November 11, 2011
"Birthday? For me?"
"Yes! Isn't today your birthday? So I thought I'd celebrate it to make you happy. Don't you want a birthday, Sirin?"
"…It's not that I don't want to. But we're the same person, aren't we? Is it really necessary to celebrate a birthday just for me? And who celebrates a birthday in secret?"
"Well, we can't exactly tell the Captain about you yet. Otherwise, we'd ask her to celebrate with us. How about this—today, I'll let you take over my body. You can spend the day with the Captain."
"…You'd give me your body? No—wait, you'd give the Captain to me? Don't you like her the most?"
"Yes, I do."
"Then why would you—wait, who said I like that overly kind person?! I don't!"
"Then just tell me—do you want to go out with the Captain or not?"
"…Tch. Since you're insisting, I suppose I can accompany her. Just for today."
"Then it's settled. You and the Captain must have a fun day today."
That morning, the Captain noticed something was… off about Kiana. She seemed a little stiffer, a little more awkward. But the Captain chalked it up to travel fatigue and didn't press.
To reward her for enduring the long journey without complaint, the Captain took her to an amusement park. They rode rides, played games, and—at Kiana's oddly bashful request—ended the day with a giant cake.
Sirin, for all her pride, found herself smiling more than she expected.
March 26, 2012
In a quiet mountain pass, beneath a sky scattered with stars, the Captain and Kiana sat beside a campfire.
"Kiana, how have you been feeling lately?"
The Captain's voice was soft, her gaze lost in the flames. The warmth reminded her of Siberia, of the first time they'd huddled together like this.
Kiana, lying on the Captain's lap and watching the stars, turned her head.
The firelight danced across the Captain's face, casting her in a gentle glow.
"I've been feeling pretty good lately," Kiana said with a smile. "Because the Captain is always by my side."
The Captain chuckled. "That's good. I'm happy to see you growing up healthy."
July 26, 2012
They arrived in a sun-drenched city, the heat pressing down like a blanket.
The Captain had long known their destination. But something inside her whispered:
"It's not time for St. Freya yet."
So they wandered. From coastlines to mountaintops, from quiet villages to bustling cities. The Captain wanted Kiana to see the world—before everything began.
She bought two ice creams from a nearby truck. Kiana devoured hers in seconds.
As the Captain was finishing hers, Kiana tugged at her sleeve, eyes wide and hesitant.
The Captain smiled knowingly and bought her another.
They sat on the curb, eating in silence. But the Captain couldn't help noticing how shy Kiana had suddenly become.
Was she embarrassed to ask for ice cream?
December 16, 2012
In a quiet town in Shenzhou, they saw her.
Fu Hua.
She walked slowly along the roadside, her presence ethereal, timeless.
The Captain stiffened. Why is she here? Did Otto send her?
Kiana, meanwhile, shrank into the Captain's arms like a startled kitten.
Class Monitor?! No way—she's here for the Captain!
She didn't dare look up. But after a long silence, she peeked.
Fu Hua hadn't moved. She simply stood there, staring.
She remembers… a little. Just a faint impression.
Kiana's mind raced. If she uses Feathered Dust, it's over. The Captain might remember everything.
"Sirin, if she tries anything, go distract her."
"Tch. You're so troublesome. If it weren't for the Captain, I wouldn't lift a finger. And if she finds out who I am, we're both in trouble."
But Fu Hua didn't act. She just stared, lost in thought.
Then, as if realizing she'd been caught, she turned and walked away—her face flushed.
The Captain blinked, confused.
Kiana and Sirin exhaled in unison.
April 8, 2013
"Captain, where are we going?"
Kiana rubbed her eyes, watching the Captain pack their things.
She'd grown used to this life—wandering, exploring, bickering with Sirin, and always being by the Captain's side.
"Seriously? You're satisfied with that?" Sirin's voice echoed in her mind. "It's embarrassing to be the same person as you."
"Then what kind of life do you want?"
"At least a small cake every day. Otherwise, what's the point?"
"You only think about cake. You're more hopeless than I am."
"Says the girl who nearly bankrupted the Captain with her sweet tooth."
Kiana winced. That part was true.
Their cake-eating contest had nearly drained the Captain's savings. In the end, it was Sirin who saved them—selling rare fish caught with Herrscher powers.
Still, the memory stung.
Kiana sighed and flopped into the Captain's arms.
"We're going to St. Freya next. Do you want to go? If not, we can wait."
St. Freya… Mei.
Kiana hesitated. If Mei's like Bronya… the Captain might really be stolen.
But she nodded.
"Wherever the Captain goes, I go. That's all that matters."
The Captain smiled. "Then let's pack up. I'll send you to school first. Even if it's just for a while, it'll help."
Kiana bolted upright. "Eh?! School?!"
The Captain pulled her back into her lap.
Kiana pouted. "Can I not go? I think staying with the Captain is already the best education. Here's a heart."
The Captain 'ate' the imaginary heart with a deadpan expression.
"No. You must go. Otherwise, the Captain will be unhappy. Children need to read more books."
"Ugh… fine."
Kiana sulked, burying her face in the Captain's lap.