Chapter 3

I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends.

Pres. Abraham Lincoln

The sun wasn't even up when the girls met at the hangar, the freshmen and Mako barely even conscious. Even the usually resolute Morals Committee had trouble keeping their backs straight and eyes open in the dim light of the morning. "So where are those two?" Erwin grumbled, scanning the area around the hangars for Yukari and Akebi. "They said they needed to talk to us, but they don't even show up?"

"And they said it was about Nishizumi," Saemonza mused, stroking her chin. "Do you think they plot revolt?"

"The Emperor must be guarded against all who threaten him," Oryou grumbled, grabbing at an invisible sword under her coat. "Death to the shogunate."

"I'm worried, Yukarin is never late to practice no matter what." Anxious looking at her phone over and over, Saori bent over on her phone, as if it would make her less nervous about what was happening. "Do you think something happened to her?"

"Akebi isn't here either," Noriko said, the volleyball team starting to get concerned. "She's the one that sent the text, do you think they both got found by Capt. Chouno?"

"A captured soldier can only take so much before they're worn down," Erwin mused, lowering her binoculars. "And Capt. Chouno has been in the GSDF for some time, it's undoubted she's learned something about breaking a person's will."

"What are you saying?!" Saori cried, the volleyball team taking a step towards Erwin with fists ready. "You make it sound like she's taken them prisoner or something!"

"Maybe you know something we don't?" Shinobu whispered, slowly sliding a foot towards the History Club. "If you know where Akebi is, say so."

"Why should we care, you should be able to track your own legion." Caesar stood between her clubmates and the volleyball team, hands planted on her hips in proud defiance of the danger. "Akebi is your responsibility, not ours."

"Shouldn't we be stopping this?" Yuzu whispered, watching the growing conflict as the fear in her heart started to eat her alive.

"Letting them blow off steam is necessary right now," Anzu whispered, eyes half closed from lack of sleep. "If they do start fighting, the Morals Committee should stop it."

"But the Morals Committee are half asleep too," Yuzu cried, desperate to get Anzu to listen. "Momo, please help me?" Shockingly, Momo wasn't in any state to stop anything from happening. She was busy sleeping against the side of the Hetzer, monocle nearly falling off as she snored away the meeting.

"Just what are you trying to say then?" Taeko barked, edging closer to the History Club. "If you aren't trying to say they were found by Capt. Chouno, then who? Nizhizumi?"

"She hasn't been herself these past few days in case you haven't noticed," Caesar said, not moving back and inch with her clubmates behind her for backup. "Who's to say she didn't grab them for calling this meeting?"

"Then if you don't know what happened, why do you keep spouting off like you do?" Noriko didn't stand as tall as Caesar, but that didn't matter when Noriko had been training her body for sports for as long as Caesar had been working on her oratory. "Either say you know something, or stop saying these things!"

"Are you saying we're liars now?" Saemonza said, stepping closer to Caesar's side. "Our club will not be insulted in such a way!"

"I just did insult you in that way!" The two clubs were nearly on each other now, the other teams trying to back away as far as possible to keep from being swept in, but it was impossible to avoid the obvious; the air in the garage had become toxic. As Saori watched, she started to shake. Rabbit team scowled at each other, didn't lean close in like they normally would. The Auto Club was just leaning against their Tiger P, not even bothering to wax it down or check the engine.

"Hana, I'm scared," Saori said, pulling Hana close. "Where's Yukarin?"

"I've got juice!" Turning, everyone focused their angry eyes on Yukari and Akebi, waltzing up to the hangar with large bags full of juice and fast breakfast. "C'mon everyone, there's enough for…did something happen just now?"

"Yukarin!" Charging out of the hangar, Saori tackled Yukari, sending them both hard into the ground. "Oh thank goodness, they were saying you were captured and broken and all these horrible things, you're safe thank God!"

"Akebi, where were you?" Taeko asked, taking one of the bags off Akebi's hands.

"I know, we're so late," Akebi said, gently letting another bag to the ground. "Akiyama and I had been thinking, and we wanted to talk to everyone about it." Looking at everyone, Akebi nodded. "And it think it's something we absolutely need to talk about."

Like snapping out of a hypnotic trance, the History and Volleyball clubs looked at each other, and quickly jumped back. The venom in the air was blocked now, replaced with a deep confusion and yearning for answers.

"Sorry," Noriko said, carefully holding out a hand to Caesar. "We were just worried for Akebi, we didn't really want to do anything."

"No, it's our fault isn't it?" Caesar said, accepting Noriko's hand. "We should've been more helpful than we were."

"That's why I asked everyone to come here so early," Yukari said, the team slowly gathering around her as she pulled herself up. "Not only will we be back on land today, but we're also getting out teammates from the other schools. If we let ourselves get worn down more by how Capt. Chouno and Ms. Nishizumi are acting, we'll be eaten alive by the Easy Eight teams."

"But it's not them anymore," Azusa said, standing in front of her teammates. Struggling to keep her brown eyes open, she stood as commander for her weary crew. "Before the practices felt like they were actually worth something, worth coming here every morning and night for. But now that Ms. Nishizumi is acting so different, it doesn't feel like tankery is worth that at all."

"And that's why we all need to start coming together again," Yukari said, setting the drinks on the ground. "Ms. Nishizumi would never give up on us, even at our worst times. We shouldn't be ready to give up just because something is wrong for her. If anything, we should be the first ones ready to help her."

The team looked at each other, realizing how badly they had failed in focusing on how Ami had been treating them, and only after two days. None of them even bothered to notice Miho's change, so worn down by Ami's anger.

"You're right," Sodoko said, stepping forward from the team, putting a hand on Yukari and Akebi's shoulders. "We owe everything to Nishizumi. We should be the ones helping her, not worrying about ourselves." Spinning around, the head of the Morals Committee suddenly had fierceness in her eye that made Mako tremble. "We should be there for Nishizumi as she saved our school. When she gets here, we'll practice even harder, and help her smile again!"

"But what about Ms. Chouno?" Yuuki said, cowering behind Ayumi's long hair. "Even with Ms. Nizhizumi back to normal, she's still so angry that she'll eat us alive."

"We'll have to cross that bridge when we get to it," Yukari said, walking over to put a hand on Yuuki's shoulders. "I know it seems scary, I know all of you are worried," Yukari said, raising her voice to carry over everyone around her. "But remember that there are no desperate situations, only desperate people. And we should never be desperate." Quickly looking over to Erwin, the Stug III commander nodded in agreement. Smiling, Yukari pressed her case hard. "Ms. Nishizumi is the heart and soul of our team. We shouldn't turn our backs now." Putting her hand out, Yukari took one last deep breath. "Who's with me?"

The rest of Anglerfish team quickly put their hands in, no second thoughts of hesitance to be seen as they put their hands on Yukari's. The Student Council and History Club were next, quickly followed by the Volleyball team. The Morals Committee and Anteater Team took their time, but their faces were set with a determination that Yukari had come to learn all the girls had in them. Auto Club threw their oily, worn hands in too.

"But Ms. Chouno won't be happy," Yuuki said, the freshman cowering back from the huddle. "What if she doesn't like what we're saying?"

"We're like the fasces," Caesar said, looking over to the younger girls. "As individuals, we are broken easily. Together, we stand strong." Stretching her arm to the sky, cape thrown dramatically behind her as she did so, Caesar motioned to Rabbit team. "Come and join us, and our strength will protect each other and ourselves."

Azusa nodded, turning to her comrades with a face of solid resolve. "We let Ms. Nishizumi down once. We shouldn't have to let her down ever again."

"She didn't even think twice about saving us," Aya muttered, walking over and putting her hand in. "Even when the battle was on the line."

"And she taught us how to be better," Karina said, walking alongside the ever-silent Saki. "No one else would have ever been so patient to us."

Ayumi joined them all, but turned back to see Yuuki alone, curled in on herself in fear of Ami. "Yuuki?"

"I'm scared," Yuuki said, tears starting to form in her eyes. "I don't want to lose tankery, but I'm just so scared."

Hearing footsteps around her, Yuuki looked up to see that the entire team had moved to her, holding their hands under hers. "It's okay to feel scared," Yukari said, gently patting Yuuki on the back. "What matters is what you do to fight that fear."

Yuuki looked up with awe at Yukari, glassy wet eyes seeing all her friends and teammates not waiting for her, but going to where they could help her move forward. Like Ms. Nishizumi. Sniffling, Yuuki nodded, throwing her hand on the others. "Ms. Nishizumi would never abandon us no matter what, and we shouldn't abandon her!"

Yukari smiled, knowing she'd won an important victory for her team, and for the school as a whole. "Okay, no matter what we're here for Ms. Nishizumi," Yukari said, pressing down on the other hands. "So today, we're gonna show what we're capable of. Pazner vor!"

"Panzer vor!"

In seconds, the other teams were drinking their coffees and teas, planning for the practice and the arrival of the other schools. But before Yukari could join them, she and Akebi were cut off by the council.

"Thanks Yukari," Anzu said, sipping her tea as she took down another potato. "I know you and Akebi probably had to take all night planning this, and you're more than right. We've been too hard on her." Looking back to her partners, Anzu pressed on with her thoughts. "So, how do you propose we make Nishizumi happy again?"

"Well, her sister will be here today right?" Yukari said, tapping her chin lightly as the team drank up their juice. "Maybe we should find a way to get them both alone? Her older sister seemed really focused on how Ms. Nishizumi was after the final."

"That could work," Anzu said, a light sparking behind her eyes as she made her way to the center of the group with Yukari. "But we all need to make sure Capt. Chouno is occupied. We might even need to make sure that the other teams are involved." Raising her fist, Anzu almost seemed to stand taller than Yukari even on the level ground. "What do we call this operation?"

"Operation Friends First," Yukari said, raising her fist too. "Because no matter what, our friends should always come first every time!"

The girls all raised their drinks and fists as one. "Operation Friends First!" Cheering, they surrounded Anzu and listened, careful to remember exactly what their own roles were in the plan.

Making a last minute check on her uniform, Ami nodded to her reflection in the mirror of her apartment, grabbing her keys on her way out the door. Throwing her garrison cap on, she pulled twice on the door to make sure it was locked. Nodding, she tapped her way downstairs, the crisp sound of the boots smacking the ship's pavement an even tempo. Silently, she cursed the fact that MEXT had given the green light to the exhibition. Her position was supposed to have been temporary, getting the academy's program up to speed before sending her back to her unit. Now, storming down the street, Ami cursed Taylor.

"Probably his idea to begin with," she growled, not noticing the schoolboys she'd just sent scurrying for the other side of the road. "Or his father. That whole family, they always have a card to play." The weather didn't bring Ami joy, looking over the bright calm day. It meant clear visibility, a need for cover and a minimum of dust on the field for the enemy to spot. The breeze didn't factor into anything important except which way the dust and smell of exhaust would blow. For Ami, it was a terrible day.

The walk itself wasn't too hard, only a mile in her broken-in boots, but the mood she'd been in for the past few days didn't help matters. As far as she had been concerned, her job was over the second Ōarai won the flag from the finals. She was supposed to have received new orders, get back to Fuji, but now she was stuck keeping the girls trained against Americans.

"Americans they won't even get a fair chance against," Ami growled. "What the hell was MEXT thinking? Did the Taylors freaking bribe someone?" Shaking her head, Ami pressed on to the hangar, trying to keep her temper as far in check as she could.

Walking into the hangar, Miho was surprised to see the team already hard at work with the tanks. Clanging metal and shouts for parts rang out through the bay, Yukari standing atop the Ausf. H and barking orders. "No, Rabbit team, you know better than to use those tools. Suzuki, can you please help Rabbit team with their suspension?"

"What's going on?" Time seemed to freeze when Miho asked, everyone in the hangar turning to stare at her. For an eternity of a second, no one dared even breathe.

"Okay, places people, we need absolute concentration on the plan, move it," Anzu barked, smiling impishly as the teams ran at her orders. "Hippo team, I want that Stug out there on the double, make sure Capt. Chouno is kept as far away as possible from the officer's meeting, understood?"

"Right!" Before Miho could ask what was happening, Anzu and the other tank commanders dragged her out the back way and out of the hangar, throwing their leader into the back of the Morals Committee's truck.

"Everyone hang on," Sodoko said, voice quaking in a mix of fear and excitement. Shifting into gear, the truck roared out from behind the hangar towards the bridge of the ship. Looking around, the Miho that the team knew and had come to love started to reappear. "Ms. Nishizumi, are you alright?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine, but why'd you all drag me out like that," Miho said, scanning the other commanders for an answer.

"Just a strategy meeting Nishizumi, learning about who we're gonna face in the exhibition." Ripping off a hunk of dried sweet potato, Anzu grinned wide as the truck sped unnoticed away from the hangar. "You just relax for a while, okay?"

Miho shifted nervously, trying to sit upright in the back of the cramped truck. "But what about Capt. Chouno? Once she realizes we're gone-"

"The rest of the team tells her we're in a strategy meeting," Anzu said, laid out across Nekonta, Caesar, and Noriko, elbows and knees digging into her three teammates. "She'll be so busy focusing on the tanks that she won't even care about our strategy meeting."

"Has anyone else noticed that too?" Azusa asked, wedged between the cab and the rest of the captains. "Ms. Chouno seems really obsessed with making sure the tanks are always working right."

"Now that you mention it, she has been focused on how our tanks function," Caesar mused, stroking her chin thoughtfully. "Even though the only tank we've ever really had trouble with is the Tiger P."

"I just don't feel that Ms. Chouno's telling us something important," Sodoko said from the front. "She was just supposed to be a temporary instructor wasn't she? Why is she so involved all of a sudden?"

"Guess we'll have to worry about that later," Anzu said, stretching out as the truck sped along. "Hey Sodoko, think we can grab some takeout on the way?"

"Is it even worth telling anyone not to call me that?" Sodoko groaned, turning left on the way to the bridge.

By the time Ami walked up to the hangars, she was surprised to see that the teams were already at work on maintenance. Even the normally stumbling Anteater team looked like they had gotten a firm grip on what needed to be done for their tank. Ami didn't smile though, instead she kept her lip down and eyes sharp. "Team, fall in!"

With one bark of an order, the girls scrambled into line, uniform and precise for the first time in three days. Nodding, Ami stood tall at the head of the group. "Now, you all know our new teammates will be arriving today," Ami said, pacing in front of the girls, glaring down each student she could. "We have to do our utmost to ensure that these other tanks are in the same mechanical condition as our own, and that goes double for the tanks from Anzio and Kuromorimine." Stopping, Ami blinked and quickly looked over the formation. Slowly, a harsh growl started to build in the back of her throat.

"Oh no, she finally noticed," Yuzu whispered. Momo was already shaking in terror.

"Where are my commanders?" Ami growled, stalking around the formation. "Am I to understand that my tank commanders are all out of formation on the day we begin our combined drills? If anyone knows where they are, I'd better know too or-"

"Gooooooooooood morning, Ōarai!" Stopped mid-rant, Ami and the girls turned to see blond-haired Kei, commander of Saunders, jumping from her school's Willys to greet her new teammates. "We're all here, ready to kick some American butt!" Standing triumphant, Kei finally opened her eyes to see the entire team staring at her like she had sprouted a second head that sang Gilbert and Sullivan.

"Good morning," Darjeeling said, walking up behind Kei, followed by the other girls from the assisting schools. Bowing, she smiled politely at the Ōarai girls. "We're honored to be fighting with you all, especially against the American Easy Eight."

"Thank you girls for showing up early," Ami said, looking over her team's new recruits. The girls from St. Gloriana's looked ready to fight and win, standing calmly nearby and waiting for orders. The Saunders girls, by contrast, looked like they were ready to party hard first and rock'n'roll later with how Kei was standing next to her own teammates. Katyusha and Nonna stood to the back, calmly waiting to see what would happen next. Anzio's girls nodded to the entire Ōarai team, but the girls from Kuromorimine, including Maho Nishizumi, just sat silently in their Kübelwagen waiting for orders. "Tank commanders proceed to the bridge, the other tank commanders are waiting." Nodding, the other girls jumped off their cars and fell in with Ōarai as their commanders drove off. "Very good. Well, where are your tanks?"

"On shore ma'am," Arisa said matter-of-factly. "We were told practice would be moved to the land when we arrived."

The entire team braced as Ami took one long, hard breath.

"I just got a real bad feeling," Kei said, suddenly trying to shake off a wave of fear as she drove to the bridge.

One short drive later, and Kei walked up to the doors of the bridge with the others. "Well, into the breach," Kei said, chuckling as the other commanders followed her inside. "So Darjeeling, think they're ready for the match?"

"After the tournament, I feel like Ōarai would be ready for any eventuality," Darjeeling said, quietly tapping up the stairs as opposed to Kei's clanking footfalls. Like the Ōarai team, little had changed for the five commanders of the schools Ōarai had faced in the tournament. "Though this might have been too unimaginable even for Ms. Nishizumi."

"I still don't see why we're needed," Anzai asked, practically marching up the stairs. "They already have a champion on their team, why ask us for help?"

"The American Easy Eight are some of the top tankery competitors in the world," Maho answered, calmly following up the stairs behind the three other commanders. "This isn't so much a sport to them as it is legitimate military training."

"Then that makes them even more vulnerable to Nishizumi's style of command," Katyusha said, riding atop Nonna up the stairs. "We all lost to her fairly, so it's only right that we become part of the Japanese national team with her."

"I'm not sure that logic makes much sense," Kei mused, the commanders reaching the student council room. "Well, here we are." Not even bothering to knock, Key burst through the door, laughing as she breached the way in. "Hey, Miho, congratulations on the exhibition."

"Oh, Kei," Miho said, standing up as the other commanders entered the room, smiling wide as Maho walked in. "Sister, it's so good to see you."

"You too Miho," Maho said, smiling softly as she found an empty seat in front of the whiteboard. "I know you'll lead us to victory, with your own tankery."

"So, let's get to it then?" Anzu said, cutting off the conversation almost instantly. "Yuzu and Yukari both managed to find some good information on the American Easy Eight that we can use."

"Good old Sgt. Oddball," Kei laughed, collapsing into a seat and kicking her feet up on the nearest table. "Figures she'd be one of the people getting us what we need to know."

Nodding, Anzu turned on the projector in front of the whiteboard, showing eight school logos. Miho stood next to the screen as the other commanders settled in. "What we know for sure is that the two military academies will definitely be competing," Miho said, using a red marker to circle a black knight and charging ram. "They'll probably have the best training and tanks to use against us, and they should be our main priority during the exhibition. Taking out a blue marker, Miho circled the other six. "The other schools aren't military colleges, but their tanks will be crewed by reservist cadets, so we shouldn't take them lightly."

"Military cadets, meaning there won't be any hesitation to win," Darjeeling mused, sitting next to Anzai. "And they might use any method they can as well, which means we can't afford to be off our guard at any time."

"I'm more worried about their equipment," Caesar said. "Do we know anything about the tanks they have?"

"Not that we could find," Anzu said, taking out some dried potatoes from her desk. "Yuzu and Yukari said they'll keep looking though, but they don't think they'll have much luck."

"That makes our lives all the more difficult then," Darjeeling said, sitting upright with her head held high. "Perhaps we can look up these schools matches online?"

"That won't matter if we have an advantage in numbers," Katyusha said, Nonna standing patiently behind her chair. "We can crush them in the first match if we decide to overrun them."

"Like how we did in our match?" Nonna asked, Katyusha giving a huff but not answering.

"Do we know if Americans have tankery in high school?" Nakajima asked, leaning forward in her seat. "If they've been doing this since then, they might have way more experience than us."

"Experience doesn't count for much apparently," Anzu said, grinning as she tore a piece off another dried potato. "It's why we're all here after all."

"Please, let's all focus on the match coming up," Miho said, trying to steer the conversation away from any trouble before it could begin. "Now, we found out that several of these schools are intense rivals with each other in terms of sports." Taking a green marker, Miho drew lines from the black knight to the ram, from a blue and white lion to a blue and gold "M" and a red "O", and from an orange bull's head to a bear waving a flag. "We're not sure if they have a truly serious rivalry, but if they can't work together on the field, I think we can use their disarray to help our own plans."

"But they're planning on being professional soldiers after college," Darjeeling pointed out. "If that's the case, they're probably more than capable of overcoming any school loyalties for their efforts to win."

"Koyama said that there are three teams who are a different branch from the other schools," Miho said, marking the ram, a blue and gold "ND", and the blue and gold "M". "If the school loyalties don't affect them, this might give us an advantage if they can't work together."

"And what if they don't?" Miho lost all track of her briefing, derailed by her sister suddenly jumping in. "It's foolish to act as though they won't come together in the face of a common opponent. We need to act as one unit like they will, capable of matching their attacks blow for blow."

"But isn't it important they don't know what to expect from us?" Kei said, motioning at Miho. "Miho here has done things no one could've ever expected in tankery, if these guys are gonna be professional military tankers, they could easily fall into thinking that their way is the best, never leaving what doesn't work behind because it's what they were taught."

"No, Maho is right," Darjeeling said, nodding with Maho's point. "In real life, many of America's tank battles were won with numbers and technology, along with the fact that skill levels between the American and enemy tank crews were often vastly mismatched. They use tankery to train their tankers how to think outside of what is conventional, without the risk of lasting physical harm."

"Then we just need to be crazier than they are," Kei said, pumping her fist in the air. "We're all the leaders of our tanks for a reason right? With Miho at the controls, we can't lose to the American colleges at all!"

Maho narrowed her eyes at Kei, but said nothing. The other commanders were mixed at Kei's speech. Caesar, Noriko, and Azusa both looked inspired, though Darjeeling and Sodoko looked less than impressed. Nekota just stared at the room from behind her glasses, as Anzu just ate away at her potatoes. Feeling a pressure in the room, Miho took a deep breath. "I know it's hard everyone, and I know that we've all been forced into this," Miho said, trying to fight through the sudden attack of nerves. "I know you all probably didn't want this to happen, and honestly I just wish we could all go to summer break." Folding her hands in front of her hips, Miho stared at the floor as her hands gripped at each other. "If someone else wants to lead, I really wouldn't mind."

The room came to a screeching silent halt. Kei lowered her fist, Darjeeling letting out a low breath. Maho turned her head for the window, as all the Ōarai commanders fidgeted in their seats. Even Anzu stared down at her desk, trying to avoid saying anything more.

"What are you all suddenly so afraid of?" Anzai barked, standing on her chair with her horsewhip waving around her head. "We all know Miho's the best person here to lead us, whether you all like it or not. A commander's responsibility is to win, but the subordinate's responsibility is to follow their commander." Smiling, Anzai pointed her whip at Nishizumi. "If Ms. Nishizumi is going to lead us, then we must trust her no matter what."

"Now that's what I'm talking about," Kei said, grabbing Miho around the neck in a hug. "With Miho at the head, we all know we can't lose!"

"Kei is right about Anzai being right," Katyusha said, jumping up from her chair, stopping, then climbing atop Nonna. "We all owe it to Nishizumi to lead us, especially after she's proven herself."

Darjeeling smiled. "Then I suppose we should all get back to work then." Turning to Miho, the Churchill commander nodded. "We're sorry commander. Please, continue with your briefing. Once Kei stop's strangling you that is."

Laughing, Kei released Miho, the younger Nishizumi looking over her sub-commanders. There was a pressure in her chest, a feeling of pride that let her know they might have a point in letting her lead them uncontested. Doing her best to swallow any fear left in her mind, Miho nodded. "Right, we can win this." Letting herself smile against, Miho went back and picked up the nearest marker. "Now, here's where the rivalries are strongest."

As Miho spoke, Maho felt someone tap her on the shoulder. Turning, she saw Anzu leaning right over the president's desk. "Say, Maho, would you mind staying after the briefing so I can talk with you?"

"Of course," Maho said, nodding before turning back to the briefing. "Now please, I need to concentrate."

Anzu nodded back, silently hoping that Maho would be able to fill in some of the pieces Anzu didn't want left empty for long.

"There's one thing I still don't get thought," Azusa said, raising her hand. "If there's so many rivals in American tankery, how'd they manage to all get together for this?"

"It was probably the colleges themselves," Miho said, capping the marker. "The teams are rivals, but the schools are able to see past that like we have."

"Then let's make sure we win," Anzu said, polishing off the dried potatoes. "Anyway, everyone else? You can head back to the practice."

"Alright, time to work on our teamwork," Kei said, holding her hands behind her head as she trampled down the staircase, followed by the other girls. Except for Maho.

"Miho?" Blinking as she tried to clean off the whiteboard, Miho said her sister sitting in front of the president's desk, Anzu already walking out the door. "Make sure you check that the door's locked, okay?" Anzu said, giggling a little. "See you both down at the practice field." With that, the door was slammed shut, leaving the two sisters alone together for the first time in years.

"Your student council president is certainly a fan of laissez-faire leadership isn't she?" Maho said, walking back to her seat. "She certainly seems to prefer other people do most of the work."

"No, Kadotani is actually a really good president," Miho said, her voice raising a few octaves trying to defend Anzu. "She's really smart, she's the whole reason why Ōarai wasn't shut down after the tournament."

Maho smiled, looking over at Miho. "You're right." Miho always appreciated it when her sister smiled. After so many years of the Nishizumi style, it always seemed like Maho could only scowl, never smile, and was only ever made to be the perfect embodiment of the Nishizumi tankery style. A smile from Maho always gave Miho a good, warm feeling inside, and now was no exception.

"So how has practice been the past few days?" Maho asked. "Are your teammates nervous about facing the Easy Eight?"

Miho fidgeted a little, wringing her hands as she sat next to Maho. "Actually, we're all pretty worn out. Capt. Chouno, she…"

"Only after two days of practicing?" Maho said, eyes wide with unwanted surprise. "What has she had you all doing?"

"Lots of drills, and even more maintenance," Miho said, looking away from her sister as she felt the weight of the past two days finally crashing in on her. "It was actually pretty bad Maho, just like when we were training. I…I didn't know what to do."

Maho gently reached out to her sister, pulling back when Miho flinched a little, but after a few seconds started rubbing Miho's back to try and calm her younger sister down. "Miho, it's alright. This isn't how it used to be. You said it yourself, you finally found your own tankery here."

"I know, and everyone's done everything to help me," Miho said, curling up on herself. Maho noticed that her sister's hands were trying to clutch at something that wasn't there, trying to hold the air between her arms and body. "The training is just so sudden, it's too much like before sister."

Maho nodded, rubbing Miho's back long into the day.