Lily pushed off with effort, legs moving slowly and awkwardly. She barely made it across the twenty meters without breaking into a limp jog halfway through. The group watched quietly, some sympathetic, some amused.
When she crossed the finish line, she immediately dropped to the floor with a groan, arms wrapped around her knees.
Leo chuckled softly. "Well, that was... something."
Rachel teased, "Hey Lily, if you run any slower, you might as well be lying down."
Lily just groaned again, head resting against the wall. Her eyes closed briefly, as if dreaming of anything but this.
Greg shook his head with a small smile. "Alright, that’s enough for now. Rest well"
Lily grunted wordlessly as if to agree with what he said.
"Luna," Greg said, glancing at the last name on his clipboard. "You’re up."
She stepped forward with quiet confidence, her posture perfectly composed. There was no stretching, no dramatic breathing, just a calm focus that made the others instinctively hush.
She moved to the start line. Greg raised his stopwatch.
Her feet hit the ground seven times. That was all it took. Seven powerful, clean steps. In the time it took for Greg to blink, she had already crossed the cones and come to a stop with barely a sound. No stumble, no flare, just smooth deceleration.
Greg stared at the stopwatch.
"One point eight seconds."
Rachel’s mouth opened. "Hold on. Did you say one point eight?"
Leo stared at Luna like she had just solved a complex equation in her sleep. "How...?"
"She only took seven steps," Crystal said, her tone almost curious.
"Seven?" Aria repeated, frowning like she was trying to do the math in her head. "Is that even possible?"
Rachel flailed one arm. "She crossed twenty meters like she was walking through a hallway."
Greg just nodded and wrote something vague on his clipboard. It was mostly a doodle of a flaming stopwatch.
Luna turned back to the group, her expression unchanged. "That felt smooth."
"I’m not sure if I should be impressed or insulted," Rachel muttered. "I ran full out. I almost fell over."
Leo tilted his head. "She didn’t even lean forward."
Lily, still planted on the floor, lifted one hand weakly. "Tell my story. I was here."
"No one’s writing your memoir after that performance," Rachel said, stepping over her.
"I ran," Lily said dramatically. "That counts."
Greg cleared his throat. "Alright. That wraps up the second test."
He flipped to the next page on his clipboard and raised his voice just enough to cut through the murmuring.
"Final test of the day: dexterity and flexibility. This one’s a bit different. Less running, more balance, more coordination. Think yoga meets obstacle course."
Lily groaned louder. "Can I opt for a nap and a juice box instead?"
"No," Greg replied without even glancing at her.
Rachel stretched her arms above her head and cracked her back. "Finally. Something I can actually enjoy."
"You enjoyed the speed test," Crystal pointed out.
"Yeah, but now I get to show off while standing still. It’s perfect."
Greg waved everyone toward a line of mats that had been laid out across the floor, along with a few balance tools and markers for reach tests.
"We’re testing range of motion, control, and precision. There’s a short routine you’ll each go through. Aria, you’re up first."
Aria muttered something under her breath and stepped forward. Her movements were energetic if slightly chaotic. She balanced on one leg well enough, but her wings kept throwing her off during the transitions.
"You’re fighting your own body," Greg said.
"I fight everything," she replied as she toppled sideways off the mat.
Crystal followed and moved with her usual poise. Her movements were precise, with each step, bend, and reach executed like she had rehearsed it a dozen times. She finished without breaking a sweat.
Rachel was next and, as predicted, she made the routine look flashy. She held each pose longer than necessary and added flair that wasn’t part of the test, including a dramatic backbend that made Lily look away in secondhand pain.
Leo’s performance was more focused. His flexibility was solid, but what stood out most was his balance. He didn’t sway once, even on the wobble board portion.
"Track and field," he reminded Rachel as she gave him a suspicious look.
Then it was Lily’s turn again.
She shuffled forward like a prisoner being walked to the gallows.
"No handstands," she asked, hopeful.
"No handstands," Greg confirmed. "But you do need to touch your toes."
Lily bent forward with all the grace of an unfolding lawn chair. Her fingertips hovered a solid six inches from the ground. She squinted, willed herself to stretch further, then gave up and dropped to her knees.
"Excellent toe proximity," Rachel said from the sidelines.
"I have the spirit of a gymnast," Lily muttered. "It’s just trapped in the body of a pillow."
She flopped to her side and groaned. "My bones are made of regret."
Greg was already writing. "That’s a technical term now."
Finally, Luna stepped forward.
Without hesitation, she flowed through the routine. Her movements were slow and deliberate, like she was moving through water. She held every pose with quiet strength, balanced on one leg with her arms extended like a statue, and finished the final reach with her fingertips wrapped effortlessly around the soles of her feet.
Greg didn’t even bother with his clipboard this time. He just stared and blinked.
"She’s like if yoga was sentient," Aria whispered.
"I want to hate it, but I can’t," Rachel added.
Lily rolled onto her back. "Is there a test I can win? Like snack acquisition or blanket wrapping?"
Greg clapped his hands. "That’s it for testing today. You’re all free to collapse, hydrate, or emotionally process whatever just happened."
Lily lifted one finger. "I choose collapse."
Rachel high-fived her on the way to the water cooler. "Congrats on finishing last in every category. That’s hard to do."
"I’m an overachiever," Lily muttered from the floor.
Leo chuckled. "Come on, you’re still alive. That’s got to count for something."
"No one better tag me in for anything else today," Lily warned. "Because I will bite."
Luna’s voice reached everyone’s ears
"She’ll do it, you know."
Leo couldn’t help but think as Lily lay there that she was radiating the intimidation power of a chihuahua. It was kind of cute...in a very sad way.
But thankfully for Lily. The tests were done...for now.