It had been a slaughter.

Within minutes, the entire Siren fleet had been torn asunder by her lightning and sent to the bottom of the ocean. Where the enemy had once been, only a thick plume of black smoke remained. Our own mass-produced ships didn't even have time to get into range and now sat there, still smoldering from the wounds inflicted upon them by Musashi.

Meanwhile, I was still leaning out of the giant rent torn into the bridge, still holding the bandage to my head as I marveled at the distant figure standing there on the massive turret. A thousand questions raced through my mind, the first of which was if she'd always been that powerful, how come she didn't start with that? The immediate follow-up question was why didn't she sortie back when we were at war with the Sakura Empire? She would've annihilated us in no time. I got my answer, much to my shock and dismay when she faltered and fell to her knees.

"Musashi!" I cried out as I began to head for the ladder. I quickly halted, and hollered out of the torn open bridge, "Hang on, I'm coming!" I didn't know if she'd heard me, and I wasn't about to wait for a response as I quickly clambered down the ladders on the aft end of the superstructure. I silently hoped none of them had been damaged in the assault, and as luck would have it, none were. I swiftly made it to the main deck and sprinted to the superfiring turret, beginning the careful climb up the ladder bolted onto the side. The rain had begun to let up, the storm clouds beginning to lighten and fade away, likely tied to Musashi's incredible powers.

"I'm here!" I breathlessly called out to her as soon as I clambered onto the roof. When she turned to me, I was finally able to see just how much it had taken out of her. Her eyes were half-lidded and listless, and her skin was pale. It didn't help that the rain had matted her hair and fur, adding further to her disheveled appearance. I rushed to her side and draped one of her arms across my shoulders to help keep her upright. As I looked into her golden eyes, still unfocused and dim, I gently shook her to get her attention. "Musashi, are you okay?"

Her eyes eventually focused on me, the gears slowly turning behind her irises before they went wide and she seemed to come back to life. Somewhat. "Your head!" she quietly exclaimed as she reached up with her hand to dab at the blood running down my face. "I told you to keep the bandage on…"

"Sorry," I halfheartedly apologized as I fished the bloody bandage from my pocket and placed it back on the wound. "I was a little distracted and I needed both hands to safely get to you. Are you okay?"

"I'm…a little tired if I'm being honest," she sighed. "I think I need to lie down and rest for a bit. But what's important is that you're safe."

"Don't sell yourself short," I shook my head as I wrapped an arm around her waist. "Your safety and well-being is just as important to me. Now let's get you out of this rain and someplace where you can lie down."

Together, we awkwardly got to her feet, the height difference making it somewhat hard for me to keep Musashi upright. As I looked back towards the ladder, I had a sudden, embarrassing realization: I had no idea how we were going to get down like this.

"Haguro!" I shouted, hoping she was still around and within earshot. When I didn't hear a response within a minute or so, I called out to her again. This time, I got a reply.

"Yeah?" She called back. Even when shouting, she seemed bored. "You alright?"

"I'm fine, but Musashi needs a hand!" I answered and waited for her. Within another minute, I heard the sound of footfalls below the turret, followed quickly by Haguro herself leaping into my field of vision and landing on the turret, her rigging still equipped.

Her red eyes looked at Musashi, then at me, and she bit back a curse before she spoke. "Jeez, Commander…are you sure she's the one who needs help? It looks like your head got split open!"

I guess it looked as bad as I thought it would. "I'm fine," I shook my head. "It's superficial, I just need to keep pressure on it. But she needs to rest, and I need some help getting her down from here."

Haguro eyed up Musashi for a second, then nodded to herself. "Shouldn't be too much of a problem," she declared, "At least while I've got my rigging on. Hand her over and I'll get her down." She paused, then looked at me. "You gonna be able to get down like that?"

I started to nod, then stopped when I realized that I'd have to put the bandage back in my pocket and the wound would start bleeding all over again. And more importantly, I would upset Musashi again. "I…ah…I'll figure something out," I tried to deflect, but Haguro already had a solution.

Wordlessly, she pulled off her neckerchief and began to tie it around my head. "Wait, I don't want you to ruin-" I objected. However, Haguro remained determined.

"I've got plenty more of these," she countered, "You've only got one skull. Go ahead and move your hand, so I can get this on here snugly." I moved my hand away and she finished tying it off before she took a step back to admire her handiwork. "How's that feel? Not too tight?"

I shook my head around to make sure it wasn't going to slip off and blind me halfway down the turret before I gave her a thumbs up. "Just give me an M60 and we're good to go."

She shot me a perplexed look. "Huh?"

I grinned and shook my head again. "Old movie reference, don't worry about it. You ready to take her?"

"Yeah." Haguro held out her arms, and together, we managed to transfer the listless kitsune over to her.

"Got her?"

"Got her," she confirmed with a nod. "I'll wait for you down on deck."

"See you both there in a minute." I gave Musashi the best smile I could muster, and she smiled back softly.

"See you," she whispered and with that, Haguro leaped off the turret. I double-checked my makeshift bandage bandana and carefully climbed down the ladder. About halfway down, I heard the sound of approaching aircraft, and I looked up to see Shinano's planes roar overhead. They sped past us, heading towards the Siren wreckage, probably to confirm the kills, but I was too busy to keep track of them. I finished climbing down the ladder and faced Haguro. "Alright, I don't think you're going to be able to get into the ship with your rigging equipped, so hand Musashi over and we'll get her someplace safe together."

"No." Musashi's soft, yet determined voice surprised both of us as the kitsune slipped out of Haguro's grasp and slowly stood up. She towered over both of us for a moment, before she began to drunkenly sway towards me.

"Steady now," I cautioned as I caught her, gently guiding her back to an upright position. "You're three sheets to the wind right now, and I think you're going to need some help to find a decent spot to lay down."

She sighed, clearly displeased, but after seeing the determination in Haguro's eyes and mine, she relented. "Very well. Take me to my quarters and I'll set a course back to Truk."

Slowly, carefully, we led Musashi down through the ship's hallways, and I was especially grateful for the extra space that had been built into the main passages-it allowed Haguro and I to stand on either side. There were a few stumbles and missteps, but eventually, we made it to the Captain's cabin. I realized I'd never seen the inside of her room before, and I wondered if she'd been truthful when she said her cabin was nearly as luxurious as mine. As the door swung open, I saw she had been honest with me.

While slightly smaller overall, it was still elegant in that classic Sakura style, with several wall scrolls hanging from various points. There was a low table in the center, with various brushes, ink pots, and scrolls, and I saw some of them had Japanese characters gracefully painted on them. I idly wondered what she was writing, but put it aside as I guided her to her bed and eased her into it.

"There you go," I whispered as I laid her down on the plush mattress, noting it was actually bigger than my own bed. Then again, she is taller than most so it would make sense she would need something bigger. "Anything else we can do for you?"

She reached out and grabbed my shirt, feebly trying to pull me closer to her. "Let me treat your wound…"

Before I could protest, a soft, sleepy voice cut in. "I will treat his wound."

All three of us turned to face Shinano, who had appeared in the doorway. "I will care for him while you rest, sister. I promise you, he will be in good hands."

As I turned back to look at Musashi, I saw her eyes were focused not on her sister, but something on the far side of the room. I followed her gaze and saw a pair of pictures sitting on what seemed to be some sort of shrine. Black ribbons adorned the upper corners of the frames, and a slowly burning incense stick sat between them. Both were older men in full dress uniforms, their chests festooned with medals and badges of rank and status. Both had hair cropped so short they were almost bald, and the one on the right had a faint pencil mustache. As I looked closely at each one, I noticed the picture on the left had another picture tucked into the frame. It was of the same man, this time in a much simpler, minimalist uniform, standing on the deck of a warship, a pair of binoculars in his white-gloved hands. Set against the black of the binoculars, I could easily see that he was missing the first two fingers of his left hand.

When I turned to look back at Musashi, she'd already turned her gaze back to Shinano, who nodded to her in some unspoken agreement. Reluctantly, Musashi released her grip on me and gestured to her younger sibling. "Go. She will take care of you while I get us back to base."

I reached out and took her hand in mine as I smiled reassuringly. "I'll be back to check on you, okay?"

A knowing smile slowly spread across her face as she nodded. "Hurry back, Commander…I'll be waiting…"

I let go of her hand and headed out of the room, stopping to whisper to Haguro, "Keep an eye on her." The cruiser nodded solemnly and I patted her on the shoulder before I followed Shinano out the door.

She led me through the familiar corridors until we were at the nearby infirmary, where she began gathering what she would need to treat me.

"You wear my sister's color well," she stated as she began to fill up a small bowl with hot water. "Although it clashes somewhat with the red. Please, take a seat."

"The red wasn't really by choice," I quipped as I sat down in the nearest chair. "And there would've been a lot more of it if it hadn't been for Musashi."

"So I gathered," she smirked knowingly as she lifted the makeshift bandana off of my head. "She takes her vow to keep you safe very seriously. And with good reason."

I hissed softly as she began to peel the bandage off, the dried blood causing it to cling to my forehead. I just hoped it wouldn't reopen the wound. "And what reason would that be?"

She simply shook her head as she daubed a washcloth in the warm water and began to clean the area around the cut. "It is not my place to say."

"Anything to do with the two men she's keeping portraits of in her room?"

"Again, it is not my place to say. You will have to ask her."

I sighed, but let the matter drop for now. "Alright. By the way, I appreciate you coming all the way out here for us."

"Even though I was unneeded?" she smirked.

"I wouldn't say that," I grinned back. "After all, if you weren't here, we'd probably still be trying to convince Musashi to get some rest instead of dressing this wound which, judging by the lack of shock and horror on your face, isn't all that serious."

"No, not serious," she confirmed as she set aside the washcloth and picked up several butterfly strips. "The bleeding has stopped, and I do not see any signs of debris in the wound. But you should keep an eye on it over the next few days to make sure it does not become infected."

"Sure thing," I replied, trying hard not to nod as she affixed the bandages to my forehead. "How long will I need to keep these strips on?"

"Two weeks if all goes well." As she placed the last bandage on, she leaned back and assessed her work. "There. It is complete. Now, go and wash up. I will meet you in Musashi's room."

"Sure thing," I agreed as I stood up with a quiet groan. The adrenaline was wearing off and I was beginning to feel the effects of getting slammed into a metal deck. "See you later. And thanks again."

Shinano smiled softly and bowed her head. "You are most welcome, Commander."

As I meandered back to my quarters, one thought kept echoing through my head over and over again. Musashi is the storm.

That was one question answered, but what did Shinano mean by shelter in her? In her arms? Inside the ship itself? I was already living on board Musashi so I doubted that was what she meant. There was always the literal interpretation, but if I wasn't ready for a relationship with her, I certainly wasn't ready for that just yet, as enticing as that thought was.

I sighed as I opened the door and stepped into my quarters. While the answer wasn't clear just yet, given how blatantly obvious the storm had been, I decided to try and put it out of my mind for now. I slowly stripped off my shirt and t-shirt, tossing them aside when I saw the amount of soot and blood staining them. It was a good thing I always packed extras just in case. A shower was probably in order overall, but first, I wanted to get as much of this dried blood off of my face. When I saw my reflection in the mirror, I couldn't help but grimace. The entire right side was covered in dried blood, almost as if I'd smeared dark red paint across my face like some sort of barbarian warrior. Some of it had already begun to dry and flake off, but it was still absolutely unnerving to see.

It took me the better part of five minutes, but I finally managed to get all the blood off of my face. The hardest part was the eyebrow which had soaked in down to the root of hairs there and clotted, making it almost painful to get it all cleaned out. When I looked back in the mirror, I looked far less terrifying, although still somewhat haggard. Not as bad as when I first came aboard, but it was clear to me that I still had a long way to go.


One shower later, I dried off, put on a clean uniform, and headed back to the Captain's cabin. Haguro was outside and greeted me with her usual disinterested nod before she knocked once on the door and swung it open.

"Didn't give her a lot of time to react there," I amusedly observed.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "Why would I? She's in there with her sister, so it's not like we're gonna walk in on them doing anything lewd. Unlike some other people I know…" The cruiser fixed me with a pointed look.

"For the last time it was a massage," I protested.

"And next time?"

"You'd have to ask Shinano," I huffed before striding past her and into the room.

Inside, I found Shinano and Musashi seated at the table, the ink, brushes, and scrolls set aside and a glowing holomap in its place. The map had been divided up into squares, and there were interesting figures on some, almost like chess, but nothing quite like one I'd ever seen before. They looked up from their game and smiled at me, with Musashi beckoning me to sit by her side.

"I thought you were going to get some rest," I scowled as I sat down beside her.

"I am resting," she protested with a broad smile on her face. "Unlike my sister, I find nothing special in sleep. Besides, I'm feeling much better already."

I looked up at her and saw that she had improved since I'd last seen her. Her eyes were bright and playful, and her skin didn't look quite so pale. "Yeah, you're looking better," I reluctantly agreed.

"Still," she said coyly as her arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me close to her, "perhaps you should sit close to me just in case I feel weak again."

Despite the obvious pretext, I played along and held her tightly as we got comfortable. "You know, I can't help but feel this is simply some sort of ploy to get some impromptu snuggling in…"

Musashi gasped theatrically. "Do you think I'm devious enough to try such a thing?"

"Yes," Shinano and I answered in unison, much to Musashi's delight.

Her laugh echoed throughout the room and she shook her head. "Point made. Hopefully, you don't mind it, Commander?"

I shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "It's still a bit awkward if I'm being honest, but…I like it."

The corners of her mouth tugged down in a slight frown as she peered at me. "Is there any way I could make it less awkward for you?"

"I don't think so," I shook my head. "I think this is just more…me getting comfortable being touched by someone else. Just need time to get used to the sensation again."

"Well, they do say practice makes perfect…" She grinned playfully, and I couldn't help but grin back.

"Guess we'll just have to keep practicing, then."

As we turned our attention back to the game, I saw Shinano looking over at us, an approving smile on her face and a knowing look in her crystal-blue eyes…

A/N-Ah, the road to recovery. Of course, the road is long, winding, and often filled with potholes, bumps, and flaming car crashes. Until next time, fair winds and following seas!