4~ Years Pass

And so the years passed. Hans and Elsa did well in Level 5, and went to Level 6. Then, they made it to Level 7, where they reached another stumping block. The Giants on bars. In gymnastics, almost every skill you would ever learn passes through a handstand of some sort. When you get to Level 7, you learn that on bars. A Giant requires a lot of hand and shoulder shifting. Straight arms are required as well. You cast your body up into a handstand on the bar, and you use your upper body strength to push yourself around, up, and over. That was a giant. A straight body circle around the bar that passes through a handstand. Giants were also required to gain momentum to release skills such as a flyaway dismount. Elsa was getting good on her flyaways, but she was still having trouble doing the skill combination of a kip, cast to handstand, and her Giant. Elsa was a tiny nine-year old, but she had a lot of strength. Anna was now doing gymnastics. She was six-years old and a Level 2 gymnast. On Balance Beam, Elsa had gotten her back handspring. Doing a back handspring on floor was okay, but doing one on a four- inch wide piece of equipment was another thing. But since beam was her strongest event, Elsa learned fast. Within a matter of weeks, she went from practicing them on the line on the floor, to a practice beam with mats surrounding her, to a regular beam with Kai spotting her with mats around her. One of the main keys to doing a back handspring on beam, was closed shoulders, arms by ears, hands in lock position. Also, you had to have a good walkover. Without a good walkover on beam, you weren't having a good back handspring. Now, Elsa was practicing roundoffs on the beam. Hans was practicing handstands on the parallel bar, and he practicing support and leg change skills on the pommel horse.

All the new skills weren't easy, but Hans, Elsa, and everyone else were willing to put effort in it. Elsa was still doing good on beam, and even her bar skills improved, even though bars was her weakest event. For Hans, his weakest events were pommel horse and high bar. Hans and Elsa passed Level 7 and went to Level 8. Then Level 9, where Elsa got first place balance beam champion, and all- around regional champion. Hans got first for parallel bars and floor. Then, when Elsa was twelve, and Hans was fourteen, they at last made it to Level 10. Elsa was beautiful, holding the promise of a stunning woman. Her body was lean and well-proportioned. She had visible arm muscles and broad shoulders. Her legs were slender and smooth, but strong. Elsa wore her hair in a bun during practice sometimes, and it made her look older and more woman like when she did. Hans was muscular all over, and he was handsome. He started shaving and growing out sideburns. Coach Kai was growing older too, he was in his fifties now, but luckily, he was still strong enough to teach.

Hans watched happily as Elsa released from the high bar, did a Pak Salto and caught the low bar. She then did a kip, cast to handstand, switch grip to Stalder, straddle release back up to the high bar, another kip, cast to handstand, then did two Giants before doing a double back tuck flyaway release move and sticking the landing. Hans clapped and Elsa flashed him a charming smile.

"Your bar skills have really improved," said Hans as Elsa re-chalked her grips at the chalk bowl.

"Thank you," said Elsa still smiling. "You've improved too."

"I hope so," said Hans, thinking about his hard to impress father.

After bars, Elsa and Hans went to floor where they practiced their double back pike, their front handspring to a one and a half twist, and their roundoff to a one and a half full twist to a front layout. On vault, Elsa did a roundoff back handspring to a double back tuck. Hans did a half-on to a double back tuck. Elsa's Level 10 beam routine was fun and graceful to watch: from one end of the beam, she jumped to a straddle, then pressed up to a handstand, legs split in the air, then step down. Kneel on beam, prepare, wolf turn. Stand up, split jump, sissonne, two full turns. Turn, prepare. Back handspring step-out to back layout step-out, finish. Dance choreography to front layout step-out, finish. Arabesque leg hold. Prepare, one and a half L-turn. Switch leap, sissonne, to a standing back tuck. More dance moves and poses, prepare, run roundoff, full twist dismount. It was a hard routine indeed.

When Elsa got home from practice, she felt more wiped out than usual.

"Hello Elsa, how was practice?" Adgar asked.

"Pretty good. Tiring as usual," Elsa said stretching her arms.

"Phew! You smell ripe!" Anna said holding her nose.

Elsa sniffed her underarms. Ever since she had hit puberty, Elsa had been coming home from practice more sweaty and stinky.

"I'll go wash," said Elsa heading upstairs.

In the bathroom, she filed the tub with hot water, poured bubbling soap in, honey-scented oil, oatmeal, and a little bit of Epson salt. Elsa sank into the tub and closed her eyes. It felt nice. Baths like these always made her poor, sore body feel so much better. Be kind to your body and your body will be kind to you. That was her motto. Elsa thought about Hans. Things at home were crazier than ever for him, and Elsa knew that one day, he would have enough. Hans had even stopped by Elsa's house one Saturday afternoon, when she was home alone. Hans said that he had to leave his house, he was "tired of it all," and he wanted to stay over at her house for a little while. Elsa knew exactly what he meant. So, they just chilled in front of the TV and played video games, drank soda, and ate popcorn. They didn't talk much. That had been over a month ago. After her bath, Elsa ate dinner and finished the rest of her homework. Anna bugged Elsa while she was trying to work, and Elsa politely told her sister they could play later. Anna was nine now, and a Level 5 gymnast. Anna looked up to Elsa, and strived to become good just like her.

"Elsa, I need you to help me with my kip!" Anna said leaning over Elsa's shoulder. "Will you please?"

"Of course I will," said Elsa smiling and hugging her little sister. "I can help you with anything."

"Hooray!" said Anna.

Being a Level 10 gymnast was not easy. Elsa and Hans were so wiped out, it seemed like they barely had any time to do homework. They suggested homeschool. Once, Elsa fell asleep in school, and the teacher had to wake her up. To keep herself going, Elsa started to drink coffee at times. At the Level 10 regional championships, Elsa was nervous. It seemed like the biggest meet she had ever been too. The competition area was large. The lights overhead were bright and shiny, and many people filled the seats. Hans was upset. He had hurt his wrist and had to wear a brace. He couldn't do floor, he couldn't do vault, and he barely made it through rings, parallel bar, high bar, and pommel horse. Elsa tied second place for Level 10 all-around with another gymnast. She tied first place for someone on beam, she got third place on bars, third place on vault. Hans got fourth on rings, third on parallel bar, fourth on high bar, and fourth on pommel horse.

"This was the worst meet ever," said Hans glumly when it was over.

"Don't talk like that," said Elsa. "You did wonderful."

"My stupid wrist," said Hans stretching it.

"It'll be OK," said Elsa holding his hand, and Hans blushed at the intimate contact.

Before Hans and Elsa knew it, the Level 10 season was over. Hans and Elsa just spent the summer practicing skills. After Level 10, now what? Hans and Elsa talked to Kai, and they all talked to Elsa and Hans's parents, and they agreed that Hans and Elsa should continue up to the elite level. They weren't the only gymnasts thinking about elite either. So, they felt enthusiastic about their choice.

"There's an Elite Qualifier meet on December twelfth, that's a Saturday at noon," said Kai pointing to his calendar. "You think you two can handle the training?"

"Well, we made it this far, we might as well try," said Elsa. And Hans nodded in agreement. And that's what they did.