3 I Really Am Grateful

"What are you doing here?"

She didn't have much thought when she opened her door but her lips twitched upon noticing that it was Karen and Feena who came carrying with them a box.

"Help you with your wounds," Karen grins while Feena raised the box she was holding.

"Thanks but no thanks," Eureka replied before she closed the door behind her.

"The headmaster was right in one thing, you won't let us in," Feena said as she entered the room.

Karen was the one who opened the door and came in first, they looked around and found it to be too simple.

"Wha- How did you come in?" Eureka who just took a few steps turned around upon hearing her door open.

"You locked the door we have the key so simple," Karen welcomed herself and sat down on Eureka's bed.

"That Kaoru I would really kill him," hearing what she had said, Eureka gritted her teeth.

"Kaoru?" Karen asked her face filled with confusion.

"The headmaster, you don't know his name?" Eureka replied.

"Oh yeah, that's right. Anyway, take off your clothes," Feena placed the first aid on the bedside table.

"No, I won't. Look it's fine, I'm fine. I'll just rest and I'm good to go," she said as she once again opened the door, implying for them to leave.

"No can do, we must take care of your wounds. And oh, there it is your gym shorts. Now get change and let's get it over shall we."

Karen pulled her towards the bathroom and threw her the shorts she took from her drawer.

Defeated Eureka changed and came out. Feena motioned her to take a seat.

"Remove your shirt will you."

"You guys really…"

But having no more options she could only do as they say. Somehow she couldn't reject them the way she always do towards Kaoru.

They were stunned at the sight of her back.

Burn marks, wounds and scars.

Feena could only clear her throat, "I will be applying the medicine now."

She quietly treated her as Karen watched from the side.

"The fireballs," Karen started breaking the ice.

"It did hit you after all."

"Yeah, I have no ability after all. Creating that tornado barrier won't allow me to move the way I usually do when I am not creating one. Two of them hit me," he voice was nonchalant.

"But still you really are amazing coming up with that move while Raven's chanting the spell for inferno," Feena commented finishing up the treatment.

"Chants can be memorized even if it was not your ability. You should also do this, in a way you will be even more prepared once you hear them start chanting," she replied giving them an advice.

The two of them nodded subconsciously, they didn't thought about doing this before. To memorize the opponents chant, you will have more time to consider how to counter it.

Before she could wear her shirt. Karen touched a scar on the back of her left shoulder.

"This scar? How long was it already?"

"Almost 3 years," she answered like nothing just as she wore her shirt.

"How did you get it?" Karen probed.

"Do you want coffee or tea?" Eureka asked as she boiled some water.

"Coffee is fine."

"Coffee."

Both of them answered and she nodded her head, she only has coffee and tea in her room. So with practiced movement, she picked up the container for coffee.

While preparing, she answered Karen's last question, "I can't enter the academy being a zero so I should have done something else to enter right?"

After serving them, she walked towards the window.

"Fighting against the headmaster is really very very difficult never try it."

Leaning against the window sill, she faced and warned them as if it ever crossed their mind to even try fighting against the headmaster.

"You fought against the headmaster?" they could only ask in shock.

The rumors said that she was just close to the headmaster, that is why she was able to enter. Even though it has been so long since the last Zero entered the academy.

"I did and the other instructors as well, in order to get in. That's how my exams went as well. I have to fight against an instructor while he or she is using a new level of spell. If I can't defend properly then I fail, if I was able to block their attacks and counter then I pass."

The way she said it was as if she was not talking about her own experience at all.

The two of them could only stare and drink upon hearing her explanation, there's nothing they could say about it.

Amazing?

Of course, that's totally obvious. She didn't receive any special treatment just as the rumors said.

She practiced and persevered in order to survive in the school where only a few could stay. To be more precise, she was the only one who survived this long.

The only zero in their age group, that is.

"Anyway, that's that. So tomorrow at 5 by the lake behind the school," Feena finished her drink and stood up.

"We shall take our leave now, thank you for the coffee," they thanked as they turned to leave.

"Uhmm," they looked at her when she spoke.

"Tha-Thank you for treating my wounds."

"No problem we are a group now anyway," they waved their hands and left closing the door behind them.

'To think that there would come a time when someone will treat my wounds again,' Eureka thought as she prepares to sleep.

*****

~"Why do you always end up having so many wounds when you're training on your own."~

~"Shut up, Zu."~

~Her head was then smacked, "Yeah yeah."~

*****

~"Do your best in there you understand?"~

~"No wait!! You're staying behind? Why am I going alone?!?"~

~"We have no time, I'm sending you there now."~

~"NO ZU!! WAIT!! DON'T!! ZUUU!!"~

*****

"ZU!!"

Sweat dripping down her forehead as she sat there wide awake from a nightmare.

'To think that I'd have a dream on you after so long. 5 years, it's been 5 years Zu, it's been 5 long years. You really are the most stupid person I've ever met.'

She stood up knowing she won't be able to return to sleep, prepared to leave and went straight to where their practice would be held.

She lied down beside the lake, her eyes were blank as they were fixed staring up in the sky.

All kinds of thoughts flashing through her mind. All kinds of scene that she herself really didn't want to think about.

'I took another step Zu, the second step after entering the academy. And I will never forget my promise. We'll meet again, I know we will.'

"Aren't you early?" she abruptly sat up and drew her sword.

Her face turned sharp and she looked like she was ready to take down anyone who approached her.

"Woah chill, it's us," Hideyoshi raised his hands.

"Sorry," she immediately apologized after knowing that it was them.

'Was I too deep in thought that I didn't notice them arriving? That would be very bad, wouldn't it?' she added in her mind, as she returned her sword in its sheath.

"Anyway you really are early, it's 4:30," Hideyoshi continued asking as the three of them approached her.

"I woke up early and could no longer return to sleep. So I thought I'd just come here instead," was her answer.

"AH!! Eureka you're here!!"

Just then they heard a shout from behind.

"We went to your room planning to wake you up but then no one's there. We thought you runaway or something," Karen continued, beside her was Feena, who was obviously pretty irritated.

"You opened my room on your own again?" Eureka raised an eyebrow as she reached out her hand.

Karen held it with confusion before shaking it.

"What are you doing?" Eureka asked in furrowed brows.

"I thought you want a handshake?" Karen replied releasing her hand.

"I'm asking for my key. Give it back now."

"Why?" Karen pouted but still returned the key seeing her serious face.

"So what happened to your face Feena? Woke up at the wrong side of the bed?" Hideyoshi asked seeing Feena's darkened face.

"No, this stupid girl banged at my door at 3 in the morning for me to join her in waking Eureka up," Feena replied as she pointed at Karen who was beside her.

"Hey."

Karen retorted, "I'm not stupid."

"Stop pouting cause I'm getting more and more irritated right now, with the way you look."

"But it was so long since we had another girl in our group, I was so excited to chat with her I couldn't sleep at all."

"Stop this nonsense now. Since we are all complete anyway we should just begin practicing our synchronization with Eureka," Mamoru stepped in before Feena could answer back.

Knowing that once these two started bickering they won't stop.

"Oh," Eureka faced them all.

"Once again I am Eureka and I really am grateful that you allowed me to join your group for the graduation competition. I'd do my best in order not to be a hindrance."

She bowed deeply as she thanked them full of sincerity.

"Welcome to our group Eureka," Karen smiled happily at her.

And as she raised her head Mamoru, Feena and Raven nodded their heads while Hideyoshi had his thumbs up.

"Shall we begin then?" Raven stated, facing all of them.