Chapter 4 – Set Sail!
After the bath, the girls parted their ways, althougt they both had Mamiya's restaurant as destination to have breakfeast. It was still early, so there was a lot of time before lunch and they hadn't eaten anything since they woke up. despite being a day off, they were used to waking up early in the morning because of their military duties.
Before heading to Mamiya's place, Tenryuu decided to go back to her room, hoping to find Tatsuta to have breakfeast togheter. Fortunately, the girl was there.
- You took too long Tenryuu-chan! Something happened? Ufufu~
- Y-yes... Something indeed happened...
- I'm listening ~
- S-She was there... Too...
- Ooh! And how was it? - Tatsuta leaned closer with great interest.
- Well... Not as you are probably thinking. We just talked, about mundane things hahaha. But, it was nice... very very nice...
- Hmm, how boring... - Said Tatsuta playfuly
- Shut Up! - Tenryuu said pouting.
- Ufufufu~ I'm glad it went well. Let's have breakfeast?
- Yes, let's go.
[linebreak]
Musashi left the bath and went straight to Mamiya's restaurant, where she met her sister.
- Musashi onee-san! Over here! -Yamato waved to her sister, calling her to the table.
- Yamato onee-san! Already ordered something?
- Yes! The usual.
By "The usual" Yamato meant a huge tray of oversized onigiris, with more than 20 units, just to keep her up until lunch time.
- Well... guess I will have the same. - Said Musashi, calling for Mamiya to order her meal
- Good morning Mamiya-san! How are you today?
- Good morning Musashi-san, i'm doing fine! And you?
- I'm good too! Could you prepare the onigiris for me as well?
- Sure thing! They will be ready soon!
With that, the supply ship went back to her kitchen.
- I met her... In the bath... Just me and her...
Yamato looked over Musashi with wide eyes.
- Unbelivable... I'm wondering what's the probability of a girl asking you out and in the day of the date just the two of you meet in the bath, in the exact same time, early in the morning...
- Shhh! Somebody might hear you! - Musashi screamed a whisper to Yamato, althought no one was near them.
- Sorry Sorry! But tell me... how was it?
- We just talked... The situation by itself was kinda embarassing, but in the end it served for us to get more used with each other.
- Well, not bad for a start!
- Oh, for sure!
In this moment, Tenryuu and Tatsuta entered the place and searched a place to sit. By seeing Musashi and Yamato, Tenryuu blushed slightly and avoided eye contact, but Tatsuta didn't wasted the chace to give a small and playful smile to Yamato, something that the battleship returned almost instantly.
~So, Tenryuu-san also told her sister... guess we will become friends in no time! - Yamato thought, what made her giggle
- Oh look who's here... I bet you wanted me and Tatsuta-san to vanish right now ufufu~ - Yamato teased.
- Don't even play with that... althought I really wanted to be alone again with her... - Musashi took the joke too deeply, but if there was something that scared the battleship, was loosing her sister or any of her comrades in battle.
- Sorry... I didn't mean vanish in that way.
- No.. I'm sorry, I understood what you meant...
- Looking to her this close... She is kinda cute, isn't she? - Yamato changed the subject.
- Yeah... I never thought I would look to her like this. -Musashi said blushing slightly.
Yamato coudn't help but feel happy for her sister, she could see something blooming inside the girl's heart, and hoped everything went well.
[Linebreak]
Around 09:30, Tenryuu headed to the admiral's office. Standing still before the large wood doors before knocking.
- Enter!
- Excuse me admiral! - Tenryuu said, opening the door.
Despite knowing him for a long time, Tenryuu always felt a chill to enter his room, maybe due to all of the scolding she already received for almost every shenaningan of hers.
- Oh! Good morning Tenryuu-san! How are you doing?
- Good morning admiral! I'm feeling just fine!
- Great! That's good to hear. So, what brings you here?
- Well... Could you sir give me permission to go to the city?
Many admirals didn't allowed that, but, to help keeping the high morale, he decided to allow it on his naval district. Something that wasn't easy, as the high command of the navy required that specific regulations were created to that. Despite some of the kanmusu having strong personalities and bad behaviours out in the sea, in the city, surprisingly, they had never found any trouble. They knew very well if they did found trouble, that would mean the end of their permission to leave the district.
- Hm... Today is your day off I see, so I guess there's no problem, just remember all the rules to visit the city, come back before 22:00 and keep the good behaviour.
- Yosha! Thank you very much admiral, That's all. Permission to leave!
- All right, granted!
Tenryuu saluted and left the office, and released her breath in relief.
Not long after, He heard another knock on his door. Following Tenryuu's plan, Musashi went for her permission half an hour after the light cruiser.
- Enter!
Musashi usually performed secretary duties with the admiral, a cargo she shared with some other girls, so she was already very used to talk with him. She entered the room and saluted.
- Good morning admiral! How are you today?
- Morning Musashi-san! I'm good, thank you for asking. And you?
- Oh yes, for sure I am!
- Good good! Well... What brings you here in your day off then?
- Hm... I came to ask for permission to leave the base for the day and go in the city.
- Very well, you can go! No need to remember you about the rules, and return to the base before 22:00.
- Yes! Before 22:00, Thank you sir. Permission to leave!
- Granted.
Musashi saluted the admiral, and went to leave the room.
- Well, that was easy -Musashi thought
[Linebreak]
Tenryuu was the first to arrive at the gate, 15 minutes early than the appointed time.
~Good! I'm the first here. It would be bad to arrive after her.
- Good morning Tenryuu-san!
Said one of the two fairies that stood in a small cabin near the gate. Despite being small, the fairies had many important roles in the district. These ones were acting like guards. Alone they couldn't do much, but once they sounded the alarms, whoever made them do that would regret it a lot.
- Good morning fairy-san! I will wait for someone here a bit all right?
- For Sure! And who would this someone be?
- Hm... you'll see very soon...
Despite not wanting to spread rumors about going out with Musashi, there was no way to leave the base without passing through the gates, and by doing it, those little ones there would see them one way or another, so they could not hide.
Not long after, Tenryuu saw Musashi approaching.
- Well... She is coming.
- Oh! So Musashi-san is the one! - The fairy said in surprise.
- Yes...
- Tenryuu-san! You are already here!
- Well... sure I am! How can I invite you and get here after you does?
Musashi blushed at the statement.
- Yes... I guess you are right hahaha!
Tenryuu returned a big smile, feeling happiness at every glance she took at Musashi. And then, it hit her... Musashi's outfit.
- Musashi-san... You are... You are... Simply marvelous...
She was wearing a white medium silk dress, with gladiator sandals, a beige hat and a small leather bag.
- T-thank y-you Tenryuu-san... You too... Look gorgeous...
Tenryuu was wearing a short light blue dress whith medium sleeves, a white short, leather sandals with small golden anchors and carried a small neck wallet.
- Thank you... Musashi-san
Both girls smiled warmly at each other, as if they were in their own world.
- Shall we, Musashi-san?
- Yes! Tenryuu-san!
The fairies opened the gates, letting them pass.
- Tenryuu- san, Musashi-san! - The small girl called, making them turn around.
- Have a nice day!
The two warships blushed and smiled at the same time.
- Thank you very much!
The bus stop wasn't far away from the district's gate, five minutes of walk and they would be there. The bus was scheduled for 11:10, giving them more than 10 minutes of spare time, since they arrived earlier than the apointed time. The path extended itself between trees that provided cover from the sun, making the walk more pleasant. A light breeze blowing from the ocean gave them a refreshing sensation.
- How pleasant, although it's a hot day, don't you think Tenryuu-san?
- Yes! This breeze is indeed refreshing.
- Tell me, do you prefer hot or cold days?
- That's difficult to answer... Let's see... I don't think I have a favorite, like, both have good and bad characteristics and there are things you can and can't do...
- So, basically, you don't think if it's good or bad, but what you can do in the day?
- Something like that!
- I think it's a very good manner to look at it.
- Good to hear that! And you, which do you prefer?
- Well, I always enjoyed cold days, I feel I can do more on these days, it's like I have more energy.
- That's true, in hot days we usually get tired faster.
- Yes, but I will start to look differently at the days... Not good or bad, but what I can do.
Tenryuu felt good knowing Musashi liked her way of thinking, and also, how open to new ideas the battleship appeared to be.
They reached the bus stop some minutes earlier than the scheduled time, meeting some people that lived nearby, also waiting.
People admired kanmusus, they were the young maidens that kept the country safe from the abyssal threat, even if that meant their death. Because of that, most people treated them very well. In the bus stop, everyone seemed to be pleased by the sight of the two warships.
- Tenryuu-san, Musashi-san, Good morning! What lovely outfits you ladies are wearing!
Blushing slightly at the compliment, both girls replied the woman with big smiles.
- Good morning ma'am! T-thank you very much! How are you doing in this beautiful day? -
Said Musashi, followed by Tenryuu, still blushing.
- Good morning and thank you ma'am!
- I'm fine, and the city is also fine, Thaks to your valient efforts out there in the sea! The day is indeed beautiful, are you ladies going to enjoy a day off?
- Yes! A day off is always very welcome! - Said Tenryuu.
- Especially when the admiral give us permission to visit the city.
- Good to hear that, everyone deserves some rest. How's our admiral doing?
The admiral was also very known in the city, his efforts and strategies were giving wonderful results, everyone could agree with that.
- Ah! He's doing pretty well, he has a very precise line of thinking, so our results keep coming!
Said Musashi with pride. She was more involved with the bases's burocracy than Tenryuu, so the light cruiser was also pleased to hear that.
- Pleasant words to hear! - Said the woman with a tender smile.
Before they knew, the bus arrived.
- Well ladies, have a nice day!
- Thank you ma'am, you too.
Both girls entered the bus, greeting the driver and finding a place to sit. It would take 15 minutes to arrive downtown.
After somer time, Musashi, sitting in the window seat, called Tenryuu to take a look at the clouds.
- Nee, Tenryuu-san, have you ever noted that the clouds seem to be all at the same height? Look! Despite the top part being shaped like cotton, the bottom part is very plain, almost if they are resting over glass!
Tenryuu leaned over to take a better look.
- Oh! It's true! They really seem to be at the same height... I wonder why that happens...
Both girls were fascinated with their new discovery, they had already seen the clouds dozens of times, but never paid atten tion to this especific detail.
After admiring the sight, Tenryuu noted she was leaning too much over the battleship, with her hand sitting over Musashi's, on her right leg. Musashi also noted that and blushed with the realization.
Tenryuu quickly moved away, taking her body and hand off Musashi.
- So-sorry Musashi-san! I-I didn't Mean to...
Tenryuu rapidly apologized, but before she could finish the sentence, she met a soft and tender smile in Musashi's face.
- I... I didn't di-dislike it...
Musashi, taking some courage, leaned closer and whispered on Tenryuu's ear.
- We a-are on a d-date... Ri-right?
Her heart was beating like crazy, and her blush grew to a vivid red.
Tenryuu also had a deep blush on her face, her heart beating faster each second that passed.
- Y-yeah...
The light cruiser slowly moved her hand towards Musashi's, softly intertwining their fingers, but without looking to her. She was too ashamed to do so.
~Oh... i'm really holding her hand! I'm doing it!
Tenryuu was melting, and things weren't different for Musashi.
Musashi was loving that little contact with Tenryuu and gently caressed the her hand with her thumb. Feeling the caress, Tenryuu tightened the grip to express her joy.
The girls stayed silent till the bus reached it's destination, enjoying the contact and for sure, they had fallen more for each other.
- S-shall we, Musashi-san?
- Yes!