Ventus yawned when he stepped onto the running track. Instead of his regular black suit, Ventus donned a pair of basketball shorts and a hoodie to keep himself warm. He hated being up early. But, as his partner reminded him, he needed to fit in as best he could with the Lucians to get a better feel for who the Lucians were.

After all, he was here on business, and he needed to get to know those in the king and the prince's circle.

Even if that meant waking up every day at this God-awful hour.

He glanced down at the smartwatch on his wrist. It was 7:15am, and he'd just finished up at the early morning meeting. While the other guards were in the weight room, Ven had the entire track to himself.

Despite his initial ire, Ventus cracked a smile. From junior high onward, Ventus had been actively involved in cross country and track – excelling in both easily. And while he wasn't as strong physically as some of his peers in SOLDIER, he more than made up for that with his speed.

The blond inhaled the crisp morning air, feeling relaxed and at ease in familiar territory. Ventus stretched his arms over his head and stared at the track before him.

'Maybe I'll run a lap or two before the rest of the Crownsguard gets out,' Ventus mused. 'Then I can sneak back to my room and get a nap in.

"Yo! Ventus!"

Ventus jumped and whirled around to see four men dressed in workout attire approaching him from the stands. To his surprise, he saw Prompto out in front, followed by Ignis, Gladiolus, and Prince Noctis himself. Realizing how silly he must have looked for being so easily startled, he composed himself quickly and greeted the group with a formal bow.

"What are you doing out here by yourself?" Prompto asked.

"Wanted to get a few laps in," Ventus replied. "Everyone else is still in the gym, so I figured I'd get out before the others show up."

"I didn't see your partner," Ignis noted with a less-than-pleased expression on his face.

Ventus' face warmed up. 'Sheesh, what's this guy's deal? He's so hung up on this.' The blond stuffed his hands in his hoodie pockets. "Oh no, she's here," Ventus told him. "Miss Valentine met with Cor last night – she just slept in this morning, that's all."

A devilish grin tugged at the corners of Prompto's lips. "Miss Valentine? Hmm…interesting."

Ignis rolled his eyes and chastised Prompto. "Leave her alone," he instructed.

"What?" Prompto feigned ignorance. "I didn't do anything."

Gladiolus came up behind Prompto and playfully shoved him forward. "Not yet, anyway."

Prompto frowned and glared up at Gladiolus. "Oh right," he rolled his eyes, "as if you're any better than me."

Ventus chuckled inwardly, sensing what was going to happen next. "You guys can meet her later. I think she's with the king."

"Good. That means we can get to work," Ignis said, seemingly satisfied. He paused, looked at Ventus, and then stared at the track. "Cor told me about you: I heard you're fast…really fast."

"I'm okay," Ventus said bashfully.

"More than okay from what I hear," Ignis replied.

Prompto gently grabbed Prince Noctis and threw an arm around his shoulders, pulling the taller man down to his level. "The prince is fast too – he can easily beat all of the Crownsguard in a footrace. I've got an idea! Why don't you two race? You know? For fun!"

Ventus' chest tightened, and he quickly glanced at the prince, who appeared disinterested in the whole idea.

"Do we have to?" Noctis replied blandly.

"Oh, come on!" Prompto insisted. "It's just a friendly race. Besides, I'd like to see just how fast Ventus is."

Gladiolus turned to Ignis. "I'd wanna see that."

Ventus hid his reluctance. "No, really, it's okay! We don't have to. I'm sure you guys have more important things to do."

"Nonsense!" Prompto released the prince and pushed him towards the track. "It's just a friendly race, and I'm sure Noctis will go easy on you."

Sighing heavily, the prince agreed to the race. "If I do this, will you leave me alone, Prompto?"

"For the rest of the day!" he called out.

"Fine," Noctis sighed, taking his place on the track next to Ventus.

Prince Noctis stared at Ventus with an unreadable expression on his face. Ventus' chest tightened, and his thoughts began to race. While he'd had a few positive interactions with Prompto and the others, he couldn't quite get a feel for the prince. He was nice enough, but he was on the standoffish side. And while he was a little on the competitive side, he didn't want to potentially offend the prince if he won.

Seeing Noctis get into the starting position, Ventus followed suit, nodding his head once he was ready.

Prompto decided to be the one to call the race and stood in front of the prince and SOLDIER agent. The blond cleared his throat and held up his right arm.

"This'll be a quick one – just one lap, and whoever gets to me first wins. You guys good?"

Ventus stole a glance at the prince. He seemed so focused and in his own world. It was almost like he was in his own world. He shifted his gaze back to the track and nodded, signaling he was ready.

"Alright, guys…ready…set…go!"

Ventus shot out of the starting position and focused on the track ahead of him. While he could hear Noctis behind him, he did not attempt to run at full speed. And while he had to admit the prince was faster than most, he could tell that the young, up-and-coming ruler was doing his best to keep up with him.

When Ventus rounded the first turn and saw the faces of Prompto and the others, he could see the look of pure shock on their faces. He didn't dare turn around and see what the prince looked like and instead kept his steady pace. While Ventus was holding back, he knew there was no need to completely blow the prince out and potentially embarrass him on a bigger scale.

Ventus crossed the finish line first and skidded to a stop. Once he heard the prince's footsteps behind him, he turned to Prompto and the others, who gawked at him. When Ven finally worked himself up to face the prince, he was met with a cold, harsh glare that sent a chill down his spine.

"Whoa…" Prompto was the first one to speak. "Ven…that was incredible!"

Gladiolus congratulated the blond. "Damn. Very impressive."

"Indeed," Ignis agreed, turning his attention to Noctis, who was still fixated on Ventus. "They weren't lying when they said you were fast. Well done."

Prompto noticed the prince's sour disposition and attempted to lighten the mood. "Cheer up, Your Highness! You did great too! I'm sure you'll win next time."

Noctis cut his eyes at Ventus before storming off toward the gym. "Yeah, whatever…" he mumbled under his breath.

Ignis and Gladiolus gave each other a look before trailing after the prince, leaving Ventus and Prompto alone to deal with the aftermath.

Noting the discomfort on Ventus's face, Prompto offered him a rueful smile.

"Don't worry about it, Ventus," he said. "The prince just isn't used to losing, that's all. His ego is a little bruised, but he'll get over it in no time."

Ventus swore under his breath. 'Maybe I should've let him win,' he thought grimly.

Prompto studied Ven's face and offered insight into the prince's behavior. "The prince can be rude, but he needs time to warm up to new people. As I said earlier, he's not used to losing to anyone. I think you're the only one who's ever beat him in a foot race."

"I didn't mean to offend him," Ventus explained, shifting his gaze to his feet.

"We know," Prompto replied. "Between you and me…it's good you're here. Not just for the extra security...he's not good at being friendly with new people. I'm sure you guys will find some common ground and hit it off in no time. Just don't take anything personally."

Even though he was still a bit uneasy from his interaction with the prince, Ventus felt comforted by Prompto's words. He seemed nice enough and was easy to get along with. Perhaps they could be friends after all this.

He'd hoped so at least.

"They'll be here any second," Ventus informed Jasmine as they waited patiently in Ignis' study. "And you can stop messing with your bun - it looks fine."

Jasmine adjusted her crisp black tie before giving herself a once-over in the mirror. Like Ventus and the rest of SOLDIER, her standard uniform consisted of a black tailored suit, white dress shirt, and black tie. However, unlike others who opted to wear dress shoes, Jasmine wore black combat boots. She kept her hair tied into a neat, low-hanging bun – which she had been toying with for the last few minutes.

"It just keeps coming undone," she said with a sigh, having decided to leave it alone per Ven's suggestion. "But the real issue I have is, why did the prince give you the cold shoulder? All that because he lost against you in a footrace?"

Ventus plopped down on one of the cherry red leather sofas. He covered his eyes with his hands, lamenting how he should've thrown the race. "Don't remind me. You should've seen the look he gave me. It's like he wanted me dead on the spot."

Jasmine, Ventus' partner for the last few years, took issue with the prince's behavior.

"He needs to get over it," she stated, a hint of annoyance painting her tone. "He lost a race; it's not the end of the world. Besides, from what I heard, he's the prince who is supposed to be this war hero. If he starts treating you poorly, I'll have something to say about it."

Ven straightened in his seat and turned to Jasmine with a pleading look. Jasmine was much calmer and more reserved than him, but she was also very blunt and almost unapologetic in her delivery. Ven knew how his partner could be, and even though she'd only say something on his behalf, he didn't want the situation blown out of proportion.

"Be nice, Jaz," he whispered, hearing footsteps approach. "The guys are cool. It wouldn't hurt you to make some friends here and there."

Jasmine folded her arms across her chest. "Ven, we're here on an assignment. We're not supposed to be out here making friends. Besides, we're only supposed to be here for a month. We need to keep it professional."

The blond rolled his eyes just as he heard the door creak open. "Just follow my lead," he instructed, earning an eye roll from Jasmine.

The door swung open, and Ignis, Gladiolus, and Prompto entered.

Ventus rose to greet the trio while Jasmine made her way to his side. Brushing off the awkward event from earlier, Ven gave everyone a bright, warm smile before turning his attention to his partner.

"Nice to see you all," he said cordially before taking a bow, which Jasmine imitated, her head low. "I'd like you to meet my partner, Miss Valentine."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," she said respectfully as she lifted her head, offering a small smile before extending her hand to Ignis first.

Ignis appeared a bit taken aback when he laid eyes on Jasmine. "Nice to meet you, Miss Valentine. My name is Ignis. I hope you were able to get settled in without interruption."

"I was," she replied as she released her grip on his hand, noticing the stares she was getting from the Lucian men. "The palace is beautiful. Thank you for allowing us to stay here."

Prompto stepped forward eagerly and shook Jasmine's hand next, gripping it tightly. "The pleasure is ours, Miss Valentine! My name is Prompto – let me know if you need anything."

Ignis rolled his eyes dramatically. 'Here he goes again,' he thought, knowing Prompto had difficulty controlling himself around women.

Once Jasmine broke the handshake, she turned to Gladiolus, who introduced himself with a warm smile.

"Nice to meet you too, Miss Valentine. We were starting to think you weren't going to show."

Jasmine apologized for her late arrival. "I had to wrap up a few loose ends from another assignment." She then quickly scanned the room, realizing that the prince was nowhere to be found. "I thought we'd be meeting the prince as well."

"He's on his way," Ignis informed her.

"I see," Jasmine quickly glanced down at her watch. It was almost eight o'clock in the evening and she had a ton of work to do for the mission. She kept her expression pleasant despite her irritation at the prince's tardiness.

"May I ask a question?" Ignis asked, motioning for the others to sit.

Jasmine took a spot next to Ventus on the sofa, noticing the wary stare he gave her. "Sure."

Ignis cleared his throat. "Forgive me, but…how old are you?"

Ventus' smile faded. 'Oh boy, here it comes….'

Jasmine adjusted her glasses and stared at Ignis curiously. "Why do you ask?"

Prompto and Gladiolus gave each other nervous glances before Gladiolus stepped in.

"Ignis, you can't ask a lady how old she is," Gladiolus said gently, trying to curtail his friend.

"Just curious," Ignis said, his eyes locked with Jasmine's. "I mean, she is a castle guest, and besides, I like to know a bit about everyone who stays here."

Jasmine crossed one leg over the other and folded her hands in her lap, never breaking eye contact with Ignis. She'd been through this situation time and time again. But still, it didn't make it any less aggravating.

"I'm 22," she answered respectfully, earning a look of shock from everyone in the room. "I believe it was in my file, just like Ven's information was made readily available before we signed on."

"And so, you're 3rd Class or 2nd Class?" Ignis asked curiously.

Ventus observed Jasmine. He could sense her irritation a mile away. And for good reason too. But he didn't want any trouble tonight.

Jasmine tapped one of her perfectly manicured black nails against her knee, trying her best to remain unbothered.

"I'm 1st Class, the same as Ven," she replied.

"Miss Valentine is the youngest person to make 1st Class in SOLDIER history," Ventus revealed to the group excitedly. "She's been at the top of her class since the beginning. Trust me; you're in good hands here."

Ignis still seemed skeptical. "That's good to hear. I guess I'm just surprised someone like you is in SOLDIER. They're usually a bit older…at least at Ventus' age."

Jasmine's eyes narrowed. "Sounds to me like you're questioning my ability to do my job based on how old I am."

Gladiolus, Prompto, and Ventus exchanged worried glances, hoping Ignis and Jasmine would simmer down.

"Admittedly, I just expected someone a bit older," Ignis continued, not taking the subtle hints from Prompto and Gladiolus to fall back.

Jasmine closed her eyes and tried to hold her temper. She hated every bit of this conversation. "The way I see it, being older doesn't automatically equate to being more effective at your job."

"Just as youth doesn't guarantee ingenuity," Ignis said, a bit more bite to his tone.

Prompto elbowed Ignis. "Ignis, stop," he hissed.

Ignis brushed Prompto off. "I'm just trying to ensure that Miss Valentine is up to the task. There have been numerous attempts on the prince's life, and I just want to be clear on how important this is."

Jasmine exhaled and kept her eyes closed. "The king already cleared me," she began slowly, "we came highly recommended by the Sultan of Agrabah and the Emperor from The Land of the Dragons. Our work, and my work, speaks for itself." She opened her eyes and narrowed them into dangerous slits. "And from my vantage point, if you, Ignis Scientia, age 27, Second in Command of the Crownsguard and advisor to the prince, had done your job more effectively, there would be no need for Ventus and me to be here. Is that right?"

The room became pin-drop silent, a heaviness filling the air.

Ignis sat stunned, his face turning a light shade of pink from anger and embarrassment; meanwhile, Jasmine appeared calm and collected despite the dark look in her blazing hazel/gold eyes. He took a deep breath as if to speak as Jasmine rose to her feet.

"Ignis, I hope we can find some way to work together," she said, her tone softening while her expression became more neutral. "But please don't insult me like that again. You know I'm more than capable of doing my job – so let me do it without the judgment."

Jasmine started for the door, and Ventus immediately trailed after her. "Miss Valentine, the prince is on his way."

"I'm tired," she said simply as she pulled open the study door. "You can send my regards."

Before Ventus could say anything else, Jasmine had already disappeared on the other side of the door and shut it behind her. Deflated, Ventus sighed before turning back around to face the group.

"I'm going to make sure she's okay," he announced. "That was uncalled for. You owe her an apology," he directed this to Ignis.

Before Ignis could say anything else, Ventus rushed after his partner, allowing the door to slam shut in the distance while Prompto, Gladiolus, and Ignis sat silently.

Prince Noctis took a stroll through the palace halls later that evening, waiting until most of the staff and the king had gone to bed before making his rounds. When he had something on his mind, he found the best way to clear his head was to take a walk when the world around him was still with the moon hanging high in the sky. And tonight, with a full moon overhead, was the perfect night for just that.

Though he'd never admit it out loud, he was still upset from losing to Ventus earlier today.

But even so, he had to admit he was impressed with Ven.

He was so fast, and he ran with ease. In fact, when he was finally able to catch up with Ven at the finish line, it appeared as though the blond didn't even break a sweat.

'Guess I have to get better,' he mused to himself.

The prince sighed when he noticed he was at the entrance to the south wing garden. During the air raid on the palace years ago, it was destroyed, but a few weeks ago, it was finally restored to its former glory.

His mood dampened instantly when he saw the rose bushes.

He hadn't visited the garden once since it was rebuilt. As a child, he came there with his mother and father. His father would sit and read; his mother would admire/tend to the flowers while he played.

'Maybe a quick walkthrough,' the prince said mentally. 'Then I'll try going back to bed. I have to deal with that crap with Ventus' partner in the morning.'

Prince Noctis stepped into the garden and made his way through the maze, thinking about what Prompto had told him earlier.

When Noctis was on his way to meet Ventus and the others, his partner and Ignis had apparently got into an argument, and she stormed off. Ignis did admit to the story being true but expressed concern over someone like Miss Valentine guarding the prince. Still, Noctis told Ignis he needed to apologize for offending their guest.

Noctis rolled his eyes. 'What a pain.'

The prince continued to follow through until he came to a clearing with various stone benches and lanterns lit all around. Before he could step onto a stone pathway, he froze when he realized that someone was there. His eyes locked onto the back of the person's head, and he took a step forward, hoping to better identify the stranger sitting on a stone bench in the usually deserted garden.

It was a woman.

He took another step forward.

Even from this distance, he could tell she was taller than most. She had tan/light brown skin and long black hair tied into a braid hanging over her shoulder. She wore thick-framed black glasses and had bangs that nearly covered her eyes. He also noticed she wasn't wearing the palace staff uniform and wore dark blue jeans, a gray sweatshirt, and a pair of sandals.

But he couldn't quite make out her eyes…

Noctis took one more step onto a leaf, alerting the woman of his presence, and she immediately snapped to attention.

"Hello? Who's there?" she called, looking for the sound's origin.

The prince swore under his breath. He didn't want to be seen, but it was too late. He walked forward and stared at the woman curiously.

"No one ever comes out here," he said simply. "What are you doing here so late?"

When the woman met his gaze, the prince was stunned when his dark blue eyes locked with her vibrant, hazel/gold eyes. He'd never seen anyone with such a unique eye color before. And then, upon further examination, he noticed that the woman was young, no doubt around his age or even younger.

It was at that moment the prince realized that this must have been Ventus' partner, Miss Valentine.

She held up a thick, hardcover book before closing it. "I was reading," she answered, standing up as she did so. "I didn't realize I couldn't be out here."

Noctis didn't realize it at first, but he'd been staring at her for quite a long time, ultimately leading to a bit of awkwardness between the pair. When he finally caught on, he cleared his throat and apologized.

"I didn't say that," he said, clearing his throat in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. "I simply said that people don't typically come out here, especially at this time of night. Who are you?"

The young woman stared at Noctis for a bit before her eyes widened, clearly recognizing him. She immediately apologized and bowed.

"I'm Miss Valentine, Your Highness. Ventus' partner from SOLDIER," she said, her head hung low.

"You can stand up now," he said, feeling uncomfortable with how formal she was being. When she did, he realized she was almost as tall as him. "So you're the one who got into it with Ignis."

She lifted her head and kept her expression neutral. "My apologies, Prince Noctis. I felt he was being disrespectful and judging my ability to assist you due to my age."

Noctis nodded his head slowly. The story matched up with the others' accounts. He folded his arms over his chest and thought carefully before speaking.

"Just how old are you?"

"Twenty-two," she answered politely.

'She's not that much younger than us when the war started,' he thought, not realizing that he was staring at her again. "Don't hold it against him; he meant no harm. I'll make sure he apologizes in the morning."

Not knowing if she was satisfied with his answer from the unreadable expression on her face, Miss Valentine nodded.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Noctis paused, curious about one more thing. "What's your first name?"

She seemingly hesitated before replying. "I just go by Jasmine Valentine. No one calls me by my first name. And when I'm on assignment, people just call me Miss Valentine."

'How weird,' the prince mused. Despite his peaked curiosity, he knew how late it was and decided to turn back. "Alright," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'll be heading in. You should probably do the same. It's late."

Before she could say anything else, the prince quickly turned on his heel without saying anything else, leaving Jasmine alone to her own devices.

When he was far enough away and out of earshot, the prince let out a long, heavy sigh.

'Ventus and Jasmine, they're definitely not like the other SOLDIER agents we've seen in the past. I've got a feeling they could be interesting….'