Interlude 2: Nodoka
After practice ended at Saunders, Akado Harue, coach of the Saunders tankery team, gathered the team together for an analysis of their performance in practice. The students had changed back into their school uniforms, which consisted of a gray blazer, white dress shirt, red skirt and black necktie.
"Good work, everyone, Harue, said. "But don't let your guard down- it's hard to tell when a small school might arise and take down a reigning champion. We may see ourselves as fighting to defeat Black Forest in spite of the odds against us, but there are many schools smaller and less experienced than us that want to, at the very least, take us down first, so we can't let our guard down."
After Harue left them for the day, some members of the Saunders team gathered around to talk. A few of them were girls who were originally from a small town called Achiga, while the other was Kay, Saunders' commander.
"Harue's unusually serious," Ako said after Harue left. The coach, while assigning intense training and often having the students go into practice matches with each other, was never a stickler for formality, especially to those she knew from long ago. But they, especially the students who knew her from longer ago, knew it was rare for her to impress upon them the stakes of winning, especially when their first opponent, Joghurt Academy, seemed to be a relatively weak one.
"Haru-chan's been down this road before," Sagimori Arata, a girl with short dark hair said. "It's been what, 10 years now, since she was in our position? How happy and confident was she, along with the rest of her team, before that fateful match?"
As Arata spoke, she acknowledged to herself that her perspective on Harue was relatively new. But even so, she knew that even when her perception of Harue was most unfavorable, she still realized the significance of what had happened to her, and found it easy to understand why she would caution her students against growing overconfident.
The team silently pondered the unsettling idea that, whether due to a twist of fate or facing an enemy too strong for them to defeat, all their hopes could be extinguished. As Black Forest had been unexpectedly defeated the previous year, there was no reason to assume that it was not possible for anything of the sort to happen to Saunders- even the first round was no exception. All of them found the discussion a difficult one, but none of them could argue with that idea.
"But anyway," Shizuno said, "Aren't we kind of hoping that an underdog- namely Oarai- will win this time, so that we can face off with Nodoka?"
"Yes, that's right," Matsumi Kuro, a first-year with long brown hair who was an old friend of Nodoka's, said, "But at minimum, we'll need to get to the semi-finals for this to happen. And so will they."
The realization that the reunion that they hoped for was not entirely in their hands was an uncomfortable one.
Arata, sensing the discomfort, and having some things she was curious about, decided to change the subject.
"Um…" Arata said, "I've been meaning to ask for a while, but who exactly is Haramura Nodoka? I feel like the only one here who's never met her. Despite being in Kuro's year, I never met the rest of her friends, since she and I were in different classes from Nodoka, Shizuno and Ako."
Matsumi Yuu, the only third-year of the group of Achiga girls and Kuro's older sister, nodded. She had shoulder-length blonde hair, and tended to dress in thick clothing even in warm weather, as she was especially susceptible to the cold.
"I haven't, either," Yuu said. "Kuro-chan often told me about Nodoka-chan in her letters to me, since I was in middle school when Kuro-chan and the others met her, but I've never actually met her in person."
"Now that I think about it..." Kay said, "I think you might have mentioned Nodoka before, Yuu."
"It all started when we were in sixth grade," Shizuno said. "That's when we first met Nodoka."
Meanwhile, at Oarai
After practice, Saki, Miho, Yuuki K. and Nodoka walked back home together. Their conversation turned to something Nodoka had said before.
"Did you say that you did tankery before coming here, Nodoka-chan?" Saki said.
"That's correct, Saki-san," Nodoka said. "In middle school, Yuuki and I did tankery, but it started well before that. Late in elementary school, I was in a town called Achiga in Nara Prefecture, and I did tankery with some of my friends. I had just moved there, as a result of my father getting a transfer, and was still getting used to living in the town."
Saki nodded in understanding. They passed an ice cream parlor where Saki and Nodoka had ice cream the previous evening, and Saki, for the first time, recognized the building, instead of dismissing it as an anonymous building that was merely part of the scenery on her walks to and from the school. Oarai was still unfamiliar to Saki, and she understood Nodoka's feeling out of place in a new town.
"I did often meet some girls when I was heading to the bus and getting ready to go to school," Nodoka said. "Those girls, Shizuno and Ako, introduced me to their tankery club and they, along with Kuro, became my friends while I lived in Achiga."
Four years ago
Nodoka hurried toward the bus stop that was near her apartment in the suburbs of Achiga, struggling to keep up with two girls she had seen before on a few occasions. Shizuno wore her typical outfit of a tracksuit, which she not only wore while out running, but most of the time when she did not have to wear a uniform. In those days, Ako's hair was shorter, and resembled Yuuki U.'s to an extent.
"Hey, transfer student, hurry up!" Shizuno called out. "The bus is almost there!"
Nodoka panted and gasped for breath as she rushed forward. Athletics was not her strong suit, but she would not have had to run if she had more easily found the bus stop, which was some distance from her house.
"I'm… trying…" Nodoka stammered.
"We've still got some time, Shizu," Ako said. "And it's probable that she doesn't have as much of a chance to exercise where she's from- Tokyo, was it?"
"Yes… that's right," Nodoka said, catching her breath as she reached Shizuno and Ako.
"And I suppose that your frilly fashion sense is also popular there, isn't it?" Shizuno said.
But something else was bothering her. This was not the first time she had moved, and she was already beginning to understand how each time she did, she had to start over- as an outsider to established groups of friends, struggling to find her way on streets that her classmates knew like the backs of their hands, and not even necessarily knowing whether she would be at the school until she graduated, much less where she would go once she advanced to the next level.
"And could you please stop calling me 'transfer student' or 'frilly?'" Nodoka said. "My name is Haramura Nodoka."
"Well then, Nodoka… let's be friends!" Shizuno said, pleased.
Nodoka believed that Shizuno seemed as though she was the kind to make friends quickly, as well as the kind who would enjoy lighthearted jabs at her friends- Nodoka would have to get used to that. But while she wondered how long she would spend in Achiga, she was glad to find those who would easily welcome her.
"Yes, let's, Shizuno," Nodoka said, pleased.
After school that day, Shizuno started racing ahead on the path leading out of the school, while Ako tried to keep up and Nodoka trailed behind.
"Do you exercise a lot, Shizuno?" Nodoka said, as she struggled to keep up with her.
"I do, but it's more like you don't seem to, at all," Shizuno said. "So what are you good at, Nodoka?"
"If I had to say," Nodoka said, "I've been interested in tanks for a long time. I can't quite actually do it, but I think I know a lot for someone my age"
Shizuno and Ako's eyes widened at what they had just heard.
"Awesome!" Shizuno said. "I know just the place for you!"
Shizuno and Ako led Nodoka to a building that should have been familiar, but did not seem to be from where Nodoka stood. Only when Nodoka saw a sign nearby did she recognize it for what it was.
"This is the elementary school," Nodoka said, "although I don't think I've ever approached it from this side before."
"This part of the building is mainly for club activities," Shizuno said.
Shizuno opened the front door and Ako and Nodoka walked inside, hesitating as she wondered if she was trespassing. Shizuno proceeded to a door marked "Junior Tankery Club", and Ako, knowing that it was the final destination, quickly followed her there.
"Well, we're here!" Shizuno said.
Nodoka looked over the classroom and saw some children, younger than she and her new friends were, doing many tank-related activities. One young girl was reading a beginner's book about maps, which had a compass on it. Two young children were playing with small tanks, about a few centimeters long.
"Boom!" one of them said.
"Oh no, you got my flag tank!" another said, feigning dismay and simply happy to play along. They had taken turns being the winner and the loser, but no one was keeping score.
A tall young woman with red hair, dressed in business casual clothing, was looking over the students.
"Ah, Shizu! Ako!" she said. "It looks like you've brought a newcomer this time."
Nodoka noticed that Harue's eyes were pointed downward, and recoiled in embarrassment.
"My name is Akado Harue," Harue said. "I'm the organizer for this tank club for children.
"Haramura Nodoka," Nodokoa said. "I'm a sixth grader."
Nodoka took a look around. Some of the younger children were reading books about tankery
"You've come at a good time, Nodoka," Harue said. "We're looking for a fourth member for our tank- namely, a commander. Several of the younger members aren't yet ready to get into a tank, but for them, this is a club in which they can gather with others who share their interest, cultivating it and getting ready for when they can do it for real. But it would help those who are ready to do it if we had another person, so we could fully man a tank."
Nodoka paused, incredulous at the idea of her actually getting to crew a tank.
"Who else is there in my age group, besides Shizuno and Ako?" Nodoka said.
"You've got two out of three so far," Harue said. "Shizuno's good at loading, Ako is good at gunning, and our aspiring driver should be on the way…"
Almost on cue, a girl with long brown hair who wore a short dark skirt, and a T-shirt with a red Chinese dragon on it, opened the door.
"Matsumi Kuro, reporting in!" Kuro said with a salute. "I'm also a sixth-year at Achiga Girls Elementary School, in a different class from Shizuno-chan and Ako-chan."
"My name is Haramura Nodoka," Nodoka said. "It's a pleasure to meet you." The two girls exchanged bows.
"It's really great that you're coming, Nodoka-chan," Kuro said. "Akado-san might have told you this before, but we've been looking for a fourth person so we can test-drive the tank we have; I'd hoped my friend and classmate would come, but she isn't interested."
Nodoka could barely contain her excitement.
"It seems I came to the right place," Nodoka said. "I'd very much like to see this tank that we have."
Harue, Shizuno, Ako and Kuro showed Nodoka to a storage shed near the school, while having Nozomi, Ako's older sister, watch the younger girls in the class.
Nodoka approached the tank, a Sherman Firefly, and looked upon it in awe. This was the first time she had seen an actual tank.
"I can hardly believe we're doing this at such a young age," Nodoka said.
"The four of you are already in your last year of elementary school," Harue said. "In the year after next, you'll be going to middle school, which means going out to sea and living apart from your parents, and which also means you might be able to get started in tankery. You're not quite little girls anymore."
"Ah, yes," Kuro said. "My older sister, who's two years older than I am, is already out at middle school."
Harue climbed into the tank and motioned for the girls to follow her, each taking their respective positions, and they spent the afternoon practicing inside the tank.
For Nodoka, this was the experience she had been waiting for since she had first read a book about tankery as a young girl. Her father had complained about her wasting time fantasizing about it, but she believed that this would show him that her time was not spent in vain, and she could actually do it. If what Harue said was true, she had only a year or two left before she could actually compete in tankery, and she hoped her new friends would accompany her into it.
"Something caught your eye, Nodoka?" Harue said, as Nodoka, in the middle of directing her crew, glanced out the window at a nearby hill.
"It's that hill over there," Nodoka said. "It seems like a good place for someone to snipe us from below."
"If, that is, there was another tank out there looking for us," Ako said. "But that's also a relatively exposed spot, so our attacker would be vulnerable as well."
As the sun started going down below the hill, Nodoka realized that it was time for her to go home.
She realized that this was merely practice, but also concluded that there was a long way for her to go before she could truly crew a tank. She could hardly wait until the day when she could crew one in an actual match, together with her friends.
"I'm home," Nodoka said, as she walked into her apartment and closed the door behind her.
"You're late, Nodoka," Nodoka's father, Haramura Kei, a man with gray hair who, apart from taking off his blazer, was still wearing the same suit he wore to work, said. Nodoka was a bit surprised to see that her father was already home, since he often worked well into the evening.
"I'm sorry, Father, tankery club activities ran a bit late," Nodoka said.
"Is that so?" Nodoka's mother, Haramura Reiko, a woman with graying pink hair and a blue business suit, said. "I can't say I approve, but I'll let it go, for now."
Nodoka's father nodded in agreement. Nodoka's expression turned disappointment- did they really think tankery was that frivolous an activity, now that Nodoka was actually getting ready to do it?
"Just remember, Nodoka," Kei H. said, "For almost everything in life, especially in childhood, there comes a time where you need to be prepared to let it go."
Nodoka said nothing in response. Perhaps she would move on to middle school at the end of the year. Perhaps she might even leave Shizuno, Ako and Kuro behind. Perhaps tankery would eventually become a mere hobby, and something she reminisced about, the same way her first grade teacher did. But on this day, she had enjoyed herself with her friends and the tankery club- she hoped to do so again the next day, and for as long as she could.
Present day, Saunders
"Nodoka helped complete our club and give us the full crew of a tank," Shizuno said. "And even though she was new in town, and didn't stay for very long, while she was with us, she seemed to be at home."
"What were the kind of things you did on a daily basis?" Arata said. "I can't imagine that there was anyone else around for you to play against."
"There wasn't," Kuro said. "But we didn't really think about doing tankery competitively that much back then."
"Harue set up obstacle courses, some targets, and let us drive it around, while supervising us," Ako said.
"Sounds exciting," Kay said, briefly slipping into English. "There's not as much of a story behind my getting into tankery as with you girls; when I was young, I saw a tankery match on TV once, and I thought 'wouldn't that be really cool to be in one of those things, riding around and shooting at your opponents?' It took until I got here to have a chance to actually do tankery, and I wished I'd had one earlier. But at the same time, if you were trained from a young age for the purpose of becoming a tanker for the purpose of winning all your matches when you got older, it would seem as though it would kill your interest in tankery, kind of like…"
"The commander from Black Forest?" Yuu said, recalling that Kay had mentioned her before.
"Maho?" Kay said. "Yes, that's who I was thinking of. She doesn't seem like a bad person, but our reasons for doing tankery are too far apart- I do it for fun, she does it for her family. We get along, but I doubt we could ever really be friends."
"Of course, I am curious about Maho's sister," Kay thought. "Especially where she ended up after last year."
"But still, that doesn't sound like you were doing much," Arata said. "Pretty much anyone on the team, even those who aren't regulars who would play for us in tournaments, gets to do that on a daily basis."
"But it was something important for kids like us, Arata-chan," Kuro said. She understood how Arata had felt about Harue's decision to teach the club, but believed that Arata did not quite understand the importance of the club for children, in spite of Arata's change of heart. "What some would consider to be mere practice was, for us, a taste of things to come."
"I suppose you're right, Kuro," Arata said, unwilling to argue further, and acknowledging that perhaps she did not understand how Kuro and the others felt back then. "Maybe it's just that I'm judging all this as petty and insignificant by comparison to what I thought Haru-chan could have been doing…"
Present day, Oarai
"So why was Akado-san at Achiga, teaching kids in a tankery club?" Saki said.
"She was a promising tanker, who once, ten years ago, led Saunders to the semi-finals of the tournament, in the team's first year," Nodoka said. "But she was defeated, apparently by Black Forest at the start of its decade-long winning streak."
"I'll have to ask Akiyama-san if she knows more about this," Miho thought. Miho was well-versed in tankery knowledge, but not entirely familiar with some of the more obscure details of tankery tournaments, and did not have an encyclopedic knowledge of tournament results like Yukari did.
"Was that hard on her?" Miho said.
"It definitely was," Nodoka said emphatically. "According to Ako's older sister, she was unable to even get into a tank for some time after that. Ako's sister recommended running the club as 'rehabilitation,' in a sense."
The girls paused, grappling with Nodoka's metaphor and trying to figure out what she meant.
"Rehabilitate…" Miho said. "Do you mean like how when someone's injured, they do small exercises to regain their physical ability, like moving their leg so they can eventually regain the ability to walk, or run?"
"That's correct," Nodoka said. "The goal was that Akado-san would eventually overcome the trauma, and be able to do tankery again."
"You said all this as though it was a gradual process, but one with an end," Miho said. "For example, I can't imagine that a runner would be content with doing leg exercises or walking with a cane."
Nodoka nodded.
"That's a good point, Miho-senpai," Nodoka said. "Akado-san wanted to do tankery again, but didn't think herself ready."
"So, would that mean that when Akado-san left, someone else would take it over?" Saki said. "Or did it dissolve entirely once Akado-san left?"
"The latter is correct, Saki-san; it all came to an end eventually," Nodoka said. "I think I knew from the beginning that it wouldn't last, but I had so much fun I forgot about it."
Four years ago, shortly before Nodoka's graduation from middle school.
One day, in the tankery club, Nodoka, while heading to the club room, saw Harue talking with a young woman with twintails. Nodoka assumed, based on the woman's appearance, that she was a high school student, but found it impolite to eavesdrop on her conversation, and went inside.
Nodoka found Shizuno, Ako and Kuro sitting together at a table, looking at a map and writing up a battle plan in pencil.
"Hello, everyone," Nodoka said.
"Glad to see you made it, Nodoka-chan," Kuro said.
"Out of curiosity, did you notice the girl outside?" Nodoka said.
"That's Mizuhara Hayari, a scout for a professional corporate team in Fukuoka," Shizuno said. "And she's probably closer to my mom's age than mine."
"Really?" Nodoka said. "She looks like a high school student."
"She's about my sister and Harue's age, making her in her early to mid-twenties," Ako said. "But you're right, she doesn't look her age."
Nodoka and the others knew that this was an opportunity for Harue- not only was it a spot some professionals wanted dearly, but it also was her chance to re-enter tankery. But it was also what they had feared for a long time, an elephant in the room that everyone noticed but no one cared to openly discuss- Harue was leaving them behind.
A few days later, Harue stood before the soon to be disbanded tankery club. Soon after she had spoken with Hayari, she had called the club together to officially announce that she would be leaving.
"Everyone," Harue A. said, "I recently got an recruitment offer from a professional tankery team in Fukuoka. I thought over it a great deal, and I decided to accept."
Harue paused, letting her statement sink in. Some outside of Nodoka's group of friends were surprised, but all of them ultimately accepted it.
"It was not an easy decision," Harue said, "especially when accepting would mean leaving you all behind. But some of you will be moving onward soon, and upward, while the rest will eventually follow. Moving onward is a part of life, and I hope all of you retain the will to progress onward and persevere, come what may."
Harue paused, and realized that she was now coming to the reason why she had started the tankery club. To some, this would seem to be nothing more than a transition phase, but Harue realized that her work had significant effects for those she had taught.
"I also would like to thank all of you," Harue said. "In the past, I had been weighed down by my failure, unable to move forward. But just as I hoped to inspire you to become interested in tankery, you rekindled my interest as well; the students teaching the teacher a lesson, so to speak. That's why I'm confident you will be able to proceed onward even after I am gone, and not make such a mistake."
"It's been very enjoyable, watching over you, teaching you, and getting you interested in tankery," Harue said. "In so doing, you reminded me of the fun times I once had, and that I could make a difference for others. Thank you so much!"
With tears in her eyes, Harue bowed in gratitude to her soon to be former students.
When all was said and done, the occasion was a bittersweet one. Harue was leaving them behind, but also moving onward, as well as upward, toward the next stage of her career and life.
Unfortunately, the four older members of the tankery club would soon find themselves parting in much the same way.
Some time passed, and the girls' thoughts turned to middle school. As with all other young girls their age, middle school was a large adjustment in many ways, not the least of which involved living on ships, rather than commuting from home to school. The middle school ships were somewhat more supervised than the high school ones, having dormitories near the schools for their students, and having more conveniently located facilities for services such as dining, shopping and laundry. But they were ultimately designed to foster a sense of independence among the students, so that they would be prepared for high school and whatever came next.
Kuro walked home from school in a pensive mood. That morning, she had received a letter from her middle school of choice, the one her sister was attending, and, as she had found out that day at school, one of her friends had also gotten into. Unfortunately, Ako and Shizuno were going to different middle schools.
Kuro was thus pleased when she chanced upon Nodoka, the only one of her friends from the tankery club whose middle school plans were not yet decided.
"Good afternoon, Nodoka-chan," Kuro said. "How have you been today?"
"Not well, unfortunately, Kuro," Nodoka said, causing Kuro to notice how, for the past few days, Nodoka had been going home by herself. "My mother's getting a transfer and the entire family is moving, shortly after I graduate from here."
Kuro sighed and nodded. She had heard about Nodoka's parents' jobs resulting in their often moving, typically once every two or three years.
"So, I take it you're going to a different middle school than I am?" Kuro said, and Nodoka nodded. "You wouldn't be the only one. Shizuno-chan and Ako-chan are also going to different middle schools, from each other and from me. I got into the same one as my sister and Arata-chan, though."
"Your sister and who?" Nodoka said.
"Sagimori Arata-chan," Nodoka said. "She's a childhood friend of my sister and I, as well as my classmate. She used to be into tanks as a little girl, but for some reason, she never came to the tankery club."
Kuro had been especially pleased to hear of Shizuno and Ako recruiting Nodoka, and only now did Nodoka truly understand why. She was not only pleased to have a new friend, but one who shared her interest in tankery. And for her, the time had come from the rest of her friends with that interest.
Nodoka and Kuro eventually reached the spot at which their routes home diverged from each other, just as their paths in life had.
"I'll see you tomorrow, then, Nodoka-chan," Kuro said.
"I'll see you then as well, Kuro," Nodoka said. "After all, our time together isn't over quite yet."
Present day, Saunders
"And after Nodoka left Achiga for middle school, we didn't hear much from her, and ultimately lost contact with her after a while," Shizuno said, her expression turning melancholy as her story of her, Ako and Kuro's time with Nodoka ended.
"Sometimes that happens," Ako said. "I had a friend in middle school named Hatsuse- none of you met her- but we got into different high schools and don't talk as much as we used to. Kuro and I drifted apart a little in middle school, but thankfully, we're spending more time together now that we're at the same school."
"People parting from us, in one way or another, is a part of life," Kuro said. "Sometimes they come back, like several of them have at Saunders, but sometimes they never do."
"Kuro-chan…" Yuu said softly, clearly understanding the person dear to both of them that her sister was referring to in the latter category. Kuro had reunited with Shizuno and Ako, as well as their former teacher Harue, and hoped to do the same with Nodoka. But their mother, who had passed away from an illness five years before they met Nodoka, never would come back to the sisters.
"And yet, just because people are gone doesn't mean we've forgotten them, or that we haven't been impacted by them," Kuro said. "To some, we might be fighting for the sake of mere nostalgia, but to us, Nodoka was- no, still is- our friend, and we're going all this way to see her again."
"That's for certain," Shizuno said. "I'm certain that if our time together was as fulfilling for Nodoka as it was for us, she still remembers us. Maybe, just maybe, she's thinking of us at this very moment."
"Well, think of it this way," Kay said. "What were the odds of Nodoka sticking with tankery for so long, even though she was separated from you and her parents didn't like it? What were the odds of you all getting into the same school and same team? We should be able to rise to the challenges together. And if Nodoka's as persistent as you say, so should she."
The girls were cheered up by Kay's analysis of the situation. Their time with Nodoka, short as it may have been, had meant something to them. Perhaps the same was true for Nodoka, and she, too, hoped she could see them again.
Present day, Oarai
Nodoka's friends had finished telling their story. But Nodoka herself continued to tell the story to Saki, Yuuki and Miho, continuing with her time apart from her friends.
"I lost touch with Shizuno and the others over the years," Nodoka said. "And as for tankery, without anyone I knew to do it with, and with my parents disapproving, I grew somewhat apathetic toward it, and didn't do it in my first year of middle school."
"But it wasn't all bad; in middle school, I met Yuuki for the first time," Nodoka said
"Nodo-chan's breasts were so big, I couldn't avoid them!" Yuuki K. said. "I'd just transferred over there in my second year, which is when I met Nodo-chan."
Two years ago, Konishi Middle School.
Nodoka walked to school, lost in thought. Her second year of middle school had started, and she had not become close with any of her schoolmates.
Children who went to school on school ships typically did not have to change schools with their parents, but sometimes, the parents would ask them to do so anyway, for one reason or another. Sometimes the parents wanted a school ship with a closer home port, sometimes the parents believed their children should change schools anyway. But in many cases, whatever the parents said, went; the children did not have to like the decision, but they had to go along with it.
Nodoka's parents had similar expectations of her. They believed a day would come when she would realize that this was for the best, partly out of hindsight and partly with the wisdom that comes with age. But Nodoka, did not have this perspective at this point, and could not see any reason to like what had happened.
Nodoka heard the sound of footsteps behind her, and judging from their sound and frequency, they were made by someone who was running. Nodoka quickly turned around, just in time for the person to run into her, knocking her slightly off balance, but Nodoka managed to remain standing.
As Nodoka recovered from the sudden impact to her chest, she realized, from the impact, that the runner was shorter than she was, and reflexively looked down at her. She wondered if she was seeing things when she saw a familiar-looking face, with short orange hair.
"Ako? Is that you?" Nodoka said.
"Nope," Yuuki K. said. "My name's Kataoka Yuuki- you can call me Yuuki."
"I'm Haramura Nodoka," Nodoka said. "You just happened to remind me of a friend I had from elementary school. I'd lost touch with her, so I thought maybe, just maybe, you might be her."
"That's a shame, djey," Yuuki K. said. "Sorry to get your hopes up."
"It's fine," Nodoka said. "People come and go from our lives, including our friends. I understand that, but it's been difficult for me to adjust to middle school."
"Well then, why not make new ones, Nodoka?" Yuuki K. said. "I'd be glad to be your first, djey!"
Yuuki K.'s invitation, made in the same straightforward and direct manner as Shizuno's was years ago, caught Nodoka off guard for a moment. But once she regained her composure, she realized that it was a simple decision of whether she should accept it.
"Yes, that is a good question, Yuuki," Nodoka said. "And to answer your question, I, too, would like to be friends."
Nodoka had a sense of déjà vu as Yuuki led her into the school's tankery garage, which had a few tanks from different countries around. She saw a relatively small group of about two dozen students milling about, talking about tankery. Nodoka sensed eagerness in the group, that of a group of people who had discovered something new and enjoyable, and that while they were not veterans, they would likely be a good group to do tankery with.
An unsettling realization came upon Nodoka- if her time at Konishi Middle School's tankery club began much the same way her time at Achiga's did, it would likely end the same way. How soon would she be separated from this group, whether by graduation, her mother transferring, or other circumstances? Was it worth the effort to even integrate herself into them?
"Did you find someone new, Yuuki?" Hanada Kirame, a third-year at Konishi middle school who had purple hair, said.
"I did, Hanada-senpai," Yuuki said.
"My name is Haramura Nodoka," Nodoka said. "Yuuki here mentioned that you had a tankery team."
"Wonderful guess!" Kirame said. "But it's not quite a strong team, per se."
"How so?" Nodoka said.
"We tried last year, and got defeated, so this will be my last chance," Kirame said, her face unusually cheerful. "But it's still wonderful to see people who are interested. I'll introduce you to two of my tankers."
Kirame led Nodoka and Yuuki over.
"This is Murohashi Hiroko, and this is Yumeno Maho, both of whom are first-years," Kirame said. "The rest of their crew is graduating this year, along with myself, so they'll need a new commander and loader. Maho, Hiroko, these are Haramura Nodoka and Kataoka Yuuki, second-years and new members of the club.
Nodoka saw yet another fledgling tankery club, and noticed that even the unflappable Kirame was not enthusiastic about its chances of winning.
But while she believed that in the eyes of a strong tankery school, this club looked like nothing more than a group of interested amateurs, they took tankery seriously in their own way.
Nodoka did not care about winning tournaments as much as she did being able to do tankery with her friends. As long as she could do this much, she would be happy. And she realized once again, that while her time here would be fleeting, she would enjoy it while she could.
Present day, Oarai
"We went to the middle school tournament that year and won the first round," Nodoka said. "But our luck didn't hold up, and we were defeated by Troika Middle School. In our second year, we reached the semi-finals, but lost to Bismarck Middle School."
Miho nodded, realizing that the Russian-themed middle school, like Pravda High School in the high school level, was a formidable opponent, as was Miho's own former middle school, Bismarck Middle School.
"And after that, we moved on to high school; namely, here," Nodoka said.
"Kataoka-san, did you really decide to come here in large part because this school has tacos?" Miho said, recalling something Saki had once told her about Yuuki.
"You got it, djey!" Yuuki K. said, not at all embarrassed at the response.
"And that's when we met you and our other teammates on the tour, Saki-san," Nodoka said.
Miho nodded, remembering the time Saki told her the story.
"And after that, you met me when Hisa-senpai introduced us," Miho said.
Saki's expression turned melancholy. As Nodoka's story concluded, Saki's mind turned to present matters, partly reminded of them by the mention of Nodoka's parents during the story, and partly as a natural flow from the past to the present.
"You've certainly gone from school to school over the years, haven't you, Nodoka-chan?" Saki said. "And now you might have to leave again, so soon? I've barely gotten used to Oarai, so I can hardly fathom having to leave it at this point."
Hisa's expression turned pensive, understanding what Saki meant. She knew that one way or another, her time at Oarai was coming to an end. She understood that, and hoped to leave without any regrets, but realized that the possibility of being suddenly forced to leave midway through high school was something else entirely.
Nodoka nodded twice in response to Saki's questions.
"The operative word is might, Saki-san," Nodoka said. "If I can live up to my deal with my father... and if he keeps his end of the bargain."
The evening after the elective orientation
In Nodoka's apartment, her elective registration form sat on her desk, with a circle in the box for tankery. While Miho was still unwilling to do tankery, and Saki had only recently decided to re-enter tankery, Nodoka had known all along what she would choose.
Unfortunately, as her cell phone rang and displayed her father's caller ID, she realized that she would inevitably have to deal with his reaction to her decision. He had never liked her participating in tankery in middle school, or her decision to come to Oarai, and had made it clear that he had hoped she would give it up by high school.
"Hello, this is Nodoka," Nodoka said as she picked up the phone.
"Nodoka, this is your father," Haramura Kei said. "Have you chosen your elective yet?"
"Yes, Father," Nodoka said. "I have chosen tankery."
"Tankery?" Nodoka's father said, incredulously. He knew of Nodoka's interest in it, but he still could hardly fathom that she persisted with it for so long or took it so seriously, as he hoped that she had given it up. "Of all the electives, and you choose an outdated art that teaches nothing useful? I had hoped you had outgrown it."
Nodoka sighed. She preferred not to talk about tankery around her parents, as they had made their distaste of it quite clear. Until now, it had been enough for them to tolerate her doing tankery, even if it was too much for her to ask them to understand or like it.
The few times she had debated with her parents about tankery, she had argued with them about how it was beneficial for girls' development- only for her mother to scold her for even trying to claim that she knew the best way to raise children- and she knew better than to even mention the idea of fun.
"When I was in elementary and middle school, it enabled me to make friends," Nodoka said. "One of those friends is accompanying me to this school, as is a newer one. I hope to make many more in the course of my participation in tankery."
"Friends?" Nodoka's father said. "They come and go in your life. I've lost touch with all my friends from university; after graduating, we went our separate ways. At any time, one of my coworkers might quit or get transferred. I am no more attached to the friends at my office than I am to the apartment where I now live. In two years, your friends will likely go on to different colleges, if they go on to college at all, and you'll be separated from them again, just like your classmates in Achiga and at your middle school. You would be better off trying to do everything in your power to get an edge on them when applying for college or jobs."
Nodoka's father's contempt was audible in his voice. Nodoka found it hard to argue with him about the importance of preparing for one's future. But was he truly certain that his way was the best or only way to make her as successful as possible? Was what he viewed as good for her what she wanted? And even if it was, was her way of going about doing things wrong?
But Nodoka believed that to her father, these all sounded like questions of an immature child. The time for talking past each other had ended, and the time to face the issue head-on had come.
"Do you really believe that the time I spent on tankery was wasted, Father?"
"Yes, I do," Kei H. said. "It would be one thing if you were anywhere near professional skill, but the clubs you were in were playing at doing tankery. After a certain point, you must decide whether one of your pursuits is a serious calling that will become your occupation in life, or nothing more than a hobby on which you can waste time."
"Then I would like to make a proposal, Father," Nodoka said. "If my school wins the tournament, please allow me to stay at Oarai. If my team and I can win against those that are at an advantage over us, it will prove that I'm not just playing around."
The line went silent for a moment. Kei H. realized that this was the first time that his daughter was not unconditionally obeying his orders. Once that faded, his first instinct was to vehemently reject that plan. Who was Nodoka, the child, to make demands of her parents? And what did she think winning at a game he despised would signify?
But once his indignation faded, he realized that Nodoka's chances of success were slim. Assuming she was not blind to her chances, she would have made the deal with the understanding that if she lost, she would do as he said. Perhaps it would be best for him to let things play out for the moment.
"Father?" Nodoka said, anxiously awaiting her father's answer.
"I'll consider it," Kei H. said. "I will talk to you later, Nodoka."
"Goodbye, Father," Nodoka said, before hanging up. She lay back on the bed, and pondered what she had just said. Just what was she thinking, promising to win the tournament with a school like this? Perhaps she should have aimed for a more realistic goal, but nothing less than the championship seemed enough to impress her father.
The next day, Nodoka, after hearing Saki talk about her desire to reconnect with her sister, became more convinced of what she wanted to do. Like her, Saki was unwilling to live with things the way they were, and was, through tankery, trying to actively change them.
Nodoka was unwilling to tell Saki that what she was doing seemed hopeless; it seemed too harsh and cruel to say that, especially when Nodoka hoped Saki would succeed. Nodoka considered reconciliation with one's family to be something that was worth striving for, and only doubted whether Saki could achieve it. But Nodoka had to wonder- if Saki had even less reason to think Teru would open up to her, but persisted nevertheless, then there was no reason for Nodoka not to try when her father was giving her a chance.
Present day, Oarai
"So there you have it," Nodoka said. "My chances of succeeding are slim, but this is the greatest concession my father has ever made regarding doing tankery and staying in my current school."
"I see…" Miho said, her expression turning sympathetic. Her circumstances were different, but she was all too familiar with parents who were emotionally distant and opposed her decisions. To her, Nodoka seemed in some ways, more resolute than she was, in that she seemed to do tankery in spite of her father's opposition.
"Miho-senpai, I have a question, if it is not too personal," Nodoka said.
"Feel free to ask, Nodoka-san," Miho said, having some idea of what Nodoka wouldask.
"Did your family oppose your decision to leave Black Forest's tankery team and go to Oarai?" Nodoka said.
"My parents did," Miho said. "But in the end, they reluctantly accepted my decision, knowing that they couldn't change my mind."
Nodoka looked surprised.
"I'm surprised, Miho-senpai," Nodoka said. "It must have been a very brave thing to defy them in such a way."
"I think they saw it as a cowardly act," Miho said, "as my giving up when things got too difficult for me. You seem to be much more confident than I am, Nodoka-san."
"Really, Miho-senpai?" Nodoka said. "All my life, I've been doing everything my parents have told me to do. Tankery is the one exception, but now that I think about it, while my father doesn't like it, he has never actually told me to stop."
"Would you stop if he told you to do so?" Miho said.
Nodoka paused. Her father had made his disapproval of tankery clear many times over the years, but he had never issued an ultimatum to get her to stop. But what would she do if he did? Could she simply give it up?
"…no," Nodoka said.
"I thought not," Miho said. "There are some things we simply must do, no matter who opposes us. I may not be the strongest-willed or bravest person in the world, but even I have realized this."
Nodoka realized that as she was now, her offer to win the tournament in order to convince her father to let her stay was merely empty boasting. But for the first time, she was striving toward something instead of passively resigned to where life took her. Her chances of success were slim, but they were still a chance, and it was up to her and her friends to become strong enough to bring their hopes to fruition.
Author's notes
Thank you for the reviews.
I was initially unsure of where to put this Interlude, but I decided to include it here, for a few reasons. It seemed like a good idea to show Nodoka's backstory fairly early on, there wasn't that much happening between the practice battle and the match with Anzio (while most of the pre-BC Freedom story was setting things up), and there weren't any plot events that would lead into this one (contrast this with Miho's Interlude, which will be the next Interlude, and will happen in a few chapters).
The idea of elementary schoolers driving a tank may seem unbelievable (and to some, the entire premise of high schoolers doing tankery and the safety functions required for tankery is), but that's what happens in Little Army, where Miho and her friends did it without a teacher or other adult present, although Maho once asked whether they could do it as they were.
I took a few liberties with the characters' years in school, such as having Kuro and Arata, instead of being second-years, be in the same year as Shizuno, Ako and Nodoka, so that Kuro could be in the tankery club at the same time, and Arata could have joined if she so desired. I also changed it to four years ago, to make it more easily fit with Nodoka's being transferred to a new middle school. I also think Yumeno Maho might be a year below Murohashi Hiroko, but I bumped Maho Y. up a year to fit with her meeting and playing with Nodoka.
On a side note, Maho Y. and Hiroko M. will have their initials after their names, while Nishizumi Maho and Funakubo Hiroko (the latter of whom will appear later) will not, because the latter two are more important to the story.
I hope Yuuki K. isn't falling by the wayside too much; I find it somewhat difficult to write her into the plot, since she's largely defined by her love of tacos, crush on Kyoutaro (who isn't in this story), and friendship with Nodoka.
The next chapter will have the battle with Anzio.
