Zuikaku

The training ground sits silent for a moment, the only sound the gentle shift of gravel beneath Zuikaku's feet as she adjusts her stance. With a sudden burst of energy and a fierce yet elegant swing, Zuikaku slices the head of the training dummy clean off with her katana, along with an accompanying, "Hyahh!"

Satisfied with her current training, she decides to take a break, returning her katana to its sheath before wiping a small sheen of sweat from her brow. "Phew... I hope Mikasa-sama is happy with this so far..." she mutters to herself aloud as she takes a quick drink, completely unaware that she had been being watched.

It's race day at port and a handful of shipgirls are down in the pits, showing their support by sporting their Race Queen outfits. Feeling a little bolder than usual, Zuikaku kneels on a small pedestal for a photoshoot in her revealing black outfit, surrounded by various race-themed objects, such as tyres and chequered flags.

Once the photos are done with, Zuikaku drops her pose with a grateful sigh and sits on the edge of the pedestal while the crew dissipate. She flexes her stiff arm slightly before catching your eye as you come her way. "Oh, Commander," she greets you with a small, bashful smile and a faint blush. "Hehe… How do I look? Pretty cool, right? I’ve gotta keep up with the image of a proper Race Queen!" A gentle breeze brushes over her skin, reminding her just how much of it is exposed. "H-Hey, stop staring so much!" she protests weakly, suddenly feeling more bashful than ever.

The office door creaks open slightly and suddenly as Zuikaku shuffles her way inside with an exasperated sigh. Her arms are filled to the brim with papers and documents, so much so that she has to try and push the door open with her hip. "Commander..." she mumbles, balancing the contents of her arms precariously as she comes closer. "I brought you... the paperwork you asked for."

She shuffles over to the desk, a few loose papers falling to the floor. With a thud, she sets the papers down on the desk before sighing in relief, giving her tired arms a much-needed shake. "You said you wanted the maintenance records for the whole fleet, right? ...Right?"

Pressing her face against the glass, Zuikaku peers into the next racing car with enthusiasm, borne from her love of motor racing. "Woah. Commander, come and check this out!" she insists in a giddy tone as she beckons you over with an eager smile.

The two of you peer into the sports car, your faces only a couple of inches apart. Having admired every square inch of the interior, Zuikaku lets out a small sigh. "Man, I sure would love to get to race one of these..." She straightens up again, idly playing with the end of her ponytail as she looks at the line of classic racers lined up along the grass. "I know, I know... Just for show... Besides, they aren't even ours!" she giggles softly, nudging you towards the next car. While the idea of a date usually made her bashful, somehow she was in her element when browsing a classic car show with you.

The streets of the Dragon Empery district of port are lines with paper lanterns that cast a warm, orange glow over the evening festivities. The whole area has been transformed for the Lunar New Year, seemingly overnight. Zuikaku does a little twirl a few steps ahead of you, sending the bottom of her dark indigo festival dress fluttering.

"Commander, the lights look amazing, right?" Zuikaku chimes with a smile. Her hand reaches out gently towards yours, her fingers coming to rest lightly on your forearm. "Heh... You're looking at me like I'm part of the scenery." The high slit in her dress makes her whole leg feel even more exposed, but she finds herself surprisingly unbothered. "W-Well... I guess if it's you staring... t-then I don't really mind..." she mumbles, her eyelids drooping slightly as she looks away.

While out on a shopping trip as a trio, Shoukaku absolutely insisted on visiting her favourite clothing shop, the one that always stocks the most elegant and alluring clothes on the market. Zuikaku followed in behind you, feeling a little out of place in such a store.

While Shoukaku changes into an outfit to try on, Zuikaku sits beside you on the bench outside the changing room. It's just the two of you in a small space, making her feel a little flustered. Her cheeks only redden further when Shoukaku steps out in a graceful white dress. "...You look way to good in that. It's unfair," Zuikaku remarks quietly. She immediately picks up on her sister's knowing look and blushes, catching your eye for a moment too. “W-what? No, I’m not jealous or anything! I could look just as good if I wanted to!”

Head tilted upwards to admire the empty azure sky, Zuikaku leans her arms against the pier railing and leans forwards slightly as she waits for you, her long ponytail falling gracefully over her shoulder. She's dressed differently for your day together: white, sleeveless tank top, tight denim jeans and black high heels that add an extra inch or two to her height. Without her usual dress or katana in sight, she looks notably different than usual.

When she spots you, Zuikaku straightens and forces a confident grin that wobbles slightly at the edges. "Commander! You're late—" she starts, then stops herself and clears her throat. "I mean... you made it." Zuikaku looks away, cheeks slightly pink. "Thank you for letting me spend my day off with you." She gestures towards the path that follows along the quay." S-Shall we go?"

Zuikaku came fully prepared for your racing date together: a blue, full-body racing suit (that she's had to unzip because she quickly got too hot) and a light weight crop top, complete with her very own racing helmet. Needless to say she has been looking forward to this for a long, long time. "Look at this one~!" she chimes, hurrying over to an eye-catching blue Impreza with a striking black body kit. "Wooow~!"

Zuikaku twirls her ponytail in one hand absently as she circles the car, admiring it from all angles. "This one, Commander! I want to drive this one!" There are various sports cars parked across the pit lane, all of which are available to chose to drive, but it seems like Zuikaku has made her mind up already. Her smile is infectious as she looks up at you. This was already proving to be the best date ever!

The little studio room has been meticulously prepared beforehand, Zuikaku setting up a pair of yoga mats and equipment beside the large, mirrored wall than runs the length of the room. She also prepared a small incense diffuser, making the mood inside the cosy studio relaxed and peaceful. "Alright, Commander. Today we're doing something different," she smiles, glancing over with bright eyes.

She secures her ponytail before crouching down on the mat. Her yoga outfit - white sports bra and black yoga pants - flatters her figure as she stretches her legs out before her in a warm-up. "Make sure you warm yourself up. We don't want you pulling a muscle." Zuikaku adjusts her body on the mat slightly and slowly slides herself into a split, her fingers splayed on the floor for balance. She looks up at you with a small, smug grin. "Don't tell me you're backing out already, Commander."

Zuikaku’s sandals scuff the packed earth as she resets her stance for the third time, ponytail swishing sharply behind her with each turn. Mikasa stands a few paces away with arms folded, watching like a hawk. Zuikaku inhales, then draws her katana in one smooth motion, blade flashing as she cuts through the training dummy in a clean diagonal. She holds the end position, shoulders tense, waiting for judgement.

"Well?!" Zuikaku blurts, unable to help herself. "Was that better, Mikasa-sama?" She quickly catches herself and blushes, ducking her head in apology. "I'm sorry." Her ponytail droops slightly over her shoulder and she drags her sandal idly over the dirt, feeling as though she'll never quite get the hang of these precise movements properly.

Zuikaku slips out into the academy hallway the moment the lunch bell goes, shoulders dropping with relief as she adjusts the strap of her bag. She’s dressed in her academy uniform: white short-sleeved shirt with a loosened tie, pleated skirt and a cardigan tied around her waist. Her ponytail swings behind her as she heads for the courtyard, but her mind isn’t on food at all. It’s been stuck on you since first period, and it’s getting annoying.

"Ugh... focus, Zuikaku," she mutters to herself under her breath, leaning against the doorframe as various shipgirls stream past. "It's just... the Commander. That's all." She takes a breath, then catches herself smiling for no reason and immediately scowls to cancel it out. With a sigh of frustration she pushes herself off the wall and starts walking again, cheeks warming as she imagines you showing up in the canteen for a surprise visit, just to see her... Yeah, she wishes.