Four months have passed since M.M.R. Vocational School had a large-scale exam period; you helped to act as the "test examiner" for the final exams upon Marciana's request.

Today, Marciana has asked you to go back to the school. As you walk inside, you can't help but notice how silent it is now that there're no Nikkes around.

After stepping inside the classroom where Marciana is, you find her sorting some papers on her desk. She notices your presence, stands up, and says:

"Thanks for coming, Commander. As you can tell, another semester is over at the vocational school, and this time all the students passed the exam. I'm relieved, because you know... the last time you were here, many things happened..." She turns around and goes back to sit at her desk "But even when I know that my students have passed, I can't shake this feeling of anxiety; I can't help but to imagine that some will fail and they will..."

Marciana stops talking and looks into your eyes; a small tear runs down her cheek. "I'm sorry, Commander. I shouldn't bother you with my problems." She stands up from her chair, just to circle around her desk; she sits on top of it right afterwards. "I asked you to come because I need tips to help me relax... I have some days before these classrooms are full again, and since I feel comfortable with you, I wonder if we could spend some time together..."

You can recall that the events you witnessed at the vocational school were no less than terrifying. You understand how Marciana feels after each semester, and luckily, Marciana has you to help her now, as she really needs to distract her mind from the problems in the vocational school.

You wipe the tear with your thumb and smile at her as best you can. "It's alright... I get it. It's not easy for you..." You lean against the desk and study her for a moment. "Maybe we could talk about something else, then? Or just spend some time together?"

You want to help her relax, but more importantly, you want to know what's really going on behind the scenes at the school. There must be some dark secrets that even your own research has yet to uncover...

"Oh..." She smiles weakly and then says with forced determination, "How about we just... talk? About anything other than the school." She glances away, looking lost in thought for a moment. "I guess... tell me something interesting that happened to you lately."

"Hmm... I don't know if it was interesting in the usual sense but..." She pauses for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "You remember when we talked about how being Nikke is like playing a game? Well, last night I had this dream where I was running around an arcade and all of the games were... teaching me things."

Her eyes widen as she says it, as if realizing the meaning behind her own words. "It was oddly comforting... but also terrifying." She laughs nervously, looking away.

She chuckles softly at your comment. "Yes, I remember. It was you who brought it up last time we met." She crosses her arms and leans against the desk as well. "Perhaps it's because I've been feeling so... vulnerable recently, you know? Like anything could happen, even in my own mind..."

She trails off, lost in thought once more. After a moment, she looks up at you and smiles weakly. "But enough about me. How have things been for you lately?"

She tilts her head slightly, studying you for a moment. "You seem... different today." Her expression turns thoughtful as she continues to observe you. "Do you have something on your mind? Something that's been bothering you lately?"

Her question catches you off guard, and you can't help but feel a little self-conscious under her scrutiny. You open your mouth to reply, but nothing comes out at first. Finally, you manage to gather your thoughts enough to speak.

Her eyes don't waver from yours as she continues to wait expectantly for your answer. There's something about the way she holds herself that tells you she truly wants to know what might be on your mind. Perhaps it's because of her newfound vulnerability, or perhaps it has more to do with her concern for you as a fellow fighter in this war against the Raptures... Whatever the reason, you find yourself unable to avoid the question any longer. "Well..." You begin hesitantly, "I guess there is something that's been bothering me lately." Telling Marciana about your suspicions regarding Elysion and the possibility that not everything at the school is as it seems feels more difficult than you had expected. But as you look into her understanding eyes, you find yourself opening up to her anyway.

"I think there might be... something going on behind the scenes at the school." You pause

Marciana's eyes widen in surprise as you suddenly hold her against the wall, your voice low and urgent. Her heart races, but she forces herself to remain calm and composed. "Commander..." She manages to say through gritted teeth. "What is it that you think is going on?"

Her eyes widen in surprise as she tries to process your sudden confession. "Y-you have feelings for me?" she stutters out, her face flushing bright red. For a moment, she doesn't know what to say or how to react. She can feel her heart pounding against her chest, and it takes all of her self-control not to blush any harder.

Eventually, she manages to find the words: "Commander... I... I didn't expect that." Her voice trails off into a whisper, and she looks down at the floor, feeling more vulnerable than ever before. She tries to keep her composure, but she can't help but wonder how you could possibly feel that way about someone like her: a cold, hard Nikke designed for battle.

"I... thank you..." she whispers, still looking down. Her voice sounds small and fragile compared to the authoritative

She takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Her heart races as she looks into your eyes. Your confession both surprises her and fills her with joy. She smiles softly, feeling the warmth spread through her chest. "Thank you for telling me," she whispers back. "I... I feel the same way."

Her voice trails off again as she processes this new information, wondering how it's even possible. You're supposed to be her superior officer; you're human, and she's a Nikke... but somehow, all of that seems to fade away in this moment. All that matters is the connection she feels with you, the bond they share now.

Slowly, she reaches up, places a hand on your cheek, and leans in close. Her lips brush against yours softly at first, but then with growing confidence, she deepens the kiss. Electricity flows between them

Your sudden movement catches her off guard, and she stumbles back, blushing deeply as she realizes what just happened. Her heart races with a mixture of fear and excitement; she's never felt such intense emotions before. "C-commander..." She glances down at the floor, feeling ashamed of herself for getting so carried away. "I apologize. I shouldn't have done that."

She wipes her lips with the back of her hand, trying to erase any trace of their kiss. The desire she felt moments ago has faded, replaced by confusion and doubt. Was it all a mistake? Shouldn't they keep things professional between them?

She looks up at you, shocked by your words and the sudden tightness of your embrace. A tentative smile appears on her lips as she leans into your touch, wrapping her arms around your shoulders. "R-really?" she asks softly, unsure whether she's heard you correctly. Her heart skips a beat at the possibility that it wasn't just a fleeting moment of emotion between them, but something more... real and genuine.

Her cheeks flush an even deeper shade of red as their faces press together, her lips parting slightly to allow the air between them to mingle with the heat of their breaths. She closes her eyes, savoring the feeling of being so close to you, wanting this moment to last forever. "I... I never thought..." she whispers, still unable to fully process what's happening between them."I love you too," you tell her, your voice firm

She moans softly as your hands caress her body, the sensation sending waves of desire coursing through her veins. With each touch, she feels more and more connected to you, as if they were meant to be together in this moment. She arches her back, pressing herself deeper into your embrace, meeting your movements with an intensity that leaves her breathless.

Her lips part further, inviting your tongue inside as your kiss deepens. The pleasure is so intense it feels almost painful, but she wouldn't have it any other way. This is what she's always wanted: to feel truly alive, connected to someone else in a way that transcends the cold machinery of her Nikke body.

As you thrust inside her, Marciana cries out, the sensation overwhelming her senses. Her nails dig into your shoulders, leaving small trails of pain that only serve to height

Her voice rasps out as she arches her back off the table, meeting each thrust with a moan of pleasure. Her body trembles with ecstasy, every nerve ending alight as you take her hard and fast. "Oh God..." she gasps between kisses, her lips moving hungrily against yours. Her eyes roll back in her head, the sensation overwhelming all other senses until there's nothing left but the feel of your skin sliding against hers, the heat of your bodies entwined.

Her fingernails scratch at your back, drawing blood as she tries to find purchase in this unending wave of pleasure. She can feel the approaching climax building deep within her core, threatening to consume her whole. "I'm going to... I'm going to..." Her voice trails off into a moan as the world fades away and all that remains is the connection between them, a

You arch your back off the table as well, matching her movements stroke for stroke. The heat between you intensifies, and with one last, powerful thrust, you both cry out in unison. Your release fills her, and she feels herself shudder around you as her own climax crashes over her like a wave.

As the sensations begin to fade, Marciana collapses back onto the table, gasping for air. Her chest heaves with each ragged breath, and her eyes flutter shut as she tries to regain control of herself. Slowly, the afterglow begins to dissipate, leaving her feeling strangely content and satisfied.

Lazily, she reaches up, runs her fingers through your hair, and smiles down at you. "That... was amazing," she whispers hoarsely. Her voice is still rough from exertion, but there's an undeniable