Chapter 15: One of Us
The match between Oarai and Koala Forest began, with many, including those unable to participate, watching. Only those privy to the inner workings of the team, including family and friends of those in charge, truly understood the significance of the match for each team, but the practical implications were obvious. In this match, as in the rest, one team would advance and the other would be eliminated from the tournament, so the temporary setbacks for each team could potentially decide the match. There would not be any second chances for the loser, not even as compensation for their absent members, so both teams resolved to give their all so that they could continue onward, with their team whole once again.
Elsewhere, in one of the Koala Forest student apartments, Sugino Ayumu, Touka's vice-captain, lay in bed with a stomach flu. She was accompanied by her friend and roommate, Saionji Miyuki, who was not on the tankery team, but in the morals committee. The two girls wondered if they were the only ones in the apartment complex, if not on the entire ship at the moment. Not everyone was interested in tankery, but hardly anyone would simply stay in their apartments or even on the ship when they could go to land, unless they had no other choice. Ayumu had urged Miyuki to take advantage of the ship's time in port, but Miyuki had politely refused, saying that caring for her friend came first, and she would find it difficult to enjoy going out alone.
As such, the two girls stayed in their apartment, with the television turned toward the bed and its channel set to the match. Miyuki had complied with Ayumu's request despite her fears that what she saw would only make her feel worse.
"Are you sure you want to watch the match, Ayumu?" Miyuki said, in one last attempt to make Ayumu change her mind and turn off the television.
"Yes, please," Ayumu said. "If I can't be there, fighting alongside Touka-sama and the others, then the least I can do is watch it until the end, whatever the outcome may be."
Ayumu felt pangs of regret as she said this. It had been clear since she vomited her breakfast all over her tankery uniform that she would not be well enough to attend the match, but in the hours that had passed since then, she had not grown any happier with the choice that had been forced upon her.
Ayumu had many reasons to want to help Touka, as it was her obligation to her commander and future mistress, and her desire to help someone she liked and the rest of her friends on her team. Ayumu could never forget her sense of obligations as much as she wished she could, and as such, felt somewhat jealous of Hajime for being able to overcome her initial unease around Touka and speak with her informally. In spite of that, Ayumu served under Touka because she wished to, and hoped that her replacement would be able to see the match through to the end as well as she could.
Nodoka set out from her relatively flat and clear starting location, surveying her surroundings as she did so. She could see for kilometers around, save for the drifting clouds of sand, and hills scattered throughout the landscape.
Some would describe the part in which the two teams searched for each other as boring, but Nodoka believed that it was an important part of the match that was a test of both teams' discipline as well as their skill. It was like the twenty paces before a pistol duel; the moment the duelists took their shots was critical, but being prepared for that moment was also of the utmost importance.
"Is there any sign of the enemy, Maho-chan?" Nodoka said.
"Not yet, Nodoka-senpai," Maho said.
"Are the other crews maintaining radio silence unless they spot something?" Mako said.
"They are, Someya-senpai," Maho said. "Though Maho can't help but feel that this is somewhat boring."
"It can't be helped, Maho-chan," Nodoka said. "This is an important part of the match. The main reason Ayers' Rock defeated us three years ago was because our formation broke down."
"I remember that, djey," Yuuki said. "But you held together pretty well, Nodo-chan."
"That's true, Yuuki-senpai," Maho said. "Ayer's Rock was a tough opponent."
"It's more that we were poorly organized and became easy pickings," Nodoka said. "That's why I believe in staying focused, keeping disciplined. Perhaps if we do that, the enemy will be the one to make a mistake first, giving us an opportunity to triumph. Just stay vigilant, as we are now, and we'll be prepared for the enemy's arrival."
Nodoka left unspoken how Maho was one of the people she had once been most concerned about in terms of discipline for two reasons. The first was that Maho had recently improved significantly on that regard, so in recognition of Maho's efforts, Nodoka had moved toward positive reinforcement, praising her good decisions and telling her to keep up the good work, something that Maho greatly appreciated. The second was that a match was no time to critique team members' tankery performance, save for warning them of crucial mistakes they were about to make. Either they were prepared to fight for the school going into the match, or they would never get to that point in the course of it.
Nodoka knew that the attack would be coming soon, and it was likely that most, if not all of the Koala Forest forces would be committed to it. Until they encountered the enemy, the only thing she could do was prepare for them, and ensure that she would have the advantage she needed to prevail.
Touka, in her Sentinel, relayed orders to the others on the far end of the battlefield, at the base of a large hill. Touka was well aware that the two sides would first spot each other when one crossed over it, and considering their location and Touka's aggressive strategies, Koala Forest would be the first to cross. As such, they had to prepare for when the two sides met each other.
"Teams 5 and 6, protect the flag tank," Touka said, to the crews of an AC II Sentinel and an M3 Stuart. "The rest of us will advance and seek out the enemy. With a strong enough attack, we should be able to throw the enemy into disarray."
Koala Forest's forces advanced. Their methods favored offensive, even if they were not quite up to Black Forest's standards in terms of discipline or approach. By putting their opponents on the defensive, they would be able to reduce how much they could proactively make plans. A successful attack would give them a tactical advantage in this regard that would last until the enemy's forces were ground down, and their flag tank was destroyed.
Of course, Touka hoped it would not go quite so easily, for Koromo's sake. St. Gloriana had fallen a bit too easily for Koromo's liking, although Hajime, Jun and Tomoki had debated whether Koromo had expected too much of St. Gloriana, whether St. Gloriana's performance was underwhelming, or whether it was simply a matter of incompatible strategies, respectively. Touka was unsure whether any of those theories was true, but was clear on one thing- for her cousin's sake, she would lead her team to victory, and expected Oarai to put up a fight worthy of their status as champions.
In the stands, Sumire and Teru watched the match. They had received a last-minute notice from Maho that she would not be attending because of their father's injury, and Miho would not be commanding.
The news had given Teru much to think about. She had heard less than pleasant things about the Nishizumi family, but at least they were still together. Shiho and Homura had seriously pondered forcing Miho out of the family for not contributing to their mission, but Miho's parents were united in a common purpose. Perhaps this crisis would not force the family apart, as Mizuho's death had done for the Miyanagas.
Teru allowed those thoughts to fade from her mind as she realized once again that she had spent too much time dwelling on the past and what could not be changed. Her mind shifted to the present, and the ramifications of Miho's absence from the battlefield. Miho had made a difficult choice, like Teru had four years ago, and was now watching its results play out.
"So Oarai, as a team, is able to continue fighting without their commander," Teru said. "It does make me think of Rhineland, which has had a good year thus far, and it's somewhat bittersweet to see that your friends can carry on perfectly well without you."
Sumire shrugged, unsure of how to respond. For the former part, Oarai was facing yet another difficult battle, in some ways more difficult than the ones that had come before it.
"Well, a surprisingly large portion of the graduating class at Black Forest didn't necessarily go on to our university, or even university-level tanking," Sumire said. "Some went on to the professional level, others enlisted in the JGSDF, others went on to other universities, and still others had different career plans. Maho's the only person I really know well on this team, and to some degree, the opposite is true."
"I think I heard that, too," Teru said. "But then again, Sumire, before you met me, you weren't exactly the sociable type, so that's not entirely saying much."
"Perhaps, Teru," Sumire said, acknowledging that most of her friends, save for Maho and her former crewmates, were people Teru had introduced to her. "All the same, I do miss having you around the tankery team."
Teru sighed. She knew Sumire had not intended to guilt trip her, but found it unpleasant to be reminded of one of the things she was giving up. A part of her wondered if that feeling was proof that she regretted giving up tankery.
"I know," Teru said. "I've met some of my closest friends through tankery, and part of me wants to come back for that reason alone. But another part is less certain. While I'm not very fond of the Nishizumi style, I have always, on a subconscious level, thought of tankery as something in which I must do my best, or not bother participating in it at all. When I think about it that way, I'm not sure it's as simple as doing it alongside a friend or foro my own purposes."
"Maybe it is that simple," Sumire said. "You did say something like that to me once, back in middle school, when I was unsure of why I should do tankery, and when Saki was unsure as well. Saki may no longer be at the same school as you, but you persisted onward, and you enjoyed at least part of it, didn't you?"
Teru had no answer to that, as she looked at the screen. Sumire was speaking to undeniable truths, albeit ones that she did not necessarily believe were all there was to the issue.
"I see," Sumire said. "I'm sorry, Teru; perhaps it's too much to expect you to give an answer like this right now. But in any case, I believe that question is worth considering."
"You could say that," Teru said. "My reconciliation with Saki began as a result of my asking myself the right questions. Perhaps that may be the first step toward getting back into tankery, as well."
Oarai continued to advance through the desert, seeing drifting clouds of sand. To their right,there was an area with rough terrain, and ahead of them, there was a large hill. When thinking of the desert, Nodoka had thought of wide open barren spaces, with civilization seemingly nowhere in sight. Here, she realized that the enemy would likely come out of nowhere, striking them hard and fast.
Suddenly, Koala Forest emerged from the top of the hill, and opened fire on Oarai, with gun blasts breaking the desert's silence. It was an aggressive attack, albeit not quite like the Nishizumi school's doctrine of advancing without hesitation, but one more aimed at disrupting the enemy forces. With a strong beginning, Touka was able to ride the momentum toward victory by keeping the enemy on the defensive.
Oarai unleashed a barrage of fire in hopes of stopping that momentum flat, like parrying a sword thrust and turning aside the enemy's weapon. Anteater Team struck an M3 Lee at the head of the pack in the side, causing it to lag behind and grind to a halt in the sand kicked up by the explosion and the advancing tanks, leaving it out of sight as its white flag deployed. Octopus Team struck an M3 Stuart on the edge of the group in the side, with the resulting cloud of smoke preventing the others from counterattacking. For a moment, it seemed as though Koala Forest's advance had been slowed, if not turned aside entirely.
But when Koala Forest returned fire, they did so with greater force than their first salvo. A shot from a Grant hit Duck Team, causing the tank to shake from the impact. While it was from quite far away, it did not take much to penetrate the Type 89's armor, so no one was surprised when the white flag raised. Several other Koala Forest tanks fired, creating blasts that kicked up the sand and were far closer to Oarai's tanks than they would like. One of those shells, from the Matilda in the vanguard, found its mark on Mallard Team, piercing the French tank's rear armor from relatively close range and forcing up the white flag.
Saro sighed, disappointed in yet another lackluster performance. Sodoko had once complained about enemies in tankery using various cowardly tactics- sniping, ambushes, radio interception and more- but while Saro was more pragmatic, she realized that even Sodoko could not complain here. Sodoko had come in late in the tournament, facing two of Oarai's stronger foes with very little experience, and was thus outclassed in both her matches. Saro hoped to do better than Sodoko had, but she realized that as things were, the prospects of her being able to do so did not look very encouraging.
"The enemy's strong," Saro thought. "It's not just their equipment, but they fight with a certain degree of ferocity and valor. They may not be up to Black Forest or Pravda, but I'll have to step up my game to compete."
Oarai returned fire more desperately, with many of the shots falling short of the Koala Forest tanks or going where they had once been. While Hippo Team's shell struck an M3 Grant and disabled it, Nodoka realized the situation was getting desperate. Oarai was not at its optimal performance simply because these were not optimal circumstances for a fight; they were reeling in the face of the enemy's offensive. The only viable option seemed to be the most obvious; removing themselves from this situation and fighting on better terms.
"Retreat for now!" Nodoka said. "Our current situation is untenable. We'll split up, and my group will draw some of the tanks away from the main group"
Oarai's groups immediately complied with the order, with the remaining tanks splitting into two groups according to Nodoka's direction. As they did so, however, Koala Forest continued taking aim and firing at them. Oarai's strategy had changed, but Koala Forest's had not, so they pressed on the attack, hoping to further whittle down the enemy's forces.
As Tomoki had the Chi-nu in her sights, she recognized it. Nekota had mentioned it in passing, remembering the time when Anteater Team had told her about finding it. While somewhat more outgoing in real life than Anteater Team was, Tomoki had some understanding of how difficult it was for them to meet people in the real world, and how important it was.
But all that was irrelevant at the moment. Touka had given her a target, and it was up to her to disable the enemy tank, regardless of who was inside.
Touka's tank fired, taking out Anteater Team with a well placed shell straight in the anteater mascot, charring it black and swiftly bringing the tank to a halt. The white flag then rose.
"Not a bad effort, girls," Tomoki thought, "but you're not quite in my league just yet."
"Marvelous work, Tomoki," Touka said with smug pleasure. "Commence pursuit of Haramura Nodoka's tank, desu wa!"
Touka looked at the tank tracks in the sand and, while making note of their directions, saw that there were significantly fewer of Oarai's leaving than there were coming in. She had made her mark on the enemy, and she was confident that it would not be long before their flag tank fell, as well.
In the stands, Sheila watched her successor as commander with mixed emotions.
Sheila was not completely happy about appointing Touka as commander, and believed there were many reasons she never would be. She had seen potential in Touka- namely, unparallelled determination, a good grasp of tactics and exceptional charisma- but also saw her as rude, hot-tempered and poorly disciplined.
In spite of all her misgivings, Sheila had known back then, and knew now, that it was the best decision for the team. Her abilities had taken her only so far, and she had been defeated in the end. She had to admit that she did not think herself capable of defeating St. Gloriana, nor was she capable of defeating the school that had defeated St. Gloriana last year. Perhaps, if nothing else, she could admit that Touka had more aptitude for leadership than she did.
Her thoughts drifted to her alma mater's opponents, and their circumstances. Part of her was pleased with the idea that Koala Forest's current rival would be at a disadvantage. But another part wondered about Miho and Nodoka. Miho had chosen to trust Nodoka with leadership of the team temporarily, and would likely do so on a more permanent basis in the future. The circumstances reminded Sheila of the deciding factor in her being appointed. In an exhibition match with Waffle, her predecessor as commander had been unable to attend, and Sheila had led in her stead, winning the match and enabling Koala forest to avoid having to cancel the match.
Since then, Sheila had taken steps to minimize the influence of those she deemed untrustworthy or less than competent. Some people disliked her because they felt they or their friends had been unfairly labeled. Others disliked her for bucking Koala Forest's tradition of a relaxed hierarchy. Still others believed that the decision had been too close. In spite of that, Sheila's only regrets were her failure to achieve greater success for the team, rather than the decisions she made toward that end. She had always seen those who sought the approval of others as weak-willed, and believed that standing by one's principles was of the utmost importance for a leader, even if said principles proved unpopular.
Sheila still hoped that Koala Forest would win, even in spite of her often being at odds with Touka. In spite of that, she also had some idea of what Nodoka was going through, and could not hope for her success on at least some level, even if she did not end up winning the match.
"Haramura, regardless of whether Nishizumi chose to do so, or whether circumstances forced this upon her, she gave you a great opportunity to prove yourself," Sheila thought. "The least you can do is repay her trust in you."
Nodoka was not the only person from Oarai who had essentially been given a promotion for this match. Yukari was in command of the Panzer IV as she accompanied Nodoka's tank on its retreat.
Inside the Panzer IV, Yukari desperately struggled to make commands from her limited vantage point as loader. Visibility was already somewhat poor on an armored tank with only a few viewing holes, but it was even harder from a position that was designed solely for the purpose of keeping the gun loaded, a task that Yukari could not forsake even in her new position.
She recalled how, in the first battle, the team had been in positions that they were not optimally suited for. Miho's talent for command was largely wasted on the simplistic and repetitive, albeit vitally important, role of loading shells. Hana struggled with driving at first, as she was not as quick of a learner as Mako was, and while she eventually became competent, she was unable to pull off the same feats that Mako could. In a similar sense, Yukari knew how to operate the gun, but never achieved the same mastery of it that Hana did. Saori, in spite of her initial confidence and luck, fell apart under pressure, with her having as much experience leading as she did in love; once the thin veneer of confidence she had was stripped away, nothing remained.
Now that their leader was gone, it fell on one of them to step out of their comfort zones and fill the gap, stretching themselves thin in the process. Those with less knowledge of tankery than Yukari had were forced to take up multiple roles at once; Sodoko, Saro, Shizuru and Anzu were gunners as well as commanders, largely because their circumstances had dictated it. They had risen to the circumstances admirably, all things considered, and Yukari was determined to do the same.
Hana fired and disabled a Matilda II with a well-placed shot to the side. In spite of Yukari's multitasking reducing her loading speed, she was pleased that Hana could make each shot count, ensuring that they would be able to fight well against the enemy.
Unfortunately, that was the last shell the Panzer IV fired in the battle. As Yukari reached for the next shell, Touka's Sentinel fired. The shell struck the Panzer IV in the side, and caused it to throw up the white flag.
Yukari had fought as hard as she could, but now her part in the battle as Miho's replacement as Anglerfish Team's commander had ended. She knew that she was not yet ready to lead as well as Miho had, but wished she had been able to accomplish more. To her, it was something she owed her team, and covering Miho's responsibility, so she could not be satisfied with this outcome.
"I'm sorry, Nishizumi-dono," Yukari thought. "I did my best, but it wasn't enough."
As the pounding of the shells finished and the dust and smoke cleared, a new cover emerged- smoke from the tanks. The remaining Oarai forces made their escape and separated into two groups, hoping to get another strike on the Koala Forest forces.
"We've spotted the flag tank, Acting Commander," Erwin said, as the StuG emerged from the smoke with the Porsche Tiger and the M3 Lee.
"Excellent, Erwin-senpai," Nodoka said. "Take Leopon and Rabbit Team and pursue them. We'll handle these forces"
The team had split into two and both teams had their tasks; one would focus on defending their flag tank, and the other would focus on attacking the enemy's. Failure on one front would likely spell doom for the entire team's efforts, so there was little margin for error.
In Ayumu's room, Miyuki noticed that her friend's mood, as well as her condition, seemed to be improved as she saw the battle going in her school's favor.
"What did I tell you, Ayumu?" Miyuki said. "The commander and the others could handle things on their own."
Ayumu nodded with cautious enthusiasm, tempered by her illness and the fact that even if they ended up winning, she could not claim to have played a direct role in making it happen.
"I'm certainly hoping that Touka-sama and the others do," Ayumu said. "If we make it into the semifinals, I will have an opportunity to make up for my absence today."
Miyuki gave an amused sigh.
"You tankery girls certainly try hard," Miyuki said. "What makes you try so hard? Because you want to win? Is it out of a sense of duty? Is it for your friends? Or might it be for Touka-sama's case?"
Ayumu blushed slightly; since Miyuki typically called Touka "the commander" when talking about the team, and called her "Ryuumonbuchi-san," the few times they had spoken, Ayumu knew that "Touka-sama" was used solely for teasing her about her relationship with Touka.
"I'd say a little bit of each, Miyuki-san," Ayumu said. "We're expected to do our best, but we also want to win, for its own sake, for the sake of our friends on the team, and, in the case of some, for the sake of a special someone. I'm sure the same goes for Oarai, which is why they've been trying so hard without their commander. But we have goals of our own, which is why I hope Touka-sama will prevail."
In the hospital, Miho sat, watching the match. Oarai had inflicted some losses on the enemy, but had taken casualties, and their plans had been thrown into disarray. A nurse glanced at the television as she passed through, and a married couple, waiting for news about their son, sat watching the match as a way to pass the time, but none of the three understood the significance it had for the girls sitting nearby.
"Things are looking somewhat grim," Miho said.
"Not necessarily any more than some of your matches, Miho," Maho said. "This is the first time you're looking at one from an outsider's perspective, after all."
"That makes sense, Onee-chan," Miho said. "While we never took victory for granted, we were constantly working on how to counter our opponent, and it's harder to see that from this vantage point. We sometimes run into situations in which we're at a disadvantage and have to retreat, like Nodoka-san did just now. And there may come times when we go into battles we just can't win."
Maho nodded. Oarai had been defeated by BC Freedom in its first tankery match with another school. While Oarai had managed to triumph over BC Freedom in the rematch, that did not erase the reality that Oarai was not invincible, even after it had become stronger. Of course, neither was Miho's former school, as she herself had proved the previous year.
"There are those with similar attitudes, even at Black Forest," Maho said, "After the finals two years ago, one of my yearmates approached me. She'd heard about the school's tankery record, but she didn't take it for granted the way everyone else did, and wasn't as bothered by losing. Unfortunately, she transferred out soon after you did, finding the atmosphere too unpleasant." Maho paused as Miho took in the information without giving any indication that it sounded amiliar. "Did I tell you this before?"
"You may have, Onee-chan, but in any case, I appreciate hearing it again," Miho said. "I've known for a while that there were people who thought I did the right thing, but I haven't heard as many people who also question Black Forest's win streak."
"It's not an idea that is easily discussed among Black Forest," Maho said, "but all but the most zealous proponents of the Nishizumi style find it difficult to deny the truth of it. The Nishizumi style dictates that facing misfortune can make one stronger, but I believe failure and defeat are some of those misfortunes."
"I know," Miho said. "Perhaps someday, we will be defeated, an experience that will force us pick ourselves up and get stronger, and which will be good for us in the long term. But I believe this is an important match for our school, and hope Nodoka-san will be able to prevail, show ingeveryone she can lead us well in the future."
Maho nodded.
"For what it's worth, Miho, so do I," Maho said, as their attention turned back to the match.
By this point, Oarai's two groups had finished separating. Half of the group- consisting of Octopus, Sparrow and Turtle Teams, fled and defended against Touka's advance. The other half of the group- consisting of Hippo, Leopon and Rabbit Teams- pursued the Koala Forest flag tank.
Touka, accompanied by the largest portion of her remaining tanks, pursued the Tas and fired on it. While a part of Touka was naturally impatient and cursed Oarai's ability to protect its flag tank and prolong the game, another part realized that Oarai was now fighting back more effectively. Perhaps Koala Forest's most effective window of opportunity had closed, and the thought was highly disturbing to Touka. She thought highly of her own skills, but did not think herself invincible, and so moved to end the match as soon as possible.
"Hajime, we are going to pursue Oarai's flag tank," Touka said. "Catch up with them as quickly as possible. Koromo, relay the orders to the others in the attack group."
"Affirmative," Koromo said with a fierce grin.
"Um, Touka..." Hajime said.
"NOW!" Touka said forcefully, with none of the grace typically associated with her, and in a direct tone that was a far cry from her formal and eloquent speech. The battle was raging, and she had lost herself to it.
Hajime let off a soft sigh.
"It's started," Tomoki thought. "Touka's usually a calm and calculating strategist, but when her ego and lust for glory get the better of her, she tends to overextend herself and make rookie mistakes. That's part of the reason why she lost against me online."
Tomoki glanced at Jun, who simply shrugged.
"I may not be an expert in family traits, but there's no doubt about it," Jun thought. "Koromo really is Touka's cousin."
Touka gritted her teeth as she set her eyes on Oarai's flag tank. To her, it was unacceptable that Miho's second choice for commander could outdo her, the best Koala Forest had to offer. She would put an end to this match as soon as possible and prove her superiority herself.
As Hisa and Mihoko watched the match, Mihoko stared at the screen, both her eyes open in surprise.
"Is something wrong, Mihoko?" Hisa said.
"Surely you've noticed it, Hisa?" Mihoko said. "Ryuumonbuchi-san is not leading as she did against Shoumei-san. Is it possible that they had a change of command, just like Oarai did?"
Hisa shook her head.
"That's a reasonable guess, Mihoko," Hisa said, "but we saw Ryuumonbuchi-san at the opening ceremony, and the Sentinel with the number 13's still in the game. She's still in charge of Koala Forest."
"Oh," Mihoko said. "But what do you suppose is causing this change in tactics?"
Hisa paused to consider her answer. While tankery strategies had to vary based on the opponent, the battlefield and other circumstances, most commanders and teams had certain tactics that they tended to rely on more than others. In spite of that, no two people, even those in the same school of thought, responded in the same way to all circumstances.
"I'd say a person's personality and current disposition play a great role in tankery," Hisa said. "The former tends to influence one's style of command, while the latter often affects how they do in any given scenario. All the advice people give you about getting a good night's sleep and a healthy breakfast before a test really applies to anything major you do that requires a lot of preparation, and games like tankery are no exception."
"That makes sense," Mihoko said. "So why do you think Ryuumonbuchi-san is losing herself in this moment? Is it because of who she is or where she is now?"
Hisa shrugged.
"I really can't say without knowing her well," Hisa said. "But I'd like to think that Nodoka has put up more of a fight than anyone else Ryuumonbuchi-san has faced as commander thus far. One thing's for certain; Nodoka won't go down as easily as Ryuumonbuchi-san thinks"
Touka's forces closed in on Octopus Team and its protectors; at this point, only Sparrow Team remained, as Nodoka had sent Turtle Team away to try to find another angle from which to attack the enemy. The Koala Forest team was more accustomed to desert combat, so they more easily traversed the sand and narrowed the gap between them and Touka.
The Matilda pulled up alongside the Cromwell at close range, taking Sparrow Team in their sights. The former mahjong club quickly responded in kind, and fired a relatively hasty shot as the Matilda's gunner finished aiming carefully and fired, resulting in two simultaneous blasts and explosions. Rushed as it was, the Cromwell's shot did its job as well as the Matilda's, and both tanks threw up the white flag.
"Thats about all of them," Nodoka said. "The commander's Sentinel should be the only one left. Mikado-senpai, are you in position?"
"Yes, ma'am," Shizuru said. "We are taking aim at the enemy Sentinel."
Unbeknownst to Touka, the Hetzer was aiming at them from a small dune, and fired on them. They believed they were unlikely to defeat the enemy at this range, but sought to do what they could to disable their opponent. As such, Shizuru took careful aim at the Sentinel's tracks, and fired, hoping it would be the crucial advantage Nodoka needed to stay in the game long enough to finish them off.
As the Hetzer's shell struck Touka's tracks, the cannon's aim was thrown off, and the shell missed the Tas.
Touka let off a sigh of relief. The way events were unfolding seemed vaguely similar to what had happened to Hajime in the past, or at least, what Hajime had told her before. Touka refused to accept what was happening, but found the idea of Hajime once again being burdened by her guilt to be even worse.
"I'm loath to admit it, but the enemy's accuracy is exceptional," Touka thought. "Hajime, I doubt you could have evaded this, so do not blame yourself."
"Sorry, Touka," Tomoki said, as Jun began loading the next shell.
"I have no need for apologies!" Touka said. "What I need is for you to hit Haramura Nodoka before we-"
Touka's desperate orders were cut off by a strong blast that shook the tank. As the Sentinel was reloading, Saki quickly took aim and shot the enemy tank in its turret, causing a massive explosion that sheared off the Sentinel's main gun barrel and forced up the white flag.
"Damn those meddlesome Oarai girls!" Touka shouted in frustration. "Why must they persist, even after all the losses we have inflicted?"
"They too, have all sorts of people in their ranks," Tomoki said. "From gamers to student council members, they have separate interests, united under a common goal, not unlike our crew. Nishizumi Miho's crew seemed to have a similarly diverse mix of individuals."
"Yeah, but a large part of why they want to win revolves around one person this time," Hajime said. "They want to keep going and win for Nishizumi-san's sake."
"What, you weren't expecting that?" Jun said jokingly before turning serious. "She's their commander, but she's also one of them, after all. All for one and one for all, as they say."
Koromo reeled in surprise, not at what she heard, but at the idea that things could be that simple as far as tankery teams went. She had heard the idea expressed before, but never with such sincerity. It was an idea she had considered before, and certainly wanted to believe was the case, but now, she realized that she no longer had any reason to doubt that her cousin, her other crewmates, or the rest of the team thought her as anything less than a friend or comrade.
Koromo looked around the interior of the tank, and saw that her friends were unharmed, glad for that even though she knew the safety features significantly reduced the risk of injury. Before long, a Dragon Wagon would be dispatched and take her off the field, enabling her to watch the rest of the match, but also giving her a great deal of time to think about what she had just realized. Her goals, as well as those of her friends, would be entrusted in the hands of those they barely had known before now, but she trusted them as more than just teammates, but as comrades.
One thought came through Koromo's mind, simple yet clear.
"Koromo was never alone," Koromo thought.
Touka noticed Koromo's epiphany, and how she no longer looked at her crewmates as strangers trying to help her for their own reasons, but as her cousin and their mutual friends.
"Koromo... you've finally realized it," Touka thought, with a warm smile that gave way to a triumphant smirk. "But this battle has not finished yet. Do not forget that for an instant, Haramura Nodoka!"
In the hospital waiting room, Miho let off a sigh of relief as Touka's tank was taken out of the game. By this point, the married couple had been called out of the waiting room.
"Nodoka-san pulled through," Miho said, relieved.
"Indeed, Miho," Maho said, pleased. "But while your friend may have escaped being taken out and defeated Koala Forest's commander in the process, there's still more enemies to deal with, and their flag tank remains elusive."
"I know, Onee-chan," Miho said. "Even when things were desperate for me, I've always had to not only struggle to stave off defeat, but keep thinking of how I could turn the tide and secure victory. If I didn't do the former, I would have lost, but if I didn't keep at least some of my focus on the latter task, I wouldn't have been able to win."
Maho nodded. She was well aware of having to deal with multiple difficult tasks as a commander, especially one who followed the Nishizumi doctrine, and she realized that Miho's tasks were, in some ways, more demanding than hers. In spite of how heavy Miho's burden often was, Miho did not think of it as one forced upon her, and found it easier to bear.
"That's quite a test of a commander's skill," Maho said. "I often find that the battles in which I learn the most are the ones that don't go according to plan, like the match with Pravda last year, and, of course, my battle with your school. I may have failed to win the tournament for the past two years, but I feel as though I've become a better tanker in the process."
Miho nodded.
"That's true," Miho said, "but this isn't only for my sake or Nodoka-san's sake. It's fo the team's future, so I hope that we will able to triumph today and show what we can do under unfavorable circumstances, and with those who will one day lead the team."
Ayumu, watching her commander's tank get taken out after an almost successful attack on the enemy flag tank, paled in shock.
"Touka-sama..." she said, before coughing violently a few times.
Miyuki turned to her friend, concerned. Ayumu's condition had improved somewhat and she was keeping down her lunch, but if Koala Forest lost now, she would be burdened with a sense of guilt that would remain for some time after she had recovered from her illness.
"It's not over yet, Ayumu," Miyuki said. "Your team's doing their best without you, as is everyone else. Even if Oarai won the championship last year, we won't lose this easily to them."
Ayumu nodded. Part of her role for the team was helping to oversee training of the Koala Forest team, including the underclassmen. She hoped to show Touka's predecessor that true potential in the team did not lie in its leadership, but in its people, especially those Sheila had marginalized. Perhaps Koala Forest's current commander was no longer on the field, but it still had several of its tanks, a force potentially large and strong enough to turn the tide against Oarai.
Elsewhere, Erwin's division continued pursuing the flag tank, a Matilda II that Touka's vice-captain would have commanded, had she been present, across a plateau near a somewhat rocky area. In spite of the relatively limited area to maneuver, the enemy flag tank was skillfully avoiding the shots made against it.
"The Queen of the Desert, in her natural habitat," Erwin said with a smile. "I wonder what the real Erwin Rommel would think of this battle."
As the Matilda II began its descent, it turned backward and struck the StuG as it crested the hill, causing it to raise a white flag. But the Porsche Tiger continued its pursuit, coming after it.
Rabbit Team fired and took out an AC II Sentinel, one gun blowing off the tracks and the other landing squarely in the back of the tank.
"This is Rabbit Team," Azusa said. "We took out one of their tanks, but the flag tank's getting farther and farther ahead. Orders?"
"Head to point N43," Nodoka said without hesitation. "See if you can set up an ambush for the tanks, while Leopon Team pursues them." She then opened a channel to Leopon Team. "Leopon Team, how are you holding up? Can you continue pursuing them?"
"We can, Acting Commander," Tsuchiya said. "But we've also got a shot right now."
Nodoka smiled, not having heard such confidence from Tsuchiya since the junior member of the Auto Club had become its commander, taking on a promotion and new responsibility that were not unlike hers.
"I see," Nodoka said. "Then, by all means, please take it."
Tsuchiya nodded.
"Affirmative," she said over the radio to Nodoka before turning to her crew. "Get ready, girls!"
Her three subordinates eagerly complied, as the flag tank began hastily climbing a dune, enabling them to close the gap with their target as the commander struggled to give orders to her crew, who had never worked under her before.
In the end, the three newcomers from Leopon Team had the same thoughts on their minds as they pursued the flag tank.
The engine was taxed almost to its limit and belched steam, but their skills had improved through their struggles with it, and they were able to keep in the game, as well as in motion. But even if it held out, it would only be a matter of time before the enemy troops arrived to help the flag tank, and they would likely only have one shot before that happened.
The newcomers briefly pondered how they knew why the enemy vice-captain was not here, but why were they here at the moment? Why did they continue doing tankery in spite of their initial reluctance?
"Whatever the circumstances may be, we're here because we choose to be," Goto thought.
"Whether operating or repairing, or cars or tanks, we give it our all," Rokubungi thought.
"We work hard for our club members, in the auto club or the tank team," Nanami thought.
"Time to do our best!" the three of them thought together.
The Porsche Tiger surged over the dune, drifting downhill and catching up to the flag tank. Rokubungi swiftly loaded a shell, and Nanami caught the flag tank in her sights and fired.
The Porsche Tiger's shot struck true, striking the tank in the back, just as it was cresting the dune ahead. It was a long way away, but the powerful 88 mm shell was easily able to penetrate the Matilda II's rear armor. Smoke and dust rose from the impact site, along with a cloud of sand, but the fact that the flag tank had not returned fire was all the indication the auto club needed to show that they'd succeeded in taking it out.
The white flag rose on the Matilda II.
"Oarai wins the match!" the announcer said.
Author's Notes
I'd like to thank Stalker117 and KMT4ever for beta reading this.
I'd also like to thank Stellar Magic and Kao Vamp for the ideas for Koala Forest's tanks, as well as severstal for showing me the magazine with Koala Forest's lineup.
This chapter represents a test for Oarai, one that they have just recently passed. Nodoka has succeeded in leading without Miho, not only proving her worth, but also proving that Oarai's strength is not solely because of Miho, and they have the ability to continue on without her.
It's also a turning point for the new Leopon Team, showing the start of their getting accustomed to their tank, and starting to use it to its full capabilities.
Touka also makes an interesting foil to Mihoko, Oarai's previous quarterfinals opponent, in that both have notable similarities and differences. The two of them are well-bred girls who care for their subordinates a great deal, and took over after the departure of their largely disliked predecessors. But while Mihoko is humble, reserved, polite, and sometimes insecure, Touka is arrogant, loud, often rude and exceptionally confident, albeit still largely a good person at heart.
At this point, we're about halfway through the tournament, and Necessary to Keep Winning (at least in terms of chapters; some of the later chapters may be shorter).
Character Analysis: Ayumu Sugino
Ayumu isn't a very major player in Saki. In the anime, where she debuts, she's Touka's maid, and an alternate player for the Ryuumonbuchi team in case Koromo can't make it.
Ayumu was implemented somewhat late in the writing process here, to actually show the person who was replaced. That she doesn't appear in Touka's Interlude along with the rest of Touka's crew is neither an accident nor a result of her late implementation, but a reflection of her status. She's not quite in Touka's circle of friends, since, as a maid in training for the family as well as Touka's subordinate on the tankery team, she can't quite think of Touka as a friend, per se, not unlike the way Kikuyo thinks of Miho (although each maid-mistress pair has a considerably different dynamic).
But in spite of their differences in station, Ayumu does want to help Touka, and is disappointed when she's not well enough to do so. Unlike Miho, she does not have a choice, and worse, unlike Miho, the match does not end favorably for her. These results are disheartening for Ayumu, but knowing what she wants to do and having the support of her teammates will enable her to bounce back and try again once she is healthy.