he let on. Maybe he was trying to ease up on Coach Horne’s pride. Plus, the coach was still recovering from his injury. “But let the avatar take him. Robots
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