Tweeeeeeet!

“Listen up, First Years!”

Professor Cohen stood in front of the ropes course, staring down the students in front of her. In one hand, she held a clipboard and a stopwatch. The other rested on her hip. Her eyes swept over the young adults, sharpening at anyone who wasn’t paying full attention.

“I understand we had a little drama over the weekend,” she called. “Got some teams rearranged and some roles swapped. I hope you got it all out of your systems, because I am not adjusting my rosters any further. And I will not be going easy on anyone just because things have been tough.”

She looked at Team Prevail on one side of the crowd, and Team Slayers on the other.

“If you still don’t know how to act, you better learn damn quick. Mommy and Daddy aren’t here to help you anymore; your first steps into adulthood start now.”

Prof. Cohen pulled a pen out from her pocket and looked to her clipboard. “Now that we’ve got that out of the way… PE today is straight and simple, and it’ll work as a cute little bonding exercise for those of you caught in the shuffle.”

“Ew, straight,” Soledad muttered under her breath. A few feet away, Nova snorted; Soledad caught her eye and grinned.

“Ropes course race,” Prof. Cohen announced, shooting Soledad a glare. “Each team will go one at a time, in alphabetical order. Whoever gets the best time wins the greatest prize I can afford with our budget: bragging rights.”

She turned and traced the course in the air with her pen. “I know staff doesn’t like it when you kids use your Abilities on campus, but my class, my rules. You’re free to do whatever you want up there as long as it doesn’t directly impact time. That means none for you, Miss Kariuki and Mr. Zaman. And Thirios, no using your animal parts. No flying—” She shot Soledad another look. “—And no gecko business.” She turned it to Carlito.

He held out his hands. “Why are you singling us out?!”

“Because I had your sister, and your brother,” Cohen shot, “And I’m old enough to have had your parents. I know what goes on in the mind of a Caballero.”

Carlito crossed his arms and pouted.

“No foul play when you’re not on the course, and let’s keep the fighting to a minimum today.” Cohen looked back at her clipboard. “Dr. Lani gave me the team names you all agreed on on Friday. Let’s see how creative you kids are this year. First up… Team Big and Small. What a fitting name, Mr. Caballero.”

“It was my idea!” Nila exclaimed.

“We all agreed on it, though!” Melina retorted.

“Good for you,” Cohen cheered, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Now get to the platform and get ready.”

Soledad winked at Nova as she left. “Good luck up there.”

She grinned. “Thanks. Send it to your brother, though—I’ll be fine.”

“Hey!”

At Carlito’s squawk, Nova laughed and ran to the ladder. Soledad watched her every step of the way.

Rolling her eyes, Chika crossed her arms. “Heart eyes are not a good look on you.”

Sol glared. “What, can I not appreciate beauty when I see it?”

“It’s annoying.”

“How? I’m not doing anything!”

“Girls, what did I just say about fighting?”

Both of them turned away; Soledad’s face flushed, while Chika gave half a bow.

“Sorry, Professor Cohen,” they said in unison.

There were giggles on the other side of the crowd, and Prof. Cohen turned her sharp look to Team Slayers. “Is there something amusing to you, girls? Care to share with the class?”

“No, Professor Cohen,” Slaine answered.

“Then wipe that smirk off your face before I make you run this course on your own. Your gossiping is as good as a glass of water to a drowning man here.” She looked up to the platform. “Big and Small, you ready?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Alright, your time starts… Now!”

---

Adela was off like a rocket, skipping over the boards with ease while the rest of the team watched in shock. Soledad shook herself out of it first and ran to the edge of the platform.

“Wait for us!”

The first board tilted under her weight, and she wobbled, shooting her wings out for balance; they caught on the ropes holding her up, and she toppled forward. With a yelp, she grabbed onto one rope and dangled over the edge.

“Hey, no Thirio business,” Chika reminded.

“I didn’t mean to! It was instinct!” she snapped back.

She huffed. “Well, hurry up! Adela’s already on the next section!”

Soledad looked over her shoulder, and sure enough, Adela was halfway across the tightrope. Narrowing her eyes, she blew the hair out of her face.

“Show-off.”

Carefully, she shuffled her way back onto the board; she waited until it settled under her feet before reaching her hand out to grab the other rope. She was facing the wrong way, but cheered when she found her balance regardless.

Chika clapped. “Congrats,” she droned, “You made it to the first step. Now come back to the platform so I can go and show you how to do it right.”

Soledad turned to shoot her a glare, but a figure behind her caught her eye. Terra pressed against the pole holding the platform up, trembling like a leaf. She frowned.

“Terra? You okay?”

Chika spun around as Terra snapped her head up. Her mouth opened and shut a couple of times, but no noise came out.

“You not good with heights?” Chika guessed.

Terra shook her head so fast that the other two feared she would get dizzy. Soledad carefully pulled a hand away from the rope and held it out toward her.

“Here,” she said, “I’ll help you. You can hold my hand.”

“You can’t even help yourself!” Chika shot. She turned and opened an arm. “C’mon, let me help instead."

“Are you serious? We’re doing this now?” Soledad snapped.

Chika glared at her. “I’d like our leader to get through this safely, if you don’t mind.”

“Are you accusing me of--?!”

“Guys!” Adela yelled, a couple of platforms away. “What are you doing?! Hurry up!”

Terra let out a whimper and scurried forward, freezing and wobbling dangerously when she got to the edge; Sol and Chika each shot an arm out to steady her. Soledad brushed her hand down her arm until she had a firm grip on her hand. She flinched at how cold they were.

“Hey,” she said, ducking a bit in an attempt to catch her eye. “You’ll be okay. Just don’t look down, yeah?”

Terra’s eyes were glued to the ground. “Too late.”

“Just try to breathe. We won’t let you fall,” Chika added. She glanced at Soledad and pressed her lips together. “We’ll go through this together, okay?”

“But our time—”

“Don’t worry about it. Just go at your own pace.”

“Besides,” Soledad added, “Professor Cohen doesn’t stop the clock until we’re all done. It wouldn’t change anything if we just left you here to fend for yourself. It’s a team activity.”

“Meant to be, anyway,” Chika grumbled, eyeing Adela as she scurried across the net wall.

Soledad looked behind her and carefully stepped onto the second board, schooling her expression when it swung wildly. She tensed her wings to keep them close to her body. “Just breathe and try to keep your eyes on me. Okay?”

Terra looked up at her and, despite her shaking even worse, slowly nodded. “O-Okay.”

With Soledad gripping one hand, and Chika close behind her, Terra carefully took a step.