Chapter 7
If I could stop the rain from falling
Feb 2500 Endymion Planet, Port Vernon city, Gifted School
Catherine Halsey couldn't stand it. She never lost to her parents. After the first game, they both had to teach her how to play chess. Viktoriya Serebryakov took first place in the Endymion Gifted School chess tournament.
Making the entire school body cheer as the favorite to win, hers finally loses. Cath saw the board for all her matches, analyzing moves and possible outcomes, and how to make a playthrough go her way with only the initial stage making the right moves.
Still, when confronted in the finals, Visha went full throttle in a roundabout way. Making Halsey move as far in the future as she could, not that time was a problem. She only needed a split second to analyze. The shock came when, in the middle of the match, she finally saw Visha's eyes. She then chatted.
-finally seeing your opponent in the eyes, huh,
Unfazed and demeaned in a way that steeled her to make a kill shoot like the ones in the sniping field range.
-you never took your eyes off the board, and only when pushed too hard into thinking finally you slowed dawn to see who you faced so hard in the tournament.
Halsey was a member of the ranked people in chess, played in tournaments, played against eight masters simultaneously, and was placed in the black belt division at an early age.
Sure, she was only doing the minimum attendance to have her qualify for prized tournaments and get some pocket change. Still, now, in an open game, the likes of her childhood friend trumped all her efforts.
-you know, you do not need to alienate yourself from your classmates, nor be shunned out of socializing, only because you cannot understand how people only think two steps into the future instead of the 3d twenty moves like geniuses usually do. Do not make people less valuable.
Weird, they were neighbors and childhood friends, but Catherine never saw her so mad or scary; yes, she made jokes and was rude occasionally, but cath never saw her out of her chill mood.
cath remembered how Visha brought books of chemistry showing those little atoms toys they armed in components and named them as one of her early memories, or when seeing how Visha explained the solar system planets and constellations in the nautical charts, some way or another as far as Cath remembers Visha has been there at her side, heck they even learned French, Romanian, Spanish, and Russian together, her proficiency with languages never ceased to amaze her, she is not sure to make it so well as hers even today.
-In a way, I am mad. I went into the art course hoping to see you follow the hard science path that was natural to you. Still, I never expected to see the foul mood that Building had when asking about you when I moved in.
Yes, she was the best, but she could not mingle in her group. Everyone was just too childish, too superficial, just too simple.
She didn't need some empty friendship when they did not take themselves seriously, only to be forgotten when finishing their extracurricular activities and getting out in contact with each other when changing their environment.
-yes, you never broke a rule and never fought hand in hand, but your scheming, manipulation, and misunderstanding make a mess of the annex; if you could move everything to make yourself untouchable, why not make everything to make it happier? Didn't I teach you that?
Yes, her moves were decisive from the beginning. If only she were on attention overseeing a warning when seeing her, no, she would find a way to mess up the board, too. When doing stuff, she is her natural counter, not her opposite, which would be, more accurately, a natural disaster.
It is similar to how people learned how to make damps and boats before comprehending the mechanism behind Archimedes' principle.
-I will correct everything, and not a single rock will be left flipping up. I am going to go all out. I am not going to be shy or filtered. If I am going to do it, I will go all out. Even if that ends up hurting, I'll correct everything.
How could an artist, painter, writer, and cook perform all that in the science department? Well, being Visha, she can put on a good show.
And so, she did it, getting everything in place as she moved her final piece, ending the meteoric ascend of the chess genius of the science division, leaving everyone speechless, the same person that could defeat twenty people in quick succession in different matches and defeat the top-ranked in the entire planet, bested by a painter.
That day marks the beginning of one legend in the Seven Wonders mysteries of that school for doted children. Never make a chill art course girl mad because she will enter the school competitions and outsmart everyone in the science course, whether athletics or academics.
She will triumph above everyone and make you accept humility or, worse, humble the entire school, teachers, or planet.
Back then, little Viktoriya taught Halsey chemistry, math, and stuff; she adored her and loved to follow her wherever she went, like a little duckling, but now.
When she says something to upset her, she hits her with reality. When Halsey tends to put the boys in their place when giving airs in math competitions, she also joins and takes first place, giving a flick on her forehead with a classic "I said it, little flea."
When doing a rally, too, even if she is not the best in a sport, she was sure to be top in her distance of choice, only to see Visha smash everything sports-related and get first from hundred meters to fifteen hundred meters, everything to make Halsey humble and bite her words.
Today, Catherine humbles herself again by baking and stuffing herself more often than before. Viktoriya wanted to do something manageable, like fooling around and wasting time cooking. Still, as always, Catherine lost her bets, resulting in her now paying attention to kneading and baking.
But today's mystery is why, if they were supposed to do an apple pie, Viktoriya got into making strudel, ¿? Wasn't she of Russian descent? Why come up with a German recipe?
Both mothers are so proud of their scheme in the background. Viktoriya makes Halsey do girlie and meaningful stuff, coordinates dress-up, bakes, goes to the saloon, paints, especially sketches, and gets Halsey into the piano. Having the stoic bookworm have something in her room other than technology or books is an outstanding achievement.
-Why strudel? Weren't we supposed to make apple pie? It didn't need to be in the classic or rustic style.
-I feel like it. We could also use the data in it. You need to avoid being picky and try things you have never tasted. Also, teaching you how to be original helps establish precedents.
-you have been on strike all year, and everything is going well; I made it into a band and even went with Mio and Yui to places. My arrangements were praised, and we performed.
-not enough; if things are left inconclusive, everything will be reverted to how it was, or it will happen again.
-but we will be graduated by the time your legend is done
-precisely, I want to make sure there is an eight-wonder.
-are you sure it is not because you like lucky numbers?
-well, yeah, I like that number. Everything works with pairs of bits and hexadecimal numbers, making everything elegant,
-I like coding in machine language and making everything run flawlessly everywhere. Still, I wanted to do more than spend all day on a keyboard, so I learned the Command inline interface.
-It would help you discover where you get your witchcraft in tempering machines. Still, you must be able to make menial stuff to be independent. Now, fill those pastry baskets. Also, before doing an algorithm, having time off will make you reflect on how you approach problems.
-yeah, mom
-honey, fill those apple baskets,
- yes, Visha
Everyone was marvelous at seeing such expertise being brought out of a home kitchen that evening. If Visha weren't such a good painter, they would cry out for her to be a chef or baker, but something is sure: She will thrive wherever she goes.