Following Berto's very accurate map, I had no trouble finding the training room. Slipping the note into my pants pocket I stepped through the door, only to get a shock. Berto was, of course, in the room but it seemed like we had an audience. Nearby I noticed Max and Steel were watching us.
"I thought this was a competition between the two of us?" I asked Berto, who just shrugged as he typed something on the computer's keyboard.
"It still is. I just thought if it's a competition we're having, we need an audience." He said. Once he finished typing he turned to me, his arms crossed against his chest. "Unless you can't handle that?"
I frowned at him as he smirked." Bring it on, Berto." I said, smiling back. "Like this is going to stop me from wiping the floor with you." With that I walked over to the center of the room and waited for him to join me. Off to the side I saw Max grinning at us.
"Are they sparring?" Steel said hovering beside Max.
"Not exactly. It's a dance contest they cooked up." Max told him and a question mark appeared on Steel's 'face'.
"What's that?" Steel asked and Max told him to watch as Berto finally joined me in the center of the room. Berto then called out to Steel to press something on the keyboard then stood next to me. Moments later the room changed and I was a little shocked. If I hadn't just walked into the training room I would have believed that I had stepped into a dance club.
"It's a hologram." Max called out from somewhere in the room. A little confused I was still going to win.
The instant the music started, a fast dance beat, and I spun around and did a complete 360 on one foot. Amazed Berto just stood there for a moment then he joined in. As we danced I noticed that, move for move, Berto mirrored me. Thinking on my feet I grabbed his hand and spun him around. Taken by surprise Berto slid across the room then, giving me a grin, he slid back towards me and grabbed my hand this time, spinning me around. Laughing, I held on as we spun then we both let go at the same time. With a grin I did a quick couple of steps then joined him in the middle of the floor. Together we danced, almost side by side until I tripped. At that moment Berto caught me and dipped me. Shocked I just let him, finding myself almost nose to nose with him. Caught up in the moment I almost didn't notice that the music had stopped or that the room had returned to normal. Of course the moment was lost when I heard clapping. Lifting me back onto my feet, Berto let go. I looked around only to find that we'd gained three more audience members. It seemed like Kat, Jefferson and Forge had decided to join us.
"Very cool." Max said. It was then I realized that everyone was clapping. I took a bow as Berto looked on, a little shocked.
"Interesting. So that's dancing?" He asked, looking from Berto to me and back. A little out of breathe I had to admit that that was fun. From the grin plastered across Berto's face I'm sure he thought so too.
"That was pretty impressive. Where did you learn to dance like that, Jessie?" Kat asked.
"Pretty much self-taught. Just picked up those moves over the years." I answered, walking over to join my friends. It was then I noticed that Berto was still standing in the middle of the room, lost in thought. Before I could ask if he was okay, he suddenly smiled at me and joined me.
"I have to say that was a lot of fun." Berto said and I nodded.
"Yeah. Great idea by the way." I said.
"So who won?" Steel asked and everyone looked unsure. After a moment Berto spoke up with a suggestion.
"How about we call it a draw? Personally I think we're too evenly matched." He said and I had to agree with that.
"Sure I'm cool with that." I replied and held my fist out. With a grin Berto reached out and tapped his fist against mine. So after our dance battle I realized that Berto was definitely my equal on the dance floor and that made me happy. I just wasn't sure why exactly. For the time being anyway.