A/N
Hi there! Thanks for checking out my fan fiction story in a few months. As I'm sure you could guess, as a result of not writing in a while thanks to a lack of motivation on my part, my skills have probably dulled up a lot. I hope this won't be too bad of a fanfic, and I hope I manage to entertain some of you with it. If not, leave me a review telling me what I did wrong, what you liked, and what you think I could do better. Constructive criticism is always appreciated and will help me get back into the loop.
This story will be moving away from the canon Girls und Panzer plot, and as such, Miho and Maho will be developed differently, personalities included. On the personality note, there may be times where I may not get the characters right 100% as I am not their creator, however I will strive to get their personalities right as best that I can, so if I make any mistakes, please bare with me.
On the subject of update times, I will try and release one chapter per week as hard as I can, however, with school and other activities taking up a portion of my free time, this may not always be the case.
Getting warnings out of the way, this story will contain incestuous themes between the characters Maho Nishizumi and Miho Nishizumi. If you aren't okay with that, this story probably isn't for you and would suggest leaving.
With all that sorted out, let's begin!
Love is a strange thing, a strange thing indeed. It means many different things to many different people across many different societies. In one, how many lovers you could take was a symbol of status, showing your might. In another, it was a sign of pleasure, for no two people could ever love the same, and what was the point in not fully indulging in such delights?
The ways in which we acquire it are also vastly different. Sometimes, it requires little more than asking, or showing that you have desirable traits or resources, such as food, money, livestock and other things. However, sometimes it is a bit more extreme. War. We think of war nowadays as little more than mindless slaughter, lives and potential with the possibility to innovate and invent thrown to the wind because your great leaders said it had to be so.
In more civilized times, warfare was ever-present, yet no lives were lost. Why? Because this type of warfare, Sensha-do, had been turned into a sport, and as with everything, safety precautions had to be put in place, moreso in Sensha-do's case than any other. Why, you ask? Simple. Sensha-do is a sport that involves tanks. As barbaric as it seems, it is actually quite an interesting activity, and all throughout Japan it was practiced. Great schools such as Kuromorimine Girls High School, Saunders Girls High School and St. Gloriana Girls High School became quite famous all across the world, moreso in Japan than anywhere else.
Sensha-do leads to many interesting opportunities in the way of love. Boys all across the country view girls who practice it as more attractive and mature, and as such had led to many girls far and wide taking it as part of their school curriculum and even going so far as to make a career out of it. At the same time, however, Sensha-do is less of a sport to some and more of an obligation. A necessary part of their life. For them, they would like little more to get away from the sport, as it has become less of a fun hobby and more of a chore.
Take Miho Nishizumi for example. Born into a family that was downright fanatical about Sensha-do, it took one mistake, one loss to scar her so much that she had completely abandoned her Sensha-do team and position as vice-commander, then left her school ship and stayed on one where there was no Sensha-do team. A coincidence? Hardly.
Miho never recovered from it, and shortly after her departure, she was disowned by her mother Shiho, and from that day forward, the only family Miho had ever spoken to was her elder sister, Maho. Maho had been Miho's best friend for as long as she could remember so it was only natural that Miho would call on her for help in way of shipping things over from home, or what used to be her home, be it a little bit of pocket change to spend on sweets or things Miho owned, she could always count on her big sister, even with her distant and serious demeanor.
Yet, for such an attitude, Maho loved her sister dearly, and when Miho left home, she took it upon herself to research and locate a good school for her to attend. Her first option was Ooarai Girls High School, but after doing some digging and finding out it was shutting down, she decided against it and had her transferred to another school, Black Beaver Girls High School, with a little bit of pressure put on her sister. The ends, indeed, justified the means.
Black Beaver was unique in that, like Ooarai, it had no Sensha-do team and wouldn't have one for as long as the school stayed in commission. They weren't against Sensha-do, of course, they just believed that other things were far more important. Things like math and science were dangerously neglected in some schools to the point where the only merit of students that graduated from such schools was their skill in the sport, the highlight of their day was to battle one another in giant war machines, and they would drown out other classes in favor of further developing existing strategies and inventing new ones.
Miho, away from Sensha-do, absolutely adored Black Beaver. The students were nice, friendly, and theirs was one of the most nature-abundant ships in the entire world, with animals just about everywhere they could be, you would frequently see deer in the forest, fish in the ponds, and birds in the skies above, drawing a direct correlation to Canada's abundant amount of wildlife and nature. It was quiet, peaceful, no tanks to be seen, and the ship was short enough that you could realistically walk from one end to the other and not break a sweat provided you were decently in-shape. The fauna were also quite nice, very friendly and always willing to stop by and spend some time with their human friends.
And Maho? Well, she was just happy Miho was safe and sound, away from her mother and the wrath she would unleash if she had ever saw her youngest daughter again.
Yet, as with all things, there is a story to be told here. One of forbidden love, neglect of ones duties as heiress, and oppressive behavior from the one who should support you through thick and thin.
SATURDAY, JUNE 23RD, THIRD DAY OF SUMMER
DAY ONE OF VISIT
Our story begins with the two Nishizumi sisters, Miho and Maho. From the start of the year til just a few weeks prior, Maho had been planning to share some quality time with her younger sister, for after Miho's departure, time spent with one another was scarce if non-existent. Sensha-do had kept Maho pinned, alongside her other courses at Kuromorimine, and with the weight of expectations from Shiho and her mother's recent disposition towards Miho, it was difficult to get any time at all with each other. Yet, Maho had been raised stern, unflinching in the way of fire and adamant towards reaching what she wanted, so when she decided on spending the entirety of summer with Miho, she was dead set on it.
Starting from January 1st, Maho began preparations to leave. It started with a bit of money set aside here and there until she had a sizable amount ready for purchasing supplies and treats and whatever else she would need to have the best time possible with Miho. Then, a way of transport was secured. Kuromorimine, alongside their tanks, also commandeered planes and zeppelins for quick transportation if need be. The vice-commander, Erika Itsumi, would be flying her to the Black Beaver ship before returning to Kuromorimine and taking control for the time that Maho Nishizumi was absent. With these things out of the way, it came time to inform everyone of her decision. While the entirety of her Sensha-do team was happy that their commander was taking some time off, Shiho was less so about it, and downright refused to let her leave at first. Only through sheer determination and a bit of Maho charm was she able to convince her mother to let her leave.
When all was prepared, the time came to inform Miho, and give her an option. Miho was, understandably, ecstatic, happy beyond words to finally be able to spend some time with her sister that wasn't strained by work and tensions, and quickly gave the affirmative for Maho's summertime visit. With all of this out of the way, the days passed quickly for both sisters until the time came for Maho's visit.
Before Maho's arrival, Miho decided to take a walk through the forests of her school ship to clear her head and unwind should any stress be present, wanting to be in tip-top shape for her guest. For how dense it was, it was only fitting that its abundance of surprises made the stress and anxiety of the day fade in mere minutes. A short while walking and Miho would come upon some berry bushes, another while yet, and she would happen upon a small pond where the fish swam below the surface, never ceasing to bring a smile to her face.
With a half an hour passed, Miho began her march back home, passing the familiar pine and oak trees, packed so tightly with leaves that they nearly blotted out the sky above, leaving just enough room for the light of the sky to slip past the green blanket that towered above her and every other creature that walked these trails. Emerging from the forest, Miho took to the streets, passing familiar shops and landmarks such as the electronic repair shop, the bakery, one of many restaurants and a grocery store as well to name a few.
The walk was short and she would return home to find Maho waiting on her doorstep with a large bag strung over her shoulders that held her possessions. Maho had apparently having arrived moments prior as made evident by the fact that she was looking herself over to make sure she looked her best before knocking. The surprise on her face to hear her younger sister call out to her made Miho giggle ever so quietly as she approached and gave her sister a tight embrace, receiving a familiar ruffle of the hair. "Hello Miho. I see you went for a walk." Maho greeted, stroking her head even after Miho pulled away, only ceasing when she went to open the door.
"Ah, yes I did! There's nothing like a good walk to clear your head before something big happens." Miho explained, leading her sister into her small, yet adequate, apartment. The furnishings inside were nothing special yet nothing to scoff at either. For being as young as she was and with her schedule, Miho was able to keep her home in relatively good shape. The walls were a white color and all along them, picture frames with memories from her past sat, from her first Sensha-do victory to a day of fun at the park with Maho when they were wee.
Alongside this, the stuffed bears that looked like they had been on the wrong end of a car collision, known formally as "Boko," littered the house. They were everywhere they could be! On the couch, on the chairs and on the coffee table, and presumably, in Miho's bedroom as well though Maho never went in there, and wouldn't unless invited in. She believed that Miho's room should stay her room even after her departure from home, and only through persistence did she stop their mother from tampering with the possessions inside.
"Have you eaten lunch yet?" Maho asked out of the blue, setting her bag down by the door and taking off her shoes, putting them with her sisters before moving to the kitchen, not waiting for a reply before she began to make Miho something to eat. "I can't stress how important it is to eat lunch Miho. There is too big a time difference from breakfast to dinner, not eating lunch isn't good for you." She ranted as she retrieved the toaster from the cupboard, sliding two pieces of bread inside and beginning to toast them while she rummaged through the fridge, taking an apple and cutting it into 8 slices before setting it on a plate.
All the while Miho hovered over her shoulder as she did every time Maho cooked with Miho in the vicinity, a younger sibling interested in what the older was doing. When the toaster popped, Maho retrieved the toast and spread some strawberry jelly and peanut butter on them before cutting them into triangles as she had done for years, putting it on the plate as well and shipping it off to the dinner table alongside a glass of orange juice with a pink bendy straw in it. "Sit and eat while I unpack. The spare room is mine, correct?" Maho asked, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder.
"O-Oh, okay! Thank you, sis! And yes, the spare room is yours for whenever you're here!" Miho said with a smile before digging in. There was a distinct difference between Maho and Shiho's cooking, the former's felt like it was made because Maho wanted Miho to stay healthy, happy and fed, never hungry, whereas the latter's was more of an obligation. That, and Maho's always felt like it was made with love. For as little as Maho showed, her distant and serious demeanor did nothing to disguise her true feelings to Miho, sheer love and nothing less.
Meanwhile, down the hall, Maho entered the room she had become so familiar with. The walls were the same white as the rest of the house, and the only furniture in there was a small TV, a bed that was a bit too small for Maho to sleep in comfortably, and a dresser as well. Nevertheless, Maho was thankful she at least had a room, even if it wasn't what she was used to. With a slight smile, she began to unpack, putting her clothes away in the dresser. Skirts, pants, dresses, shirts and socks alike went inside, packing it full. With that out of the way, she put a pair of brown slippers by the side of the bed and a bathrobe on the back of the door, alongside her towels.
The money Maho had brought along with her was safely stored in her wallet which was kept in her backpack when she didn't need it, and the only thing left was her umbrella which was stored on the rack by the door. Returning to Miho, Maho took a seat at the end of the table and watched her eat silently, smiling lightly. "You've grown since we last saw each other." Maho said, her gaze falling to Miho's hair. "And your hair as well, I'm glad to see. You've always looked better with long hair. Grow it out just a little more and you will be the jewel of every boy's eye."
Miho smiled widely at the thought, how many friends she could make like that. If only it were so easy. "You really think so? Is that why so many boys want to date you?" An audible chuckle came from Maho who simply nodded in reply, saying nothing. "But.. if so many boys like you, then why don't you have a boyfriend?"
Maho's breathing hitched for a second as she thought of a reply though a scrambled sentence forming "It's complicated," left her mouth immediately. That was something she was unable to fully answer herself. The purpose of Sensha-do was to prove that you were a desirable lover, that you were a strong, independent woman, and that the boy that you fell in love with should be thankful they won your love, at least that was what the general consensus was, yet for as powerful a commander as Maho was, she still had yet to fall in love. Heiress to the Nishizumi title, leader of the Kuromorimine Sensha-do team, commander of the Tiger I tank that Michael Wittmann himself used, yet for all the boys she knew, not one of them she found interesting. How odd.
"Ooh.. well, if it's complicated, then I understand." Miho stood up and washed off her plate and rinsed her cup before turning back to Maho. "Uhm.. would you like to go for a walk? It's really nice out today and I thought we could spend some time walking around, I can even show you the spots I like to go to!" She asked as Maho shook herself from her daze. With a quick nod, the two girls slipped on their shoes and were off, exploring the ship that Miho called home.
For hours the two girls stayed out, Miho showed her sister all the cool and interesting spots that she went to sometimes, from the pond with the cute fishies to the park with the deer roaming around, the two shared the first memorable experience they had in a while side-by-side, and when they returned home, Maho made a quick dinner for the two of them before they both went to bed for the night, exhausted, yet in high spirits.. and it was that day that Maho had laughed and smiled like old times, better times. Yet there was a nagging feeling at her side, one that reminded her that this splendid high wouldn't last forever.
Yet, Maho was Maho, and if she wanted something, she would have it. It was only a matter of time..
