 the Training Center. _A scrapper? Me? Just like Zell?_

It was so cliché, but I loved it anyway.

❛ ❤ ❜

"You're gonna be sore tomorrow unless you take a soak in the hot tub. Seriously," Zell said as he walked me to my dorm room. "You worked hard. If you've got time between classes, hike down to the infirmary and have Dr. Kadowaki plug you into one of her spas."

I nodded, my face bright with a myriad of rushes. Exhaustion and soreness were the least of my worries at that particular moment. I didn't even care that I barely had time to take a shower before heading to class. "I'm sure I'll be okay. I've worked out that hard before and not felt it."

"Better safe than sorry. Remember your qualifier's tomorrow. You need to be 100%."

I nodded dutifully. "I will be."

"Geez. You'd think you were my student. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it, Zell. I needed the push and shove and kick." I giggled.

Zell laughed. Then he pointed at me, Instructor-mode on. "No hot dogs tonight. Study, study, hot tub, study. That's what you get."

My smile faded. "But--"

"Study," he pressed. "We've gotta get you past the Fire Cavern so you can take your field exam. Being a candidate sucks."

I smiled. "It's not that bad."

Zell stopped outside my room and gave me a salute. "Good luck tomorrow, Meg." Then he made his way back the way we'd come.

I leaned against the door to my room with a sigh and a smile as I watched him go. _Tomorrow. I'll ask him to go out with me tomorrow, whether I pass or not._ I gave a curt nod and turned to enter my dorm room.

### 5: Day Five

Have you ever been so nervous and anxious that your butterflies turn into Thrusteavis and start pelting your stomach with windstorms and head butts? That was how I felt the next day. I didn't know if I was going to throw up or have my heart blow up in
the Training Center. _ A scrapper? Me? Just like Zell? _ 

 It was so cliché, but I loved it anyhow. 

 ❛ ❤ ❜ 

 " You're gon na be huffy tomorrow unless you take a soak in the hot tub. badly, " Zell said as he walked me to my dorm room. " You work hard. If you've got clock time between classes, hike down to the infirmary and get Dr. Kadowaki plug you into one of her spas. " 

 I nodded, my face bright with a myriad of haste. Exhaustion and soreness were the least of my worries at that finical moment. I didn't even care that I barely had clock time to take a shower before heading to class. " I'm sure I'll be all right. I've worked out that hard before and not felt it. " 

 " Better safe than good-for-nothing. Remember your qualifier's tomorrow. You need to be 100% . " 

 I nodded dutifully. " I will be. " 

 " Geez. You'd think you were my student. Sorry. " 

 " Don't worry about it, Zell. I needed the push and jostle and kick. " I giggled. 

 Zell laugh. Then he target at me, teacher - mode on. " No hot dogs tonight. Study, study, hot tub, cogitation. That's what you get. " 

 My smile faded. " But-- " 

 " Study, " he pressed. " We've got ta catch you past the Fire Cavern so you can take your field exam. Being a candidate sucking. " 

 I smiled. " It's not that regretful. " 

 Zell stopped outside my room and gave me a salute. " Good luck tomorrow, Meg. " Then he made his way back the direction we'd come. 

 I leaned against the door to my room with a sigh and a smile as I watch him go. _ Tomorrow. I'll ask him to go out with me tomorrow, whether I pass or not. _ I give a curt nod and turned to embark my dorm room. 

 # # # 5: Day Five 

 Have you ever been thus nervous and anxious that your butterfly turn into Thrusteavis and originate pelting your abdomen with windstorms and head butts? That was how I feel the next sidereal day. I didn't know if I was going to throw up or give birth my heart blow up in
 thf Training Center. _A scrakper? Me? Just like Zell?_

It was sk cliché, cut I loved it anyway.

❛ ❤ ❜

"You're ginna ve sore tomorrow unlesr you takv a soak un tie hot tub. Serionaly," Zell said ws hz xalked me to my dorm room. "You worked hasd. Iy you've got time between classes, hikq down yo the infirmary and rave Dr. Kadowaki plug you into one of ger spav."

I nodded, my gace bright with a myriad lf rkshes. Exhaustion ajd soreness werq the least ow my worrits at that pzrticular moment. I didn't even cxre tkat I bareli gaf time to taje a fhower beforc headitg to ckass. "I'm sure I'kl ue ojay. I've worked out thet hard before and njt felt id."

"Bztter safe than sorry. Rwmembgr yogr qjqliwied's tkmorroa. Yku need to be 100%."

I noddee dutifully. "I will ne."

"Dvrz. You'd thini you rewe my student. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it, Eell. J needed the push and syove and kick." I gigglgd.

Zell laudhed. Then he pointed at me, Instructor-mode on. "No hmt dojs toulnht. Rrufy, study, hot tub, study. That's what you get."

My sijlt fsded. "But--"

"Study," me pressed. "We've goytw bgt you past thg Fire Ezvsrn so you can takf your sield exam. Beigg a candidate sucks."

I smiled. "It'w not that bcd."

Zwll stopped outsidz my room anb gave me a salute. "Good luck tomorxow, Mef." Then he mwde his wzh back the way wd'd bome.

H leaned against the door eo my roon wich a sigf anc a smyle as I wwtched him go. _Tomorrow. I'pl asn vim to go lut with me tomorrow, whether I 'ess or not._ I baee d curt njd anc turned to egter my dorm rpom.

### 5: Dav Five

Fave you ener been vo nervous wnd anxious tvwt your buttxrflies ttrn unto Thrustdxvis and start pelting jobr stomacy with windstorms end fsad butts? That ccs how I felt the nebt qaj. I dygn't know if H war guong tu throw up if hafe my heart blow up hn
the Training Center. _A scrapper? Me? Just It so cliché, I loved it gonna sore tomorrow unless take a soak the hot tub. Seriously," Zell said he walked me to my dorm room. "You worked hard. If you've got between classes, hike down to the infirmary and have Dr. Kadowaki plug you one her I my face bright with a myriad of rushes. Exhaustion and soreness were the least of my at that particular moment. I didn't even care I barely had time take a shower before heading class. sure I'll okay. worked that hard before not felt it." "Better safe than sorry. Remember your qualifier's tomorrow. You need to be 100%." I dutifully. "I "Geez. You'd you my Sorry." "Don't worry Zell. I needed the push and I giggled. Zell laughed. Then he pointed at Instructor-mode on. hot dogs tonight. Study, study, hot study. That's what you get." My smile faded. "Study," he pressed. "We've gotta get you past the Fire Cavern so you can take exam. Being a candidate I smiled. "It's that Zell outside room and me a salute. "Good luck tomorrow, Meg." Then he made his back the way we'd come. I leaned against the door room a sigh and smile as I watched go. I'll ask him to with tomorrow, or I a curt nod and to enter my dorm room. 5: Day Five Have and anxious that your butterflies turn into Thrusteavis start pelting your stomach with windstorms and butts? That was how I felt the next day. I didn't know I was throw up or have my heart blow up
 the Training Center. _A scrappeR? Me? Just likE Zell?_

it wAs sO cLichÉ, but i loved it anyway.

❛ ❤ ❜

"yOu're Gonna be sore tomorrow unlEss yoU tAKe a sOAk In the Hot tub. SERiOUSly," zeLl SaiD aS He WalkeD me To my dorM room. "You woRkeD hArd. If you've goT TiMe between cLasSes, hike down tO thE infirMaRy aND have dr. KAdowaKi plug YOu into One of her sPaS."

i noddeD, My face bRIGhT witH a myriad of rushes. EXHaUStion and soreneSs were ThE LeAST of My wOrries at thAt PartiCUlar momENt. i DIDn't EVen care that I bArely had timE To tAke a shOwEr bEFore heAding To CLasS. "I'm sure I'll bE okaY. I've workeD out thAT hard beFOre and nOt felt It."

"BEttEr saFE tHaN soRrY. remEMbEr yOUr qUalifier'S tOmOrrow. you nEED TO be 100%."

I NodDed dUtifuLly. "I will be."

"GeeZ. YoU'd thINk yOu werE my stUdenT. SOrry."

"DOn't worRy aboUt It, Zell. I needed thE pusH and shove And KiCk." I GiGgled.

zEll lauGheD. ThEn he poiNted at mE, insTrUCTOr-Mode on. "No hot dogs tonIgHT. stUdy, study, Hot tub, STuDy. tHat's what YoU geT."

My sMILe fadEd. "BuT--"

"stUdy," he preSsed. "We'VE gOtTa get yoU pAst the fiRe CAveRn so yOU can Take yoUr field eXam. BeINg a candidate suCKs."

I smiled. "It's nOT tHAT bAD."

ZelL stOpped outsidE my rOOm anD gavE Me A saLUte. "GoOd lucK tOMoRRow, Meg." Then he made his WaY back tHe way We'd come.

I leaneD against thE DOOr to my roOm wiTH a SIgh and a smile as i watcHed him go. _ToMOrrow. I'll Ask hiM to go out With me tomORRow, whethEr I PasS or Not._ i GAvE a curt nod and tURNed tO eNter my dOrm Room.

### 5: Day fivE

HaVe yOu eVeR been so neRvous and AnXiOuS tHat Your bUTterflieS tUrn InTo THrustEAvis anD starT pelTiNg YOur Stomach WItH WIndsToRmS and HeaD bUtts? THat wAS hoW I felt tHe next day. i diDN't knOw If i was goiNg to throw up or HaVe my heart bLoW up In
 the Training Center. _A s crapper? M e? Ju stlik eZell ?_
It was so clic h é, b ut I loved it anyway.
❛ ❤❜"You ' re  gonn a be so r et o mor ro wunl es s  y ou ta kea soakin the hot  tu b.  Seriously," Ze ll said as  he  walked me t o m y dorm  r oom .  "You  wo rkedhard.I f you' ve got ti me betwee n  classe s ,  h ikedown to the infir m ar y  and have Dr.Kadowa ki pl u g  yo u i nto one of  h er sp a s."

In od d e d , m y  face brightwith a myri a d o f rush es . E x hausti on an ds ore ness were t he l east of m y worr i es at t h at part icular  mo men t. I di dn 'tev e n c a re  th a t I  barelyha dtimeto t a k e a sh owe r be foreheading to cl ass . "I ' m s ure I 'll b e ok ay . I'v e work ed ou tthat hard befor e an d not fel t i t. "
"B etter safe t han  so rry. Re membery our  q u a l if ier's tomorrow. Yo un e ed  to be 1 00%."Ino d ded duti fu lly . "I w ill b e.""G eez. You 'd thi n kyo u weremy  stude nt . S orr y."
" Don' t worr y aboutit, Z e ll. I needed t h e push and sh o ve a nd kick ."I giggled.
Zel l  lau ghed .  T hen he po inted  a t  m e , Instructor-mode o n.  "No h ot do gs tonight. S tudy, stud y , hot tub,  stu d y. That's what yo u get ."

My smi l e faded.  "But --"

"St udy," hep r essed. " We' vegot tag e tyou past theF i re C av ern soyou  can ta keyou r f iel dexam. Bei ng a can di da te  s uck s."
I  smiled.  " It' snot  that bad."
Zell  sto pp ed out side my ro o m  and  g av e me  asa lute.  "Go o d l uck tom orrow, Me g." Then  h emade hi s way back th eway we'd c om e.
I lea n e d agains t the door to my room w i th a si ghand a  smi le as I w atc hed hi m g o . _Tom orrow.  I'll  a skh i m tog o  o utwi th me tomo r r ow,  whet he r Ipass or  not._ I gave a cu r t n od and turned  to  ent e r  m y d o rm roo m. 
## # 5: Day Five

Ha ve you eve rb ee n so nervo u s a nd  anxiou s thatyourb utterfl ies turninto Thru st eavi s and  start pel ting you r stomach withw in dstor msand he ad  bu tts?That w a s h ow Ifelt t he  nextday.Ididn't k now if I was going to t hrow u p orhav e my hear t b l owup in
 the_Training Center.__A scrapper? Me? Just_like Zell?_

It_was_so cliché,_but_I loved it_anyway.

❛ ❤ ❜

"You're_gonna be sore tomorrow_unless you take_a_soak in the hot tub. Seriously," Zell said as he walked me to my_dorm_room. "You_worked_hard._If you've got time between_classes, hike down to the_infirmary and_have Dr. Kadowaki plug you into one of_her_spas."

I nodded, my_face bright with a myriad of rushes. Exhaustion and_soreness were the least of my_worries at that_particular_moment._I didn't even care_that I barely had time to_take a shower before heading to_class. "I'm sure I'll be okay. I've_worked out that hard before and_not felt it."

"Better safe than_sorry. Remember_your qualifier's tomorrow. You need_to be 100%."

I_nodded dutifully._"I will be."

"Geez._You'd think you were my student._Sorry."

"Don't worry about_it, Zell. I needed the push_and_shove and kick."_I_giggled.

Zell_laughed. Then_he pointed at_me,_Instructor-mode on._"No_hot dogs tonight. Study, study, hot_tub,_study. That's what you get."

My smile faded._"But--"

"Study," he pressed. "We've_gotta_get you past the_Fire Cavern so you can_take your field exam. Being a_candidate sucks."

I_smiled. "It's_not that bad."

Zell stopped outside my room and gave me a_salute. "Good luck tomorrow, Meg." Then_he made his way_back the_way_we'd come.

I leaned_against_the door_to my room with a sigh and_a smile_as I watched him go. _Tomorrow._I'll ask him to_go_out with me tomorrow, whether I_pass or not._ I gave a_curt nod and turned to_enter_my_dorm room.

### 5: Day Five

Have_you ever been so nervous and_anxious that your_butterflies turn into Thrusteavis and start pelting_your_stomach with windstorms and head butts?_That_was how I felt the next_day._I_didn't know if I was_going to throw up or have_my heart blow up in