Valerie retreated to her bunk and found curious pairs of eyes locked on her from around the room. The message that she was summoned by Commander Kane must've spread while she was gone. On top of that was her whole 'nose' incident...she was sure there were rumors being shared by the minute. She did her best to ignore them as she trudged on, feeling the tip of her ears warm as she took a seat on her mattress. She gained the courage to look at them and the women quickly glanced away. She laid herself down with a smirk and prepared to rest...a moment to finally clear her mind.

"You're back! How did it go? Were you in trouble?"

She frowned hearing the voices of those nosy women from before. She attempted to ignore them but they rounded her bunk to face her, sitting with patient smiles. She wanted to rip them off of their faces. At a time where she was feeling content, the last thing she wanted was to be bothered with pointless questions of girlish obsession.

"We know you're upset with us. We promise we will leave you alone if you answer some questions about Kane?"

"-And why should I?" Valerie snapped. "It's none of your business. I want no part of your fantasies."

"What's the harm in telling us what the Commander's voice sounds like, or how tall he is? It's not like we're fortunate to meet him!" One of the women argued. "-It's not like you have competition. As soon as we're sent away, there's little chance we'll get to see him at all."

'Competition?' What did they mean by that?' She blinked several times, trying to understand. Her thoughts were interrupted when the women came closer, holding their hands together to beg. 'Are these women willing to degrade themselves just to learn some useless facts about the Commander?' She couldn't help but pity them as she saw a tear drop out of one girl's eye. Maybe it wouldn't be harmful if she just...revealed a few things she'd observed about the man. It's not like she knew anything personal about him. In fact, he hadn't revealed anything about himself to her at all...

She rolled her eyes, sighing in defeat. "Fine. I'll tell you what you want to know. But no stupid questions. And one. At. A. Time!"

The women beamed in excitement. They leaned forward in anticipation. She was met with a question right away. "-Well, what is his voice like? Everyone says it's deep, but is that really true?"

She recalled hearing his voice for the first time, how she got goosebumps from the sound. She remembered the way he pronounced her name so well. As if it was forever glued into her mind, ready to play to her heart's content each time she thought about it. "Oh, yes. It's deep. And he has an accent; it is very flattering, actually."

"An accent? Is it American?" One of them practically melted in her seat. "I have such a thing for American accents..."

"Well, I'd say it's more...British."

The girls exchanged fond looks and leaned in closer to her. Another asked, "And how tall is he? I don't expect he's anywhere near General Rooke's size..."

Valerie sucked at her teeth. She was the tallest woman here. From what she could recall, her and Kane were the same height. Maybe he was a tad taller than her, it was hard to determine with his hat. Despite being at the same level, it still felt as if he towered over her in every way possible.

She replied, "About as tall as me."

The girls looked at each other, impressed. This calmed her down. She felt...comfortable, talking about Kane. It pleased her to reminisce these things, having seen him several minutes ago. She found it unbelievably easy to picture him in her mind. After getting so close in that room, seeing certain details of his face she hadn't witnessed before...She found herself fascinated with this man every time she thought of him, and it hasn't even been that long since they met!

"His eyes! Tell us about his eyes!" An eager voice pleaded, breaking her from her thoughts. "They are blue, yes? I hear a gorgeous shade, like the sky or the ocean..."

Oh. His eyes. How menacing they seemed to be, until she found that glow in them...Even she couldn't stop the smile from growing on her face. "Whoever said that is right. They look exactly like the sky. They're beautiful."

"How dreamy!" "I want to see him for myself!" "Tall AND with gorgeous eyes?" "That accent as well..."

They took this information in. She found herself agreeing with their gushing. They had no idea what he looked like for themselves. They wouldn't get to experience seeing his eyes for the first time, hearing his voice, and finding him only a few inches away as he called out their name...She found her chest growing warm and covered it. It was the same sensation when she held his handkerchief in her palm - her hands getting numb and her stomach filled with butterflies. She hadn't recalled feeling this way in a long time, and had trouble understanding what it exactly was.

She talked more with these women until they were sent to sleep for the night. She was relieved when they were gone, finally met with silence. She hated to admit how disappointed she was when she realized she had to stop talking about the Commander. She wanted to go on about him to these girls - describing everything she saw and heard. As if they converted her into their obsessed little circle.

She shut her eyes and prepared to sleep, trying to silence her mind for the night.


Her obsessive thoughts persisted as the days went by, much to Valerie's annoyance. She experienced random thoughts of Kane when she was usually in the middle of something important. She had to forcefully toss them aside, as she did not want her performance being affected by these...obsessive images of the Supreme Commander. She wasn't scolded by General Rooke for any mistakes, but she often found herself restless and wished to return to her bunk as soon as possible, where she could lay down in peace.

However, the rare times she found him up on the balcony again, her mind went completely silent and her body turned warm. It would remain like that until he was gone, and she had yet to fathom why that happened.

She went to rest after several hours worth of training and ended up staring at the ceiling instead. Again, her mind was getting tormented with Kane's eyes, and a strange urge to hear his voice again. It drove her insane enduring this for the fifth time that day alone. She brought her hands to her head and clawed at her hair, trying to hush her brain so she could have a moment's worth of normal thoughts, like remembering her mother or thinking of her father...and NOT Kane...

"What is wrong with me?" She asked herself quietly, so no one nearby could hear. "Why can't I focus..."

It dawned on her. The last time her mind had these thoughts of a man - the only time she recalled feeling this swelling in her chest, the tingling at her fingertips, and the yearning in her body...was when she fell for a man back at home. It was a silly crush when she thought back on it. But she was experiencing the same longing now, the desire every time she daydreamed of being with the Commander again...it was becoming horrifyingly obvious:

She had feelings for Kane.

What an unfortunate thing to have...the Supreme Commander, of all people? A man who held authority and shared virtually little interaction with her? She only spoke with him twice; it wasn't sensible to develop feelings for him! She knew how this would end and groaned in her bed. It would be a hopeless infatuation that would go away the moment she was sent away to continue with her training, where she would never see him again. Or, if she ever saw him...it would be far away, where she'd be in line with thousands of other soldiers. Nothing more but one of the many blurs in his vision. That is where she's going to inevitably end - she had no need to develop helpless crushes like these...

She sighed. I am the most pathetic person in all of Valencia right now...


Fate recognized her feelings. After a week of wrapping up training and preparing to practice for their graduation, Kane inevitably made his appearance again. Except it wasn't on the balcony to watch his cadets, nor was he observing them from afar...he was on the training grounds. He wasn't in sight as everyone lined up for roll call, nor did any cadets spot him when the sessions began. When Valerie got called by General Rooke, she found herself strolling straight towards the Commander, who looked as if he appeared virtually out of nowhere.

She felt her heart pumping fast in her chest, her hands getting a little sweaty as she reached them. She addressed them properly and looked to the General first. "You called for me, General Rooke?"

"It appears the Commander would like another word with you in private."

He turned to Kane and tipped his hat. With that, he left to tend to the other trainees. She was speechless. Why did she keep getting pulled aside for unexplained reasons? Just once she'd like to understand what was going on. She had enough on her plate as it was - dealing with a growing infatuation for this man she barely knew, and had no right getting feelings for-

"Good afternoon. I apologize for my appearance - if I knew I'd be here, I would've notified you beforehand." His voice interrupted her frantic thoughts. Her body shook hearing his accent that she dearly missed. Oh god, not again...

"Perfectly fine, sir." She spat out, trying to keep her voice steady. "What is it you have called me for, if-if I may ask?"

"Ah. Yes. I wanted to discuss your AIT with you. Something has come to my attention and I wanted to speak with you personally." He started walking in an entirely different direction. "-Come."

She showed no hesitation to follow him at his boot's heels. He was leading them into the restricted gardens just below the training base. She never set foot there nor did she ever want to, but now, she felt fascinated as they easily passed by the guards and began walking on a trail. They were surrounded by plants, trees, bushes, and grass homed specifically in this part of Valencia. She marveled at them as they passed by, and it suddenly felt like she was back home. How she missed having walks every morning with her mother, enjoying the cool breeze in her hair and the gentle sun on her skin...

"How is your training coming along? Is the General wrapping things up nicely?" Kane asked. She blinked a few times, registering his question.

"We're all going to prepare for graduation practice now. He said our final reports would be sent out after today."

The Commander said nothing. She felt herself steaming from under her uniform. She had been alone with him before, but not walking by his side in such a beautiful environment! She wondered why he picked this place to talk with her in private...this would be somewhere she'd go to alone or with someone she'd like to share the views with. But this was strictly business. He only wanted to speak of her future plans with training.

He began talking, and she listened intently to every word. "-I was thinking of your answers the last time we talked, and recalled you mentioning having grievances with Pirates."

'He was thinking of me?' She wondered to herself quietly. "Yes. That is why I am here."

"I am surprised you aren't joining my navy, then." There was a hint of confusion in his voice. "It would give you a chance to fight pirates overseas. The path you're taking - it leads you nowhere near that."

She hung her head in shame. "I wanted to, but I...cannot swim."

He tilted his head. She hesitated to elaborate. "-I had a traumatic experience with water when I was young. My other hope was to join the fight on land. That way, I figured I am still contributing to the purpose."

She chewed on her lip, hoping he would not think less of her for this fact. He observed her for a minute before turning away. His stare made her...hot. She was thankful for the breeze that passed by. She watched the wind go through his hair and noticed it was tied back into a ponytail. It was a gorgeous color of white. She gaped at it for a moment until he caught her, then she quickly looked away.

"How long has it been since you tried to swim?" He asked. She took a moment to think.

"Quite a long time. Years, actually..."

"Would you consider taking lessons?" Her surprised look made him explain. "If you learn to swim in time, I can move you into a program with my navy. Since it's early in the process, it's possible to do."

A tragic memory played in her mind: when she was a child...nearly drowning to death. She despised every part of swimming. When she had the courage to try again after all those years, she humiliated herself by failing to do anything. She knew the sea was no place for her, but she still strove to see Pirates face-to-face so she can kill them. It was foolish the more she thought of it - she feared the ocean, yet her biggest enemy was on it all the time...

"No." She shook her head, fighting the tears that threatened to come. "I don't think I can."

Kane folded his hands together. "You seem to be afraid."

"Every time I find myself surrounded by water...I forget how to breathe, how to move. I-I have nearly drowned as an adult! My aspirations are unreasonable if I am a coward..."

"You aren't a coward." He slowed down his pace. "The challenge is learning to save your own life in time before you let fear get ahead of you."

She looked at him in bewilderment. It sounded like he was speaking from experience...which she supposed he was. He must've been through more than she's ever had. She took his advice to heart. She can achieve her dream if she succeeded. But if she continued on her path now, she'd just be one of his other soldiers who could die at the hands of anyone. Her death would mean nothing if she didn't avenge her father.

"If you are willing to learn, then I will enroll you in lessons. I know of a private instructor who is considered the finest in Valencia. I can cover all costs and provide you with everything necessary."

This offer was too good to refuse. Private lessons? At no cost? "Commander, I would appreciate that."

"-For now, you should proceed with your graduation and meet with me the day after. We'll talk more about your plans then."

She felt uncertain changing her future, but she was confident this was a better direction. All she had to do was learn how to swim. Her past experiences proved difficult, but with Kane's support, she should be able to learn fairly quickly. Just the thought of that excited her. She'll finally have the chance to take down Pirates.

"You have no idea how much I look forward to this." She wrung her hands together. "I just wonder, why go through all that effort to help prepare me..?"

She had the courage to look in his eyes again. She could see that glow in them once more. They looked soft this way, and for a second, she felt like she was sharing a gaze with any other man. As if she wasn't standing next to the Supreme Commander of the most sophisticated army of Valencia. Neither of them said anything for a few minutes. Valerie desperately waited for his reply in this time. And eventually, Kane gave her the answer she waited for.

"I admire your ambitions, and I want to see you succeed. Even if that means I have to help you." His tone sounded unusually light. "You still have my attention, Toscani."

Something about those last words...they made the butterflies return to her stomach. Her hands became clammy all over again. She gave him a flustered smile, but that was all that was necessary. They continued their small walk through the gardens, even if there wasn't much else to say. In this time, she felt a lot of emotions stir in her chest - reminding her why she was starting to feel this way for his man, and wondering, deep down, if he shared the same fascination with her as she did with him...