Yoko glanced over at her cousin, Darjeeling, captain of the St. Gloriana Women's Academy Senshado Team. Yoko was a bit nervous, although that could be attributed to customary first-year jitters. Yoko could tell Darjeeling knew something she didn't. The captain had a sort of strange grimace on her face as the director of the High School Senshado Association stepped up to the podium.
"Recently, we were contacted by a group in Australia wishing to give us some operational tanks. We've also found some tanks in Canada in running condition that we'd like to pick up along the way. Being Commonwealth nations, we wanted St. Gloriana, the British tank school, to take on these tanks. However, St. Gloriana is already at maximum capacity for tanks and is almost overflowing with students. Thanks to recent increased popularity in Senshado and the success of pro Senshado leagues, we have managed to raise enough funds to open a sister school to St. Gloriana with the Commonwealth tanks. All girls interested should notify the St. Gloriana student council by the end of this week. Tomorrow student council will hold an assembly to inform you of the tanks we found. Thank you."
Yoko's mind was racing. She'd always had a huge interest in the tanks that the Commonwealth nations received from others and the tanks that they themselves built. For Yoko, it was all about the Rams, Grizzlies, and Sentinel's.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by Darjeeling standing in front of her.
"I think you should do it, Yoko. I know you like driving the Crusader around, but you've always wanted to be in the Ram. That's why you picked the Crusader, because both of them have a six-pounder gun," Darjeeling said.
Yoko's cheeks flushed.
"I-I never told you of my affinity for the Ram II!"
"I've seen your account in that online tank game you play. 10,000 battles in the Ram II?! Really?!" Darjeeling replied with a snicker.
Yoko got even redder. Darjeeling had tracked her down in the one place where she thought she could drive tanks away from Darjeeling's commands.
"I bet you have like 25,000 battles in the Churchill VII in that game!" Yoko retorted.
"I just started, but that's the first tank I'm going for," Darjeeling conceded.
"Playing an online tank game doesn't seem very proper by your standards, Darjeeling," Yoko joked.
"Indeed, but I wanted to see what kind of things you did when you weren't in that Crusader," Darjeeling replied.
"Are you spying on me?"
"Well, I wouldn't put it like that...I just wondered why you seemed to be alone all the time..." Darjeeling flushed.
"You know I'm a very solitary person, Darjeeling. Thanks...for the concern, though..." Yoko breathed. "Anyway, yeah...depending on what they've found and tell us tomorrow, I might go to this new Commonwealth school. If all they have are stupid Grizzlies, I'd rather transfer to Saunders, and I really don't want to do that."
Darjeeling nodded. "How about you come over to my place after school? We'll have some tea and maybe you can show me how the hell to drive the bloody awful excuse for tanks they call the Medium's," She laughed.
"They're not that bad...Well, except the Medium III. They're basically slow Crusaders a couple tiers lower," Yoko explained as they walked off to their last class of the day.
