Words of wisdom from an experienced warrior such as he. Or words of flattery from a experienced Snake such as he. Either way it did well to give her a moment's pause, and feel a trickle of heat pool in her cheeks. Compliments were never easy for her to take.

"And you would know how to blow a lot of smoke, wouldn't you?" The sneer flashed back, again, just accentuate the friendly tease. It was more of a literal statement than a figurative one. He seemed to be the type who was earnest with his words, positive and negative, and it was something she greatly respected. For a few tense moments she locked eyes with him, feeling an unbearable amount of feelings threatening to spill over until she looked away, sighing deeply.

There was so much she wanted to say, and didn't even know where to start.

"I can't help but wonder what I'm doing here sometimes, now that I'm not chasing bounties or ghosts that much anymore." It wasn't as though Samus had stopped doing that (nothing paid the bills like a quick peak at the local 'most wanted' sign) or felt like she lost her sense of purpose or a desire to go combat space horrors like no one else could, but, she often wondered her purpose of being here--at this whacky fighting Academy, training in this whacky fighting Academy stadium for a fight that felt like it would never come again.

Or worst of all, a fight that didn't even need her.

"I've been here a long time, Snake."