The sun blazed down on the school field, the air buzzing with the sound of students changing into their gym uniforms.
Mika was the first to bolt out of the locker room, tail wagging like an excited puppy. "Finally! A class where I can actually move! This is my moment to shine!"
Nari followed behind, tugging at her jacket with a scowl. "You mean your moment to embarrass us."
Sayo walked out calmly, adjusting her sleeves. "Gym class isn't about showing off, it's about discipline."
Yua shuffled along at the back, hugging her knees to her chest once she sat on the bench. "…Do we really have to run in front of everyone?"
The PE teacher, a tall woman with a whistle, clapped her hands. "Alright, students! Today we're doing warm-ups, then relay races. Line up!"
---
Warm-ups
"Stretch your arms!"
Mika flailed around dramatically, pretending her arms were jelly. "Ooooh, look, I'm melting!"
Half the class laughed. The teacher did not.
"Mika! Do it properly!"
"Yes ma'am," Mika said—then immediately tried to balance on one leg like a flamingo.
Nari groaned, dragging her back down. "If you don't stop, I'll make you stop."
Sayo, standing perfectly straight in her stretches, muttered, "Honestly, how did we end up related to her…"
Meanwhile, Yua struggled with toe touches. Her tail flicked anxiously as she bent halfway, wincing.
One of the girls in class whispered, "She's stiff, huh?"
Before Yua could shrink away, Sayo placed a steady hand on her back. "Don't push yourself too hard. Small steps."
Yua blinked at her, then nodded slowly, a little more at ease.
---
Relay Races
The whistle blew.
Mika sprinted forward like lightning, ears pinned back, tail streaming behind her. She zoomed past two students before tripping spectacularly on the baton hand-off and rolling across the grass.
"Safe landing!" she shouted, popping up with dirt all over her face.
The class erupted in laughter. Nari pinched the bridge of her nose.
When her turn came, Nari took the baton with a sharp glare. She ran with fierce, powerful strides, overtaking nearly everyone. "This is how it's done," she muttered under her breath, smirking when she handed the baton off.
Sayo ran efficiently, neither too fast nor too slow, her movements precise. She didn't chase glory, but she never wasted energy either.
Finally came Yua's turn. Her ears pressed flat as she clutched the baton nervously. "I-I can't—"
"Yes, you can!" Mika shouted from the sidelines, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Go, Yua, go!"
"Don't think," Nari barked. "Just run!"
Yua took a shaky breath—and ran. At first clumsy, then smoother, until her tail streamed out behind her and her legs carried her across the field. She wasn't the fastest, but when she crossed the finish line, her sisters were there cheering.
The teacher blew the whistle. "Not bad, new students! You've got energy—though some of you need focus." Her eyes lingered on Mika.
Mika grinned sheepishly, dirt still smudged across her cheek. "Focus isn't really my thing."
---
By the time gym class ended, the girls were exhausted but buzzing with adrenaline.
"That was amazing!" Mika said, bouncing on her toes. "Did you see my roll? Perfect landing!"
"It was pathetic," Nari said. "…But you weren't boring, I'll give you that."
Sayo carried her water bottle, calm as ever. "We all did fine. Especially Yua."
Yua's face turned pink, her ears twitching. "…I-I didn't fall… so that's good."
The four of them walked back to the locker room together, tails swaying at different rhythms—but all in sync in their own way.
Their first gym class may have been a disaster… but it was their disaster.