Impressed and Intimidated

"Go!" you instruct the machine.

The machine pushes down, simulating 250lbs of weights on the bar.

You let the bar come down, touch it to your chest, and push it back up without even flinching. Down, touch, up, down, touch up, you do two reps, then speed up. Down touch up down touch up down touch up down touch up. Almost at ten down touch up down touch up.

"Wow, your brother's strong!" Lilium tells Flashfire while they sit at a leg lift machine.

Down touch up down touch up down touch up, down touch up, down, touch, up. You finish at fifiteen reps, and hold the bar up.

"Done," you tell the machine. The bar is locked into place, and the interface resets the force to zero.

You sit up on the bench and see that the Gangrene guys are stunned that there is no sweat on your forehead, and that you're breathing just fine.

"Well, uh..." Jin is at a loss for words. "Don't get so cocky just because you pushed back 250 fifteen times! You still gotta fight me in the tournament!"

"Maybe," you say. "Assuming you get past the first round." The girls laugh, and Jin Jah Vai Tus fails to come up with a come back. Scowling, Jin and Team Gangrene walk away and out of the gym.

"How are you girls doing?" you ask as you walk over to the jogging Nuh and Blackfire.

"Good," Nuh says, a little out of breath. "I think I'm about ready to go back to the hotel."

Blackfire calmly smiles, no signs of fatigue.

"I feel fine," she says as she slows the treadmill down. "But I suppose we could head back if Nuh is tired."

Nuh grumbles as she slows her treadmill down. The two girls get off their treadmills at the same time, and follow you as you check in on Flashfire and Lilium.

"23..." they count. "24... Twenty..." Lilium strains with this last rep. "FIVE!" She reaches forward for the lock, but can't quite reach.

"I'll get it," you say, clasping the lock that holds the weights in place.

"Thanks," Lilium says as she grabs a towel. She wipes the sweat off the deep blue skin on her legs and stomach. "So, are we headed back to your hotel?"

"We?" you ask.

"Yeah," Flashfire says. "She can sleep over for the night, right?"

"I suppose," you say. "But we'll have to push the beds apart so you two can sleep in one," you tell your sister.

"Sure, sure," she says.

"Push them apart?" Lilium asks, puzzled.

"I'll explain on the way," Flashfire tells her.

The five of you arrive at your hotel room twenty minutes later, and have room service send up dinner.

You push the beds apart as the girls all wash up. They exit the bathroom just as the food arrives.