Chapter 18

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"OK, where do we want to go first?" Zane asked the group. "Should we shop first, or do we want to go to the apartment first?"

They were at the border of the Mytic sector where Asagi's, Carol's, Zane's and soon Zero's apartments were located.

"Do you want to get some rest Zero?" Asagi worried.

"Right, you just got out today, you shouldn't overexert yourself." Added Nathan.

"Thanks, but I'll be fine." Countered Zero.

"Are you sure?" Asagi looked at him worriedly.

"I'll be fine, don't worry." Zero smiled at her.

"What do we need?" Inquired Nathan.

"For now, I just need the essentials. The apartment is fully equipped, you told me." Zero turned to Asagi and Zane, who nodded eagerly.

"There are several shopping centers nearby." Aki explained, pulling out her PDI, on which a holographic map appeared.

Zane recognized the mall where they had locked up the vampires, while Aki explained each mall. Roughly, they were all the same. The catchment area and proximity to the city center resulted in a high density of malls. Until Aki came to a larger mall that was a bit out of the way of the others. It was located right in the Mytic sector, not too far from Zane's base.

"This is one of the biggest in town, we should be able to get a little bit of everything there I think." Aki finished her explanation.

"This is in the Mytic sector right?" Remarked Nathan.

"Right. We can take a look at that one, too, if we get a chance." Zane agreed. They lived right on the border, but Zane was usually drawn toward the center of town. The Mytic sector was usually on Stephen's or Mikael's route.

"Is that OK with you Asagi?" Zero turned to her.

"Of course. It's no problem." Asagi startled.

"OK, will you lead us there Aki?"

"Sure, it's not that far." Ran Aki.

They all knew about Asagi's situation. Zero had already noticed it in the few hours he had been out of the hospital. Asagi didn't let on, but the looks of the people who passed her were clear. They feared the demon. Zane had also noticed it when he suddenly said without addressing anyone directly and very quietly so that only Zero who was right next to him could have heard:

"We still have a long way to go." Zero knew what he meant; Aki's ears twitched as well.

Zane wondered if Asagi was the reason Aki had suggested the mall in the Mytic sector. They had all agreed, they probably all had Asagi in mind and that she would stand out less among Mytics than among humans. But he remembered Ariane, the angel under Kouji, who had attacked Asagi publicly. Maybe it was a matter between angels and demons? But the few Mytics in Halsion still rather kept their distance from Asagi, the only demon.

Zane had already heard of some "demonic outbreaks" in which several people had died. Mostly they were summoned as a weapon, but either the summoning went wrong, or the demon could not be brought under control, which then ran amok until someone finished it off. Also, the description of the demons that appeared always amazed Zane, because they looked so different from Asagi. While Asagi had a human form, the demons in the reports had nothing human about them. The descriptions ranged from bony creatures to bloated lumps of flesh. They were monsters that seemed to trigger a primal fear in people. This and the fact that they did not appear "naturally" unsettled people immensely. They were considered a bad omen, even among the Mytics.

Zane hated that Asagi was excluded by everyone. She was a demon, yes. But she had done no harm to anyone. In his eyes, she was less dangerous than some humans.

Right, Aki is not "normal" either. His eyes fell on Aki. What did someone once call her? Anomaly? To most people, Aki seemed like an Anikai.

Anikai were a race that seemed closely related to the Mammal-class Yokai-Mytics, like Aki they had animal ears or other features. To a regular person, Aki was one of them, but to a mage there was a vast difference. Aki had tremendous magical energies that far dwarfed those of Zane and Nathan. Asagi's were enormous as well, even if Zane rarely felt it, as they were always hidden under the sigil.

But for the Mytics, Aki seemed to be just as bad as Asagi. They had little contact with other Mytics, which is why the two of them, or the three of them if one included Carol, kept such close contact.

"I know a good bar we can go to later." Said Zane as one of the streets looked familiar.

"Any food there?" Asked Carol.

"Of course!" Zane stretched giving her a thumbs up.

"Yippee!"

"Is it much farther?" Carol asked after a few minutes.

"Sorry Carol, it's not much farther." Aki said, smiling at her. "I thought we'd walk, this way Zero could see the city a bit, and you guys haven't been out much in this sector yet as well."

"Are you all right, Zero?" Asagi inquired.

"Thanks, I'm fine. I've been in bed long enough." He Laughed.

"Couldn't we have taken the truck?" Carol asked, already leaning forward and letting her arms hang.

"A little exercise is good for all of us." Zero smiled at her. "Speaking of which, where is my truck anyway?"

"It's been put in storage by the administration for now." Narrated Nathan.

"Put in storage?! How long did they think I would be gone for?!" Zero burst out and Carol laughed.

"Maybe we can pick it up tomorrow?" Remarked Zane.

"Thanks, that wouldn't be bad." Replied Zero.

Zane looked around; they were deep in the Mytic sector. Despite the proximity to his home, he had never been here before. Shortly after they started walking, they had already passed a control. It resembled the one in Halsion's Mytic sector, only it was a lot more elaborate. Unlike Halsion, the Mytic sector was not surrounded by a wall, which was impossible due to the sheer size of it. Instead, several soldiers and mages guarded the large access road with a fortified checkpoint, and patrols were everywhere else as well. The camera density was also much higher than in other parts of the city and the air was teeming with drones.

"There are a lot of guards around here, though." Zane remarked. Is that why we don't patrol here? He wondered.

"The security level is pretty high here, only higher in the government district and military bases." Explained Aki, who seemed unimpressed. "Access is monitored electronically, so we didn't have to show our ID."

"Seems like a lot of overkill." Zane looked around.

Asagi, meanwhile, was hiding behind Zero after having "eye contact" with a drone.

"Part of it one can understand." Nathan started. "The government wants to build good relations with the Mytics, it wouldn't be good if something happened to them on Alliance watch."

"You're probably right..." recalled Zane to Ariane and Ethan, frowning sourly.

"This is the largest Mytic branch in Alliance territory, and also one of the largest on all of Nykara." Aki narrated. "Aside from the higher security level, there's little difference from the other sectors. I have a few friends here, they really feel safer with the surveillance. If you're bothered by the surveillance, there are ways and means to have some space." Aki laughed.

"How many Mytics are here in New Comound?" Zero asked.

"There are just under 290 thousand." Aki explained. (286.358)

Since they had arrived in the Mytic sector, the number of Mytics had increased significantly. Seven out of ten were no longer humans. There were many elves and probably Anikai, but the Mytics made up the bulk.

"Ninety-nine percent of them are Yokai." Aki narrated further.

Angels and demons were rather rare in the "earthly" world and therefore stayed in their own realms, and dragons were rare even among the Mytics, so the Yokai made up the bulk of the Mytics by far on Nykara.

"So here we are." Aki pointed to a large building in the distance. The 30-story building stood in a large square surrounded by parks. But the park didn't end there, it seemed to stretch along the building over the top of it.

"That's huge." Zane and Carol stared upward at the various levels of the passageway.

"As I said, it's one of the biggest in the city, and it also has a lot of exclusive products you don't find elsewhere." Aki started boasting, her hands on her hips.

"Let's go!" Carol was about to storm off when Zero grabbed her by the collar and stopped her.

"Stay here." Zero was holding Carol down with his mechanical arm, making her hang on like a fish on a line in his grasp. "Should we stay together or split up?"

"Let's take a tour together and then split up later for errands." Suggested Zane.

"Good idea." Aki agreed and the others seemed to agree as well.

After a short tour, the group split up as well. The group division was as follows, Asagi and Aki, Nathan and Zane, and Carol and Zero. It quickly became clear that Aki and Asagi were simply following Zero.

While Nathan and Zane kept their eyes on the library and then strolled around some more, Zero had a clear goal.

"How many clothes do you have?" Zero turned directly to Asagi and Carol. Zero knew that Carol had a lot of clothes with her and they had packed quite a bit, but Asagi....

"I um..." began Asagi, who was visibly embarrassed. Apparently, she had been borrowing stuff from Carol and Aki until now.

"Aki, Carol are you going shopping with Asagi? I'll join you guys later."

"OK!" Rejoiced Carol.

"Where are you going?" Asked Aki, while Asagi looked around frantically between the two.

"I saw a store back there with kitchen utensils, I'll stop by until you guys are done." He pointed with his thumb to an aisle behind him.

"OK, but can you manage on your own?" Asked Aki.

"Sure, I won't be gone long, and if it's not enough, I can pay for something else too."

"But you don't have to Zero." Asagi waved it off with a slightly red face.

"That'll be fine." Laughed Zero. "And thanks for taking care of Asagi." He said goodbye and turned into the hallway before looking back once more. "And Asagi isn't a doll you two. So don't push it." He admonished the two and walked into the hallway.

"See you later Zero." Carol waved at him.

"Why did he admonish me too?" Aki looked at Carol, who answered her with a "I don't know" look on her face and a shrug.

"OK, what would you like Asagi?" Carol turned toward her.

"Something normal please..."

"Shall we start with..." began Aki whispering in Asagi's ear.

She nodded with a red steaming face.

"Let's see if this still works?" Zero looked thoughtfully at his PDA. At the Bar Thirteen account, at the savings Ben and he had made.

Nathan and Zane walked through the passageway in search of the library they'd seen earlier.

"This is just like the old stories." Said Zane excitedly. Mytics were everywhere and even Spirits were flying through the passage, which were rarely seen elsewhere in the city.

One Mytic was surrounded by fairy Spirits that seemed to accompany her. Luminous fish flew through the passage and swam through the walls as if they were not there. Mytics that were the model of the mythological centaurs marched through the lower levels. Harpies flew through the freer parts of the passage, a Lamina served in a café. Everywhere were things and beings that were considered legends a few hundred years ago.

"Yeah, one can really feel the magic." Nathan replied.

"It makes you wonder..." Zane said to himself.

"What do you mean?"

"The Mytics, elves, giants... it all exists...", Zane stopped at a railing and looked out over the passage. "It makes you wonder what else is out there. I'm sure it exists...", he said the last part so quietly that Nathan barely heard him.

"What are you getting at?" Nathan asked, who already seemed to have a feeling.

"Oh, nothing... I was just talking to myself. Let's go to that library you wanted to go to."

Books in the classical sense hardly existed anymore. Even though they had experienced a renaissance in recent years, the majority were on data media. One reason for the renaissance, among many others, was that magical books, such as so-called grimoires, were traditionally created in book form. Depending on their origin, they were also scrolls or engraved objects. Generally, paper and other materials were better suited to conduct the magic of spells, and they were also not susceptible to EMP, unlike the more astral current. Many of the old grimoires, some ancient, that had regained their power over the years were guarded like state treasures by the mages who owned them. But books also enjoyed increasing popularity in the alliance.

"Hey Zane." Nathan came to him.

"Did you find anything?"

"Just odds and ends. " Nathan showed Zane two entries in his PDI. "They have very few spellbooks. What about you? What were you looking for?" Nathan asked who was examining the wall of books behind Zane.

"Me? I was just doing some research...", he answered a bit hesitantly. "Well, if you have everything, we can go back to Zero and the others, I'm sure they're already waiting." Zane put back a book, on the cover "The Second Outbreak".

"Yeah, let's go." Nathan looked after Zane and smiled before following him to the checkout.

"Zero!" Carol beckoned to him, whom she already recognized in the distance.

"Hey. Did you guys get everything?" Zero asked the three, who stood in front of him with full shopping bags.

"Yep!" Replied Carol with her chest puffed with pride and Zero patted her on the head.

"Well done. And you Asagi? Do you have everything you need?"

"Yes. Thank you Zero." She nodded with the shopping bags in her hand.

"What about you Zero?" Aki asked him while Carol peeked into his shopping bag.

"Just a few little things. Ingredients, spices, something like that. Got me a few more kitchen utensils."

"You didn't get anything to wear?" Zane and Nathan suddenly stood beside the four of them.

"Hey Zane." Aki greeted them.

"Welcome back." Said Asagi as well.

"Hey, no. I need to see what's in the bags we took first. How are the clothes?" Zero turned to Asagi.

"There's a lot to choose from. But we've limited ourselves to the most important ones for now." She narrated.

"Why don't you come along next time Zero?" Aki suggested.

"Oh, yes, we'll go shopping with Zero!" Carol rejoiced.

"That's going to be something!" Zane laughed.

"Did you get everything you wanted?" Asagi asked Nathan and Zane.

"As far as it goes, didn't have anything specific in mind." Replied Nathan.

"Me neither." Added Zane. "OK, shall we go get something to eat?" He asked the group.

"You want to go to that bar you told us about?" Aki asked.

"I could cook us something otherwise." Zero said instinctively as he remembered his robot arm.

"You don't have to do that Zero." Zane explained. "You just woke up. Get some more rest."

"Zane's right, you can cook another time." Asagi agreed with Zane. They had all noticed the way Zero had looked at his arm.

"Yeah, you guys are right, today I'm going to leave the pan hanging." He laughed.

"Oh hello." Greeted the old bar owner, who was loading a crate onto a truck. "Sorry, I'm just closing up."

"Oh." Zane scratched his head. The truck in front of the bar was packed with boxes; the bartender was probably leaving Nykara and abandoning his bar. "I forgot all about that. Sorry guys, we'll have to find something else." He turned to his friends.

"No worries, Zane." Said Aki.

"Then Zero can cook something for us after all." Carol said happily.

Just as they were about to leave, the bartender turned to Zane. "You're the little one from the Tactical Mages, right?"

"The little one." Carol giggled, causing Asagi to grin a bit.

"Yes. Thanks again for the lovely evening." Zane turned to him.

"I don't have much left, but if you don't mind, I'd like to host a few last guests." He smiled at the group.

"Thank you for inviting us." Nathan thanked the bartender.

"I'm happy to. A few last customers before I close." He handed out the drinks.

"I let Tyler know where we are." Aki reported in passing.

"You're closing the bar?" Zero asked.

"Yes. I'm leaving Nykara and moving in with my daughter. It's just a shame I haven't found anyone to keep it going." He looked around the bar melancholically. "I'm afraid I can't give you any more menus, but I'll see what I can rustle up for dinner." He turned toward the kitchen.

"If you want, I can help you." Zero offered to the bartender. "I've got a few more ingredients myself." He pointed to the bag next to him.

"I'd be happy to, but only if you don't mind."

"You're a chef?" The bartender asked Zero as he unpacked his utensils.

"Self-taught, yes." Zero began to cut the vegetables he had with him. With a fluid motion, he began to chop it up as he cut into his prosthetic hand. "Damn...", Zero looked at the cut.

"You okay?" Inquired the bartender.

"Yeah. It's the first time I've ever cooked with... prosthetics."

"Oh, you have a new arm?"

"Yeah, I lost it recently." Zero started to tell.

"You're from Halsion?" Asked the bartender cautiously as he fried something in his pan.

"Yes, I was still in a coma until yesterday. I've only had the arm since then too, but I haven't really gotten used to it yet." He laughed.

"It's going to take a while. The soldiers who come here have taken several weeks or even months. They seem to have gotten used to it very well already."

"You think so? And please call me Zero."

"Sure, I'm Topper."

"Dinner is served." Zero announced, returning from the kitchen with Topper and a couple of plates as the aroma spread through the diner.

"I guess I'm just in time." Tyler stomped in the door.

"Tyler!" Carol rejoiced.

"Hey Tyler." Zero greeted and everyone joined in.

"Well, back from the dead again?"

"Of course." Zero extended his hand to Tyler.

"How's it going with prosthetics?"

"I'll be fine."

"I'm afraid it's just leftovers but I hope it tastes good anyway." Said Topper.

"It's very good thank you." Zane replied, shoving the spaghetti down his throat along with Carol. While Zane was still eating with some dignity, Carol had already smeared her face with sauce.

"Nice to meet you. I'm not really a very good cook, your friend made most of it."

"PFFEERO IS DA BESSS...", Carol started to say with her mouth full as she received a light pat on the head from Zero.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." While also putting a plate down for Asagi.

"Thanks, Zero." Asagi nodded before Zero put a plate down for everyone else as well.

"I'm surprised at what you could do with the few things I had left. I was going to donate them later or I would have thrown them away."

Zero had made several dishes with the things Topper still had and what he had shopped for earlier, much of it finger food.

"It's only five and you're already drinking Tyler?" Zero looked at Tyler, who was enjoying the finger food along with his beer.

"Let me, I've had a rough week while you've been sleeping."

"I can imagine."

"Tyler our alcoholic." Zane laughed.

The evening continued in a relaxed manner without any major incidents. Zane suggested they help Topper clean up the last of his stuff, which Topper gladly accepted.

Everyone pitched in except Tyler, who was half asleep on the counter when Topper turned to Zero.

"So, Zero. Wouldn't you want to take over the bar?"

"Excuse me?" Zero looked at him in wonder.

"The bar is a bit run down and it would need some renovation, but I like you and I could leave in good conscience knowing that the bar is in your hands."

"I...", Zero hesitated.

"I know it's a bit rushed. You can think about it, maybe it'll make it easier for you to start over." Topper took one of the last boxes off the counter and walked out.

"Thanks for the help." Said Topper goodbye.

"Thank you for a lovely evening." Zane replied.

It was a little after nine, and the bar lights had gone out. There was no trace left of the boisterous mood that had prevailed earlier. It was empty except for the few chairs and tables.

Everyone was standing outside the bar by Topper's truck, which was pulling in. Tyler, meanwhile, held onto a post, clearly swaying.

"You're welcome. I have you guys to thank." Nodded Topper. "I'm in town for another five days, get home safe." Topper drove off, while Carol waved at him.

"Why did he tell us that?" Nathan wondered as they all walked back toward the station. Carol ran ahead contentedly, not really knowing which way to go, while Tyler walked behind the group in a bit of a daze.

"He was looking at Zero." Aki remarked.

"Is something wrong?" Asagi asked Zero, and all eyes were on him suddenly.

"Well...he asked me if I wanted to take over the bar."

"What?" Inquired Zane.

"That's great Zero." Asagi was happy for him.

"Are you going to accept?" Aki asked.

"Then we'd have another meeting place." Carol joined in.

"Seems like it's going well for you." Tyler who was slowly catching up said.

"I don't know yet...", Zero shook his head.

"Take your time Zero." Said Zane suddenly.

"Zane's right. You don't have to rush into anything." Nathan agreed with him. Asagi and Aki looked at each other, apparently knowing what Zane was getting at, at which point Asagi became a little unsure.

Carol, who seemed to notice, patted her head comfortingly and smiled at her.

"Yeah, let's see...", said Zero before continuing to walk.

The group split up in front of the apartment.

"See you tomorrow Zero!" Carol waved cheerfully at him and Asagi seemed happy to have Zero around too.

"See you tomorrow, good night." He said goodbye before following Zane to his apartment.

"This is our apartment, welcome." Zane greeted Zero formally once again.

"Thanks." Zero laughed, leaning the bag from shopping against a wall.

"That one room is still available, feel free to use it." Zane pointed to a door.

The two stood in the living room, which directly adjoined an open kitchen. The layout was the same as Asagi and Carol's apartment.

"Thank you Zane. Also for letting me stay with you."

"It's no problem." He looked at Zero, who seemed a little absentminded, with a grin. "Want something to drink?" He asked.

"I'd love one." Nodded Zero.

The two sat on the sofa, two glasses and a bottle on the table in front of them.

"How are you?" Zane started the conversation.

"I don't really know...", Zero reached for the glass in front of him on which condensation had already formed.

"It's a bit much, isn't' it?" Zane looked at Zero.

"Yeah...", Zero took a sip. "I'm usually the one who cheers you up, not the other way around." Zero laughed.

"That's right!" Joined Zane.

"Thanks, Zane."

"Huh?" He looked at Zero unintelligibly.

"If it wasn't for you, we probably wouldn't be here in the first place."

"That was...", he tried to stop Zero.

"Yes it was, you helped me look for Carol, you faced Kouji and the Aku. I couldn't have done it without you... you saved us."

"I wasn't on my own." Zane smiled at him before his expression turned sad. "Unfortunately, I couldn't save everyone..." Zane looked into his glass.

Zane knew it was no use blaming himself. What had happened had happened, and yet he cursed his weakness, which was made clear to him once again. I need to get stronger!

"Zero. About Ben...", he looked at Zero, concerned. "I'm sorry." He apologized, leaving his head hanging.

"I haven't really realized it myself yet. To me, it's like it was just yesterday, and yet..."

"If you want to talk, I'm here for you." Zane smiled.

"Thanks Zane, also for taking care of Asagi and Carol while I was gone."

"That was more thanks to Aki...", he scratched his head. "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything for... Sora. It all happened so fast and..."

Zero raised his hand. "You made sure I could see her and be her guardian. That's all I can ask of you." Zero smiled. "I'm very grateful to you for everything."

"I was happy to do that. Do you want another glass?" Zane gestured to Zero to pour another one.

"I'd love one." Zero passed his glass. "How do you know General Pearce, anyway? For ten days, you seem pretty familiar already." Zero asked after Zane had refilled his glass.

"That's right, you were just there with him when I told the others." Zane filled up his own glass. "He knew my father."

"Your father?"

"Yes, my father saved the General during the Second Outbreak, which is why he wants to return the favor. But...", Zane began to hesitate. "I don't remember him."

"You doubt the story?"

"Somewhat... I'm grateful to him, but like the others have said, it's a little strange." Zane looked into his glass thoughtfully. "After the thing with Kouji..."

"Understandable...", Zero took a sip. "Deception is part of war. But..."

Zane looked at Zero.

"Maybe it's true, after all. Maybe he really just wants to show his appreciation to you."

"Maybe so... Tell me, what did the general want from you?" Inquired Zane.

"He asked me again about the attack." Zero explained, looking into his glass. "He also asked me about Sora and Deadra. How I found them and everything."

Is Leon trying to rule out that it was them? Zane wondered.

"After that, he asked me what I was up to now, and offered me a job."

"A job? In the military?" Zane asked. Is he trying to recruit Zero for the Anti-Aku unit?

"Yeah." Zero took a sip. "He said with my course to become an instructor and my medical knowledge, he could use me."

"What did you tell him?"

"That I needed to clear my head first."

"Makes sense... But now you have two offers, the bar and the job as an instructor. That's great." Zane smiled at Zero encouragingly.

"Yeah..." Zero looked at the ceiling. "Let's see what I'm going to do... it's all a bit much right now..."

"Take your time Zero." Zero poured another glass.

Zero nodded. "Thanks. What's next for you? Are you staying with city security?"

"For me?" Zane began to ponder. "I haven't told anyone yet, but I'm not staying with city security for long. I've been offered a job in the military." Narrated Zane.

"With the Tactical Mages?" Zero inquired with wide eyes.

"Exactly!" Grinned Zane.

"Congratulations!" Zero rejoiced for him and the two clinked glasses.

"What unit are you going to be in?"

"Actually, I can't tell anyone, so please don't tell the others. Leon wants to start a new unit, an Anti-Aku unit." Zane mentioned.

"So you're serious about it?" Zero looked at Zane with concern.

"Yes." Zane held his glass tighter. "That's why I want to ask you, Zero. Teach me everything you know!" He looked at Zero expectantly.

"Sure!" Zero nodded. "Seems like I can't get around being an instructor."

"Thanks Zero!" Rejoiced Zane.

"No problem. Hopefully that'll keep you alive longer for me, too." He laughed, and Zane joined in.

The two talked for a while before the evening came to an end.

A rumble woke Zane up.

He knew it had to be coming from his apartment. The walls were too heavily insulated for it to be coming from the apartment next door. Moreover, as far as Zane could tell, it was empty.

Is he awake already? He wondered and straightened up.

"Morning Zane!" Carol greeted him, who was sitting at the kitchen table.

"Good morning." Asagi also greeted him, who was sitting next to her.

"Morning." Zane looked at them in wonder.

"I brought those two over, I hope that was OK." Zero greeted.

The smell of breakfast, like he had always smelled at Bar Thirteen, rose to Zane's nose. The table where Asagi and Carol sat was packed with dishes.

"No problem." Shaking his head, Zane looked across the table. "How long have you been awake and where did you get all this stuff? I'm pretty sure my fridge was practically empty."

"Oh that. I couldn't sleep and then I went shopping for a bit." Zero explained to him as he made pancakes.

As soon as Zane sat down, Zero put some pancakes out for him.

"Thanks." Zane looked down at the plate perplexed, shortly after Asagi and Carol also got a plate each.

"Enjoy." Zero sat down with them, who had only a cup in front of him.

"Yippee!" Rejoiced Carol and devoured her food.

"Been a while since we had your pancakes." Zane remarked as he brought his fork to his mouth. "And they taste as good as ever!"

"Thanks, I figured if I can't sleep, I can practice." Zero laughed, waving his prosthesis.

"Aren't you eating anything Zero?" Asked Asagi as Carol chewed with puffed up cheeks.

"Don't gulp like that Carol!" He admonished her before turning to Asagi. "It's fine. I need to slow down anyway, after 10 days the stomach can't take the same amount right away. The doctor meant to eat only gentle food in the beginning." Laughed Zero.

"How's it going with you guys?" Zero looked at Asagi and Carol. "I already know with Zane."

"I don't know yet." Looked Asagi uncertainly at her plate. Carol said something, but it was completely unintelligible with her mouth full.

"Should we finish school?" Zero asked to the group. Zane had not yet graduated from school either. The civilian final exam would have taken place a few weeks after the military one.

"That's actually not a bad idea." Agreed Zane as his gaze fell on the clock. "Crap."

"You gotta go?" Zero asked.

"Yeah. I'm gonna go change!" He disappeared into his room before rushing past them a few minutes later. "Thanks for breakfast Zero! See you all later!"

"See you."

"Bye." Asagi said goodbye and Carol still waved with her mouth full.