Chapter 3 – Earlier than Expected

- Finally Saturday

Both girls thought as soon as they woke up.

Tenryuu slowly moved to sit in the bed, rubbing her eye and meeting Tatsuta's playful gaze, as she was already sitting in the small center table of their room.

- What?

- Great day today, no? Tenryuu-chan~

- Yeah, for sure it is... Do you think everything will be okay? I'm kinda scared, like... It's Musashi-san! The pride of the Japanese navy! She is mighty, beautiful... Ahh... And i'm just a small light cruiser.

- It really doesn't sound like you to belittle yourself like that, come on, where's your warrior spirit?

Tatsuta walked to her sister's side, cupped her face and looked her straight in the eye.

- Tatsuta...

- Tenryuu-chan, You had the courage to ask her out before anyone else, I'm sure that you weren't the only one looking for a chance, and she said yes to you. That's what matters, and only that. If she cared about the fact you are a light cruiser, or anything related to your effectiveness in battle, she would not have accepted going out with you. Clear?

- C-clear... Thanks Tatsuta, you sure is a good sister...

- Oh my, you're making me blush ufufu~

- Silly... Better I get ready, I will go for a bath.

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Musashi woke up feeling the warm sunlight hitting her face, after Yamato opened the curtains.

- Oh, good morning onee-san! Today is a beautiful day! How are you feeling?

- Good morning Yamato onee-san, well... I'm feeling a strangely good...

- Strangely?

- I feel a cold in my stomach... but it's mixed with happiness and I feel my heart beating faster... I can't exactly explain.

- That's good then! And some people say that light cruisers can't do much damage... Look what this one did! ufufu~ - Yamato teased

- And I still don't know how can you make so much fun of me! That's a new you i'm meeting now! - Musashi said blushing and giving a soft smile.

- HAHAHAHA! - Both girls shared a warm laugh.

- What if I can't handle it? I'm apprehensive about it. - Musashi suddenly changed the subject.

- Onee-san, of all the people she could want to go on a date with, she chose you. That means she really wants to be with you, and I have no doubts she believes you can handle it. And to be honest with you... I do believe that she's asking it herself too, if she will be able to handle it. In the end, you two will find a way! you can count on it!

- But still...

- No buts! Time for you to get ready!

- I should go for a bath then...

[Linebreak]

Bathroom – Moments after

- Mu-Musashi-san!?

- Ten... ryuu-san!?

Both girls faced each other, blushing like crazy.

- Wha... What a c-coincidence... hehehe... - said Tenryuu with so much shame she could not pronounce the words properly.

- Y-yes... i'm surprised too.

- Well... Looks like our... Da-date started...

- E-Earlier than expected... - Musashi managed to complete Tenryuu's speech, blushing deeply but not avoiding the eye contact.

Tenryuu wanted to dig a hole and put her head inside to cover her shame, but she soon remembered Tatsuta's words.

~Where's your warrior spirit?

~She's right... I started it, so I need to take the lead!

After looking to each other for some moments, Tenryuu decided to proceed. This time, using all her strenght to keep focused and fight her shame, giving a more confident persona to Musashi.

- Shall we, Musashi-san?

Tenryuu managed to say, giving a small smile.

- Yes... - Musashi said, trying to return the smile.

Despite her confident persona, everything she was experiencing was new, that's why she too was very ashamed. The only difference was that she could hide it better than Tenryuu.

Both girls took off their clothes and wrapped in their towels, again facing each other, but unable to say any words.

~It's not like we never encountered in the bath before... but this is very different... - both girls thought.

They had already meet each other in the bath and in the docks. But never paid too much attention to it.

Tenryuu gave a little and nervous smile, and acting as a gentlelady, waved one of her hands in the direction of the pool, slightly bowing her head as she did so, telling Musashi to go ahead.

Reaching the pool's border, they unrapped the towels and as they were entering the water, Musashi had her attention caught by the sight of Tenryuu's scarred body. Despite their skin being resistant like naval steel, it had a bigger or smaller resistance deppending on the ship type, and the deeper the wound, more likely it would be to leave a scar. Tenryuu was specially reckless in combat so the girl had a collection of battle scars, mainly across her torso, as it was the common place the abyssals aimed for, but the remains of deep scratches and bites caused by many hand-to-hand combats could also be seen in her arms and legs. Since Tenryuu used a coat, thight highs and an eye patch that left very little of her skin to be seen, those scars were not visible when she had her costume on.

For sure, Musashi was more powerful than Tenryuu in many aspects, but since the light cruiser was one of the first ships to arrive in the base, she had far more experience than her. She was close to her second remodel and had completed hundreds of missions and hundreds more of expeditions. Musashi was summoned in the base five months before and hadn't seen so many action, as the base was already full of battleships and the resourses were not sufficient to send them to combat frequently.

Both girls sat in the pool, relaxing in the hot water and Musashi decided to start the talk.

- Tenryuu-san... Those scars...

- Ah... I have a great collection of them don't you think? Gross, aren't they?- Tenryuu said blushing and lowering her head as she realized Musashi took a look at her.

- I don't think they are gross... but... how did you get them anyway? Those were probably deep wounds.

- Well, they all come from me being an idiot... You know, I was one of the first ships to arrive in this base and everything was nice. The admiral needed me for almost every mission, but with the time, more powerful ships arrived and I tried to have results similar to theirs. Hand-to-hand combats, bad armor angles, solo-runs... and I ended up with all these little reminders that I can't do everything by myself, at least my left eye wasn't lost due to my reckless, it happened in the World War... you know, on my previous life. For a certain period of time I was really sad about it, buuuut no hard feelings! I came to realize that I can be useful in other ways, afterall, i'm now the destroyer's teacher and i'm good at it! - Tenryuu replied with a warm smile that made Musashi blush.

- I'm glad to hear you are good with it! Guess each one of these is a story to tell then!

- For sure they are... if I want to embarrass myself! Hahaha!

The subject gave both girls a feeling they were making progress. Despite not being the best subject she could have pulled off, Musashi was satisfied she was able to learn more about Tenryuu. They were getting used to each other, and the shame was slowly but surely, fading away.

- But putting that aside, do you have any favorite store in the city? - Tenryuu pulled them back to their date.

- Hmm... I like the ones that sells clothes the most, with some influence of Yamato onee-san of course. There's that store that sells fancy looking suits, I like them a lot, although I never had the chance of wearing one.

- Oh! That one! You... You would look great in a suit... - Images of Musashi in a business suit flooded Tenryuu's mind.

- D-do you think so? - Musashi blushed at the compliment.

- Y-yes... I do! We can go there if you want.

- I would appreciate it! And you Tenryuu, what stores do you like?

- Well... I don't have a favorite store, but I do like visiting the ones with eletronic things!

- These stores are getting more common nowadays, looks like every month people manage to invent something new, it's really fascinating.

- For sure they are fast workers! I like to see what new things they managed to create, some are very fancy looking, others are strange and seem useless, it's funny how things work today, very differently from what we were used in our previous life.

- Yes... A lot changed since then, but I believe things are better today, despite the new war...

Both girls remained in silence for some moments, thinking about it. But Musashi soon broke the silence.

- Ah! And there's the drugstore too!

- The drugstore? Why?

- Yes! Because is where I buy my panties and bras!

Tenryuu didn't saw that coming and Musashi knew it.

- HAHAHAHAHA! I haven't thought about it! HAHAHAHAHA!

Tenryuu lost her breath and was cried from how much she laughed, and Musashi acompained her. She was relieved, that would definitely help them talk more casually.

~ Her laugh is so cute! - Both girls thought at the same time.

- Ahh... I wasnt expecting that hahaha!

- Hahahaha!

That moment filled the girls hearts with joy, and for sure they had fallen a bit more for each other. That was going to be a good day. But one thing Tenryuu didn't knew yet.

- Aaand what restaurants do you like to go, Musashi-san? - Tenryuu asked after recovering from the laugh.

- I-I have a... great appetite... So I like many restaurants – Musashi felt a little ashamed of telling that, but she was a battleship, a large one, so it's only natural. Nothing that would bother Tenryuu.

- Which ones? We can go to whatever you want!

- Well... I like the fast food ones, to eat burgers... And I love burgers! I also like the seafood ones obviously, there are so many of them that I don't even have a favorite, I also like the steak houses and those wonderful street barbecue stands!

Musashi was already drooling with the thoughts of all the delicious food she would eat.

- And you Tenryuu? What do you like to eat?

- Basically, everything you just said, adding some grocery stores and bakery houses for desserts and snacks! There's one bakery that sells what they call brazilian cheese rolls, have you ever ate those?

- No, I haven't! So, there's one more place for us to pay a visit then!

- Sure thing! I do believe you're going to like it!

- That's nice to hear! Hahaha

- Well... Shall we go Musashi-san?

- Yes! We still need to meet the admiral to ask for permission to leave the base.

- Oh! That's true! But since it's our day off, I'm sure we are not going to face any problems.

They left the pool, and went to pick up their clothes, this time, feeling much more confortable around each other.

- So... we meet 11:00? - Musashi asked facing Tenryuu.

- Yes! At the gate! Oh, Musashi-san, one more thing... C-could we meet the admiral one at a time? Like, I go 09:30 and you 10:00?

- Sounds good to me! I will do it!

- Great! So... S-see you soon, Musashi-san! - Tenryuu said, again with a warm smile.

- See you soon, Tenryuu-san! - Musashi said returning the smile.

The words and the smile made Tenryuu's heart instantly melt.

~SO CUTE!