A/N: I'd like to thank the follower and reviewer for taking his time to add his input. Four views so far, let's shoot for 3 total followers. Right off the bat of this story, you'll see tweaks to some character development and personalities, including generally better senses of humor, general better early-story competence, et al. I'll occasionally add a profile that expands as the story goes along-typically the OC and characters whose personalities were altered for the sake of this fic. Without further ado, let's get into chapter two.

And, no: the rhyme was not intended.

EDIT: Did some spelling and missing words cleanup. Also, I must emphasize something: the personalities of the characters are not going to be 1:1 with canon, as you'll see with this chapter and should have seen last chapter.

It was well-known that Eugene's training regimen, while one that was encouraging to new recruits during downtime, was also one of the most strenuous on Arzenal, particularly after the first week. It's also known that, while not abusive, Eugene's punishments tend to be harsher than most because he holds those under his tutelage to higher standards than other instructors do.

What frightens most is that this got results. Most who made the cut went on to become elite pilots in their own rights. Zola, his star graduate, has one of the most impressive kill-counts and service lengths in Arzenal.

The problem Eugene was faced with was this: most recruits entrusted to him were girls that had been here since before they were ten. He was being handed a 16-year-old girl and told to do as much as he could within just one week, if that. In short, he had to decide if compressing a typical 14-week course of his into one was even practical, let alone a good idea.

Again, he felt Jill was being hasty, but it ultimately wasn't his call.

She should really value my opinion more often, he thought as he made his way through the hallways to where orientation was being held. As expected, Jill, Bronson, and many others were there, mostly Norma who were just getting introduced to the realities behind Arzenal. And right there, in front of Jill, staring down at her desk, was the young lady of the hour: Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi, now known as "Ange".

The teacher at front was the first to notice her classroom door open and immediately snapped to salute. "Oh! Major Valentinus, sir!"

Most of the other Norma looked over their shoulders and mimicked the teacher's actions in saluting him, and even the lone human present did. Ange and Jill were the only ones who didn't do so. Ange was shocked, based on the look in her eyes. Hell, it's happened so often, it had become routine: "A male Norma!?" And sure enough, that was exactly what Ange asked, word-for-word. Eugene looked pointedly at her and shook his head.

He already knew he would get her encouraged before the day's end, but making her a legitimate pilot who doesn't break off at the first sign of trouble was not going to be an easy task.

"No. I'm not a Norma, newcomer. And before you ask, no," he said completely deadpan before looking at the rest of the class. "As you were. You may continue the orientation."

Angelise still stared dumbfounded at him while every other person participating in the orientation returned to sitting. A billion things must have been going through her mind. What was a man doing on the island? How could he have known that she was going to ask if he could use Mana? How could he not be a Norma if he couldn't use Mana? And why did he command the respect of both human and Norma alike?

"You've come here at a later age than most Norma do, so I'm taking over your orientation and training," this Major Valentinus said.

"Remember, Major: you have one week to get her adapted and ready," Jill said. "After that, I don't care how far along you are: she's being transferred."

The Major still eyed Angelise appraisingly, with calculation. While there had been great contempt from the Inspector General on her arrival, in the way she looked at her as well as how she spoke, that was not the impression she got from this man. When he spoke, he was professional, not judging the fact hat the princess before him called him a Norma. He analyzed prior to making a call.

"Understood, commander," the Major said before extending his hand. "Young Ange, walk with me. There's a lot to discuss before we get started."

It was really hard to muster up any initial dislike for Valentinus, even with his Norma sympathies. He came off as very cordial, despite his firm manner of speech, which seemed almost overly articulate. His hand gently nudged her shoulder as he ushered her out of the classroom.

"I understand you've been searched and are having difficulties coming to terms with the reality of your situation. I apologize for the…rough welcome…" he said.

"Rough" was an understatement, and they both knew it. He must have known exactly what the cavity search that his bitch of a superior did on her entailed. Angelise wanted to yell exactly what she thought of her welcome, but then she remembered the look he gave after her question of the possibility of a male Norma. She was frightened of what it must have been to see anger behind those amethyst eyes.

"Unfortunately, it's standard procedure. We can't make exceptions for anyone, even a former princess," Valentinus said, before gesturing to their left. "Look out the window to our left. Tell me: what do you see?"

The hallway that they walked through had a clear view of the nearby cliff faces and out to the sea, not to mention the runway nearby that led away from the island. The cliffs of the island, the open sea, and well beyond it…

"My home is beyond the horizon, beyond the sea," Angelise said.

"Correction: your former home," Valentinus said. "Since you've been outed as a Norma, your reputation is irreversibly destroyed—I wager others turned on you immediately. Now, think back to the room we left: what did you see there?"

"Norma watching another Norma, and a viewscreen," Angelise said.

"Exactly; it's like humans watching a slideshow in kindergarten…" Valentinus said. "Have you ever seen such a sight?"

"I…no…I can't remember the last time I ever left the palace…"

"You were quite sheltered, then…" Valentinus said as he stroked his chin. Both of them knew this would not be an easy transition. "I've always favored thinking things through logically. If you wish to make it far under my watch, you have to learn to hold back and examine everything with a keen mind. Think of scenarios, questions that few would think to ask about. For example, ask yourself every day: 'What do humans and Norma have in common'? You may very well find the answer to that question evolving every day."

Angelise heard the question but didn't process it. Her mind wandered and thought back to home, thought back to seeing her mother riddled to death for her sake, drowning in her own blood. She wondered what happened to father. Was he alive? Where was the transfer order to bring her back?

"Ange? Ange, look at me," the Major said with a great firmness in his voice, nudging her shoulder. The Major could see the water gathering in her eyes when she turned to look at him. His gloved hand provided more comfort than she could expect from a stranger. "Ange, there will be plenty of time to allow yourself to cry in private. I need you to mature and be a grown woman—you must be strong, and you must be focused. It's the only way you'll survive in such a rough life."

To live…to survive…

That was among the last things her mother told her. To live. But to live like this? Alone, a human…with all these things around her? How? How was she supposed to figure it out?

"But how?" she whispered. "All these Norma around me?"

"I'll teach you how. And it starts tonight. In the meantime, I'll show your around. Does that sound good to you?"

She looked into those amethyst eyes…those kind, but firm eyes that belonged to an equally kind, yet determined man. A man whose words and touch were like silk but hid very strong steel underneath it all…exactly like a stern father had.

"Yes…I'd like that, but…Major?"

"Yes, Ange?"

"Saying your rank and last name is a…mouthful…can I call you something else?"

"When I'm not training you? As in off the clock? Sure," Major Valentinus said, a lighthearted chuckle working its way into the last word. "The name is Eugene."

Jasmine's Mall

Ange

"This place…it looks like you could buy anything!"

"From lingerie to artillery pieces, Jasmine has it all!" Eugene said, gesturing around the space like some talk-show host. "And by the way: those were her words, not mine."

"Umm…lingerie?"

"…in a military base? Yes. Not everyone has my…eloquent taste, after all," Eugene said. "I personally bought a nice, one-hundred percent marble chessboard from here…Tell me, Ange: have you ever played?"

A flush of embarrassment went through her body; Angelise had always been familiar with chess. When she wasn't riding horses with Sylvia, she was playing chess with Julio…and was always losing. She could count the number of times she won against anyone on one hand: two, and both were against Sylvia.

"I have…and I've never been good at it," she said sheepishly, scratching the back of her head in a rather childish manner. "So…this is where everything goes to for supplies?"

"All supplies come here. Everyone comes here…yes," Eugene said. "There's a saying here on Arzenal: there's nothing you can't buy with enough money. We'll go over basic piloting towards the end of tomorrow and all of day two, but you'll be coming here a lot as a para-mail pilot for customization supplies. For example: I used to buy missile launchers from here in the past."

Para-mail? Missile launchers? Angelise had no idea what any of this meant.

"First, let's get you supplied with a better uniform and the bare essentials," Eugene led her around to an older Norma, sitting on a load of crates, with a dog next to her. The dog was wearing an old-style leather pilot's hat, complete with goggles; purely for fashion's sake. After all, a dog didn't need such an accessory.

"Eugene. You old boy scout. What are you in for this time around?" the Norma said. "And who's the girl?"

"Old, huh? I'm not even halfway into my thirties. Nice to talk to you, Jasmine. This here is our newest transfer: Ange," Eugene said. "You've kept up with some current events back on the mainland; I'm sure you recognize her."

The Norma named Jasmine stood up and approached to appraise Angelise, who took a few steps back, as though afraid to be touched. It was Eugene's hand on her back that kept her from tripping over her own feet. Those grey eyes inspected her hard before the Norma took a few steps back.

"I sure do…" Jasmine said as she took a seat. "Wasn't she the heir to the Misurugi throne?"

"Yes," Eugene said. "Sadly, good turns rarely last for…well, all of us here. Anyways, we're here for the uniforms and the basics. The one that was issued to her seems a bit too tight on her—she was saying it was constricting on our way here."

"You know where to look. If you need to measure here, check by the fitting stalls," Jasmine said. "You're a good friend, so I'll give you a good price."

"Jas…you're a wonderful woman. Wine later?"

"As long as you're buying," Jasmine grinned. "And don't call me 'Jas' unless you want a price hike."

Eugene chuckled as he pat Angelise a few times on the back, gesturing to the fitting stalls. The roll of measuring tape was nearby, so Eugene did his best to play the part of fashion expert. Of course, being male, Eugene's fashion sense wasn't quite the same as everyone else's—compared to what everyone else was wearing, he tried to pick out more modest clothing. Angelise was grateful for the effort, but there was nothing in her size that was similar to his uniform.

Eugene

He must have been the only sane person on this island.

Market be damned, why was it his uniform that had to be unusual by Arzenal's standards? At least Bronson, for all of Eugene's personal gripes with her, dressed reasonably for her position. He didn't get it. Maybe he never would. So, alas, he had to pick out the standard for the Norma here.

Norma: skimpy. Humans: modest. Anti-Norma sentiment apparently barred them from normal clothes, it seemed.

Quit being a hypocrite, Em…Eugene! You like seeing Jill in some of her, uh…other outfits. She only wears them around you, after all.

That was the price he paid for an on-and-off-again relationship with his commander. At least there was no anti-fraternization policy in place by Mana society for this rock. Zola would be breaking it every hour of the week, after all.

Focus on getting things for Ange! Worry about the missus later!

"This is the standard uniform for the residents of Arzenal," Eugene said, handing her the batch. "It's not the most dignified thing out there, but I'm told it's rather comfortable and easy to clean."

Eugene spent the next couple of minutes with his back turned to the changing stall and thought about how he'd approach the week. He planned to so her the dormitories and mostly theory and general regulations about Arzenal tonight—the things that procedure required of him. He was planning on giving her a basic pilot's manual to study overnight.

Then would come tomorrow, starting at five in the morning—chilliest time of sunrise. A test of how long she could stand the cold and her cardiopulmonary conditioning—physical tests, essentially. The reason was simple: due to the wind chill and high-altitude nature of para-mail flight, a good tolerance to cold or strong insulation was necessary. Considering the overly flattering nature of the Normas' piloting suits, it has to be the former.

The piloting and infantry weapons training he had would go hand-in-hand…

"Umm, Eugene? How is this?"

Eugene turned to face Ange, who looked exactly what you'd expect of an Arzenal resident. Well, it could have been more revealing, but Eugene was grateful that only the midriff was exposed.

"You put it together rather well. The magenta highlights fit your eyes, Ange," Eugene complimented. "How does it feel on you?"

"Umm…" she hesitated as she stretched around. She was flexible; she could probably smash the Twister competition at this year's Festa. Even Zola or Vivian couldn't keep up.

"It's comfortable, but the skirt feels so short and…my midriff is exposed!" she screeched, before covering her mouth. She'd attracted attention of nearby customers, who all looked at her like she had gone insane.

"Yeaaah…very different from the gown you wore as a princess, huh?" Eugene asked rhetorically. "You should talk to Hilda about it after you're transferred. She had the same reaction as you—she got used to it, though. You'll have to, too. That's how things go here. Now for the dormitories."

…

It was around six in the evening when Eugene and Ange reached the dormitories. The two of them entered one of the rooms. Like every unused room in the dormitories, it was unfurnished. You had a bed and a nice seaside view, but that was it—it was primarily just an improvement over a prison cell.

"There…there's nothing here!" Ange complained. "Just a bed and window in an empty room! Do all Norma live like this!?"

Eugene stroked his chin. She was willing to work with him, at least. But that didn't change the fact that she was pampered to hell and back. Must have been nice to live in a king-sized bed that wasn't spring-loaded, but those days were over. She needed to face a reality check.

"Every Norma who transfers in starts in a room like this," Eugene said. "Like I said: there's nothing in Arzenal you can't buy with enough money. If you want to make this room more your own, you'll have to earn your keep and buy the furnishings yourself. I'm the only handout you're getting in Arzenal—nothing else."

"Buy?" Ange asked. "How do I make money here?"

"We'll get to that when we get you in the flight simulator. I can tell you right now that it involves DRAGONs," Eugene said, before reaching into his uniform pocket. "And speaking of which, since Jill decided to take you out of orientation very early and put you in my hands, I've put together a small booklet. It will give you condensed information about your job upon finishing training, piloting techniques, and components of the para-mail models used by our Norma. I insist you study it for the next few hours, then get an early night. I've got to fit my normal training routine into just one week for you, which means you're going to be sore and tired throughout."

Eugene seemed to gradually dial back the fatherly tone in his voice towards the end of his last sentence and instead replace it with the sternness and seniority of a drill instructor. Ange definitely heard it, if the tenseness that worked its way into her body language was any indication.

"You're going to wake up at five in the morning, or I'm going to do it for you…loudly," Eugene gave a glare that told Ange that he was all business. There was no Eugene at home right now—just Major Valentinus. "If you're still exhausted because you decided to stay up, the fault is yours. I'm not going to let up because you're tired. Is that understood, soldier?"

"Wha- what!?" Ange yelped as she fell on her rump, having not expected the forcefulness of Eugene's last question.

"I said, 'is that understood, soldier? Yes, sir? Or no, sir?"

"Ye…yes. Yes, sir," she stammered, nearly wetting herself like she had on her arrival. Then, the small booklet was shoved into her hands.

"Good girl," Eugene said firmly as he worked his way to the door. "Dismissed."

Jill's Quarters

"How? How did you manage to get her to listen to you so quickly?" Jill would ask him later that night, as they held each other in bed. "Are you that charismatic?"

Jill already knew the answer, looking into his deep amethyst orbs. He was so much like his older brother, and yet distinct in so many other ways. Like his older brother, he was a skilled para-mail pilot, and he was a natural leader. But Eugene was more idealistic than either his brother or Vanessa, and he was far more content to sit out leadership if he recognized there was a better option available. But not once had he ever not been willing to make his opinions heard by others, even by his betters.

Jill often worried these days for Gene: the only person she truly worried about. After her own experiences and the failure of Libertus, Jill would have expected Eugene to have become a bitter cynic due to its failure, too. But while his attitude and approach to life had hardened and become more realistic, Eugene's ideals—his morals and altruism—seemed as strong as they've always been.

"She's green as grass, but she's got a lot of potential—the eyes don't lie. It's like I keep telling you with these late transfers, Jill: a fatherly touch is all you'll ever need to get a kid's head together," Eugene replied as he pulled her closer by her left shoulder. "Far be it for your direct subordinate to suggest you think of these girls as your own. You know, like the better parts of the old days."

"It's been ten years since, Gene…those days are over. All I can focus on is the now…and you've always looked to the future. You're an idealist, through and through," Jill commented. No tears came, but she cried on the inside. "It will get you killed one of these days if you're not careful—I'd hate to lose such a good officer and friend."

Eugene simply rolled and settled above her, only to lean in and land a light peck on her lips.

"Don't worry," he whispered. "You won't…"

"Well, I did lose you for a whole night…to Zola, of all people."

Exasperation colored Eugene's face to see that this is where their intimate moment led. "Jill! I keep telling you: if I knew what the prize was in that card game, I never would have joined in!"

"There's something about a student-teacher romance that makes me smile and tear up inside," Jill grinned, laughing her ass off.

"Argh!" Eugene growled. "I hate you so much."

That incident was exactly why he decided to stop gambling.

Brief Profiles

Major Eugene Valentinus

Nicknames: Gene, Papa Gene (by many younger Norma), Boy-scout (by Jasmine), Darling (whenever Zola tries to get under his skin)

Age: 31

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 89 kg

Originally a participant of the first Libertus, Eugene is a relatively recent resident of Arzenal, having been a wanderer for so long. Well-liked by many residents. He is fatherly, idealistic, considered highly moral, straight-laced on the job, and is a veteran para-mail pilot. However, an injury has kept him out of action for the past two years, in spite of his efforts to be cleared for active service, hence his stay. Now, he acts as Arzenal's XO. Easily flustered, he's the target of embarrassing remarks by Zola, is in a relationship with Jill, and often finds himself in an odd form of competitive rivalry with Arzenal's resident human, Emma Bronson. He's highly eccentric when left to his own devices.

Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi

Aka: Ange

Age: 16

Height: approx. 5'4"

Weight: 46 kg

Former heir to the Misurugi throne who has been outed as a Norma. Shaped by the propaganda of the World of Mana, she demonstrated chauvinism and an air of superiority towards Norma, despite her own status as one. Her willingness to be taught by Eugene is based in part out of fear of him, partly out his fatherly firmness towards her, and interest in what she views as an inconsistent personality. Time will tell if that fear becomes genuine respect or hatred. At present, he's the only one she's willing to listen to.

Changes from canon: Plenty; her initial distaste for Norma, while still there, will be far less vocalized compared to canon, just to name one, and she's liable to be a bit easier to adapt on account of having a different trainer that doesn't try to get into her pants.

Alektra Maria von Loewenherz

Aka: Jill

Age: 29

Height: 5'8"

Former princess of the Galia Empire and Eugene's comrade during the first Libertus. Bitter and cynical, she tends to disregard everyone around her. In a relationship with Eugene. Eugene has a humanizing effect on her and, unknown to her, the reverse is also true. Her sense of humor tends to be dark, but is more lighthearted when directed at Eugene. She views Eugene as overcautious, and he in turn views her as too hasty with regards to Ange.

Changes from canon: I can't say much without spoiling it, but as you can see, she at least seems to care about a very select number of people, and she actually has a sense of humor that is not completely dark. And she is willing to take some people's concerns into consideration.

Zola Axberg

Age: 25

Height: Approx. 5'9"

Captain of the First Troop. Replaced Eugene as the commanding officer of the First Troop after he was injured. She's a hedonist with a fondness for cadets. Caring for her comrades, she is nonetheless highly impulsive-much to Eugene's distaste. Loves teasing Eugene about their fling-he won a night with her from a game of poker without knowing what the prize would be. Zola single-handedly managed to break Gene's gambling addiction.

Changes from canon: A lot! I won't get into it.

Emma Bronson

Age: 22

Height: Approx. 5'7"

Inspector General assigned to Arzenal and the only "legitimate" human on-site. Takes the rules of Arzenal very seriously and punishes those who break them. Discriminates against Norma and is not afraid to express her beliefs even in front of them. Uneasy around Eugene since he himself is unable to use Mana. Nonetheless, she holds a certain level of respect for both him and Jill. She and Eugene tend to bicker over both large things (Emma's opinions regarding Norma) to very innocuous things (Eugene's taste in coffee, food, and literature). Her swiping his coffee in the command center is a common occurrence.

Changes from canon: She's slightly more vocal about her dislike of Norma. And, unlike her canon version, despite her normally disciplined attitude, she has a mischievous side to her (she swipes Eugene's coffee, ladies and gentlemen).