Martial arts. Definitely martial arts.

Bowing her head to hide a smirk, Madison called to mind a flashy routine she'd practiced for her martial arts class. Clearing her mind with a few deep breaths, she bowed, took a low, coiled starting stance, and exploded into motion.

Madison's feet and hands flailed to left and right, ahead and behind as she blocked, tripped, struck, and threw imaginary opponents. Bridging the middle of the routine with a leaping roll, she snapped upright with a redoubled attack, her feet and hands striking out at the ankles, knees, and **** crotches of her adversaries in all directions. She settled into the final stance and bowed again.

Zack, Gavin, Victoria and Chloe applauded. Even Lisa snapped out of her reverie to add a few claps of her own. Kurt looked thoughtful.

"Hey, Madison where've you been hiding all that?" Zack asked. Her brother's friend had seen lots of her coming and going, but had never seen her practice. One time he'd seen her wearing some funny black pajama things with a white-cuffed coat, but he'd never made the connection.

"The Batcave," Madison said.

"Wow, Madison," Kurt said. "Remind me never to surprise you in the dark."

Madison laughed. "That was your reminder," she said. "I don't need Brandon to look after me."

"Good to hear it," Kurt said. "Guess he still insists, though. What else you gonna do before he gets back? Prime opportunity for chicken fights if you ask me."

"Yeah right," Madison said.

"With you on my shoulders, we'd be invincible," Kurt said. "All comers! C'mon."

"Hey Zack," Lisa said, "Did we ever lose a chicken fight? Let's take them on."

"All right!" Kurt said. "C'mon, Madison."

"Go jump in the lake," Madison said. She pointed.

"Aw, come on, who's up?" Kurt said. "Hey, Victoria, with your arms and legs, we could totally crush them."

Kurt was the tallest guy, and Victoria was the tallest girl at the lake.

Victoria was about to wave him off when she caught a look is Lisa's face. She blinked, took a breath, and said. "Sure, let's do it."

"All right!" Kurt said. "Let's set up."

Madison went over to Gavin. Speaking softly, she asked, "You want to take on the winner? As long as it's not Kurt."

"Sure," Gavin said with a shrug. He looked closely into her face to make sure she wasn't kidding.

"Great," Madison said.

"Okay," Gavin said. He nodded, then sealed his phone back into the waterproof pocket in his board shorts.