Revelation. Truths will be revealed and the swords of heartache and pain will pierce each of their hearts.

Goodalwayswin98 will be a collaborator for the rest of the story. Much love and respect.

Oarai Girl's Academy – Rirko's Office – Mid Evening

One of the fundamental principles of combat is to gain as much intelligence on the enemy as possible. Offensive and defensive capabilities, strengths, weaknesses, mindset. These things and more. To get a 'one-up' against an enemy, know your enemy so you'll know how to deal with them.

Another was striking pre-emptively. To make that first strike count would determine victory or defeat. Even after decades of violence in human history, the lesson of warfare hasn't changed much. While the methods on how war is conducted may have changed, the fact that two sides trying to enforce their ideals and values upon one another through force has not. And it is in this that war…war never changes.

So, fitting that within an institute of learning that a battle of ideals and values was taking place inside of an office. Two daughters against one mother with a therapist moderating. Even though both parties seemed fatigued from their previous struggles, it did not mean that their burning wills have been quelled.

Quite the opposite. Each person involve was dead set in proving themselves right. The question was: who was going to make the first move?

Miho found herself in the same position a year earlier. Her face showed a determined look, but inside she was terrified. Facing her mother in a battle for ideals. Last time, she got destroyed. The only difference was that her sister was sitting right beside her. That action was a great comfort to her. It gave her hope they perhaps they could talk it out and become a family again.

For Maho, it was the same. If someone had told her that she would have been fighting a battle of ideals on behalf of her sister, she would have thought that person a fool and continued to do whatever her mother told her. Speaking out for herself, she continued to walk in uncharted territory. The difference between then and now was that Miho was with her, every step of the way. They were on the same side; to convince their mother's way of thinking and treating her children was unacceptable. Both drew strength from one another.

Shiho, on the other hand, drew strength from her obligations and duties to the Nishizumi clan. The fact that her daughters would openly rebel saddened her. Especially when one of said daughters involved was supposed to be the next heiress to the family legacy. The stoic mask she wore masked a seasoned battler not only on the field of Sensha-do but in every battle that life had given her. The loss of her husband, her happiness and the burden she was obligated to bear.

All of them had one thing in common: they were all brought by the canker that had set the entire chain of events in motion. Had it not been for Rirko's persistent pursuit of what was right and just, then the two daughters would have never found the courage in themselves to take the necessary action.

In the eyes of other therapists, this intervention would be both highly unprofessional and not necessary. It would take months of dialogue with the parties involved, followed by more rounds of therapies before all parties agreed to a meeting. This happened in a manner of four months, with no dialogue other than individual sessions. To charge on through like this was reminiscent of Chi-Ha-Tan's "tactics".

Finally, discussions began with Shiho breaking the silence. Analyzing where Maho sat represented her correct affiliation. "So Maho, it seems that you have chosen a side?"

Maho being on the side of Miho meant that she was abandoning the Nishizumi style completely. She didn't want to leave her obligations, but the love for Miho outweighed the consequences. "Yes I have."

"Have you been on Miho's side all this time?" The one thing that Maho didn't want her mother to find out. She couldn't lie, she would see right through her. It was time, to tell the truth.

"Yes. I have been with Miho…since the very beginning." Miho looked at her sister, who was keeping a stoic face but was shaking.

Shiho shook her head slowly. "I thought as much."

Sighing, Maho figured that she would know. "When?"

"During the summer. I received a call about Oarai shutting down, and they told me that I would need to sign some paperwork to authorize Miho's transfer. It would be delivered via courier. But it never came." Still exhausted over the emotional bout with Rirko, she poured a glass of water while both sisters stared.

"If you knew, why didn't you raise the issue?"

"Because this action had no impact on you or this family." Shiho turned to Miho, who straightened herself up. "You could have at least said hello."

Miho stayed silent. "I wanted too. But…"

"And all of this does?" Questioned Maho.

"Yes. It does. Both of our interests no longer align. I seek to keep the old ways of the Nishizumi. While you and your sister wish to change the style completely. As the head of the family, I can't let that happen."

"You would put your responsibilities of a matriarch before your own daughters?"

"I thought it was apparent before. Responsibility demands each of us to keep our style of Sensha-do relevant. It will not fade into obscurity while I am the matriarch. Miho, while talented in Sensha-do in her own right, has proven inept at this. She had no role to play regarding continuing our Sensha-do legacy. However, you surprise me, Maho. I had high hopes for you. I thought that you would have the mental fortitude to not let others sway you."

"I've made up my mind, mother." Maho crossed her arms, scowling. Clearly, she was upset by the fact her own mother would so casually write the both of them off as mere pawns in a long-term game. Rirko watched silently, knowing at some point that things would get too real.

"You've always been the same. The two of you, inseparable." Shiho remembered fondly when her two daughters were very young. They were so close, one would say they were joined at the hip. But the last two years had been stressful. No longer on the same ship, the relationship they had was a far cry from the one they had before. "And yet, you decided to side with me, with the old ways, when Miho spoke out after the Kuromorimine/Pravda match. I remember that I gave you an opportunity to speak, but you said nothing. I assumed that your silence was an agreement in what I was saying." Maho could only look at her silently. While Maho revealed what side she was on, Shiho didn't know the reason why. "If you were on her side since the very beginning, why is it that you didn't speak up that time?"

Maho was silent, still crossing her arms but looked down. This confrontation style was making her nervous. Miho picked up on this and moved a little closer.

"Well Maho? I'm waiting." Shiho took another sip of water and laid her hands on her lap.

"My lady, for what reason you are asking questions that you already know the answer to?" The three turned to Rirko, who decided to help move the discussion along.

"I don't know the answer, Mr. Nagasawa. That's why I'm asking."

"Oh, but I believe you do. Consider Maho's point of view right now. I have no doubt that you have experience in reading body languages from all the meetings you attended over the years. So, looking at her now, what conclusion would you draw?"

She didn't have to say anything. Shiho knew that Maho was afraid, fearful. Her body language looked exactly like when someone was getting grilled by her, or when she was 'expressing' her point of view. Shiho closed her eyes. "I want her to say it."

Rirko became wide-eyed. "Really? You're really going to do that!?!" Turning her attention back to the girls, she sighed. This wasn't another colleague, or a subordinate, or one of the bureaucratic representatives of MEXT or the Federation. These were her two daughters. She was conducting this personal discussion like a business meeting. She preferred to break her opponents, making it easier to persuade them. Rirko snapped her back to reality.

"She's scared," Shiho spoke stonily. Maho looked at her mother and nodded slightly.

Rirko breathed deeply. "My lady, I hope you know the significance this discussion. This isn't just another meeting."

"I am aware, Mr. Nagasawa." Shiho was annoyed of Rirko pointing out this fact. She turned to Maho, once again. "So you feared expressing yourself at that time. What did you think would happen?" Maho's silence was unnerving to everyone. She turned to Rirko, who gave a slight nod.

Half relieved that the truth was out, and half terrified about what would happen next, Maho did her best to contain her composure. "I felt terrible that Miho had to take responsibility for that incident. You know, as well as I, she would do something like this. I feared what you would have done to either of us."

"I would have taken your opinion under advisement, Maho. Nothing more. What else could I have done to the both of you?" As the sisters looked at each other, Rirko could see that Shiho was hurt. They were so afraid of her. After all that she had sacrificed, all that she had done, they would see her as a complete monster. Something to be avoided at all costs. But the backlash couldn't allow for that possibility. She was shaking out of sadness. It almost reminded Rirko of when he found Miho at the hotel and when he had to get Maho out of the Sensha-Do office.

"If I may, my lady." Shiho turned fiercely at Rirko, who had his hands folded on top of his lap. Seeing her face, he flinched slightly. "Oh my God, this woman is gonna eat me alive! Considering that you had control of every, and I mean, every aspect of their lives. Their essentials, their education, their very livelihood, the imagination could easily envision some…drastic change if they spoke out."

Shiho suddenly stood up, yelling indiscriminately. "Do you think of me as some sort of monster then?!" As she screamed, the girls flinched. Rirko looked at her for a minute. With his two hands, palms up, he gestured to her. Her outburst, if even for a split second, had proven his point. This was the exact reason they didn't say anything. Disgusted with herself, she sat back down slowly, closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

Rirko noticed that Miho was making herself look small. It was apparent she didn't want to be there. If they were to continue, then Miho would have to put her input into all of this. "You haven't spoken up Miho. Do you have any thoughts?"

She, at once, turned to him and gave him a look. All eyes were on her now. Seeing as she was the catalyst that pushed everything into motion, Miho had the attention of both her sister and mother. Sensing that Miho wasn't ready to speak yet, Maho jumped to her defence.

"Why are you asking her? This is about my mother and me!"

"Actually. I, too, am interested in what Miho has to say." Shiho's remark was surprising to all those present, especially Miho. "Back then, you failed to convince me of your justification for saving those girls. I do hope you have a more compelling argument this time."

When Miho tried to justify herself in her actions, her words fell on deaf ears. Shiho, out of her stubbornness and obligation to the Nishizumi style and Maho out of fear. Now, she had another opportunity. Only, she didn't have an argument. She wasn't prepared. Her mind frantically searched for something…anything she could use. Thinking about her past experiences, the advice of her friends, her battles with rivals, she swallowed hard and shut her eyes.

Shiho was getting impatient. "Well?"

Rirko held his hand up. "Give her a minute. She'll get there." Turning to Miho, he prodded her gently, "Remember what we talked about?" His words made Miho reflect on her interactions with Rirko. The discussions about her anxieties, her dreams and the hope of reconciling with her family. Then, as if she was struck by inspiration, something popped into her head. It was something that Rirko said before he left for Kuromorimine.

"…right," Miho mumbled. Everyone was still looking.

"What does that mean?" Shiho asked. "What's right?"

Once again, Miho swallowed hard and proceeded to carefully speak her words. "If… If you believe…that your ideals are being contradicted by someone… especially, someone of authority …then you must do… what you think right." The feeling of defying her mother's wishes again didn't sit well with her. But she said it. She said her piece. Maho watched silently but was proud that Miho was sticking up for herself. Before, Miho looked towards her for support. But now, she looked straight at her mother's eyes.

"What is this girl on about?" Shiho narrowed her eyes, zero in on her daughter. "Care to explain?"

"I…I choose the lives of my teammates over victory because it was the right thing to do. You may consider this wrong. But to sacrifice lives for the sake of victory? To just ignore the girls in front of me, I couldn't allow anything to happen to them."

"The ideals and traditions of the Nishizumi are far more important than anything else. I taught you this, I expected you to follow that ruling." Stoic as ever, Shiho was determined for Miho to see her point of view. "Your 'teammates' are there to help you, but they are, but a means to an end…our end."

Miho shook her head vigorously. "This is why we won't ever see eye to eye, mother. You may see them as tools, to be used for the sake of your victory. But to me, they are more than that. You may have not cared for those girls back then, but someone did. Someone that mattered."

"Sensha-do is more than a sport, Miho. It is a war of ideals. The Nishizumi have long held fast their ideal of self-sacrifice and striving ever forward to the future. Therefore, we do what we must in order to prevail. Kuromorimine has always explained the risks involved in Sensha-do. Those girls knew what they were getting themselves into. If they had any honour, they would have sacrificed themselves fully for the sake of their school!"

For her own mother to see her precious friends as mere tools. Miho's rage for her mother's carelessness, at this point, boiled over. She still remembered the faces of those she had saved that fateful day. She still remembered when Koume came about in her arms, coughing. How, for a brief moment, there was relief in their tear streaked eyes as they caught their breath on dry land.

She rose up slowly and glared at her. "That's not what it looked like from where I was. When I came to help those girls in the river, they were crying. They were crying because someone cared. They truly believed that we would sacrifice them for our own sake."

As she spoke, her voice started to rise. Her body pushing her fear away, preparing itself for a fight.

"That split moment between choosing victory or the lives of my teammates?! I knew I would never forgive myself if I allowed them to die! It was like I walked through a door and shut it behind me. I made that choice! To do what it is that I know is right!"

There was silence in the room. Maho's mouth was slightly agape. Even when arguing with her mother, she wasn't as passionate as her sister. Shiho stared down Miho, frozen in anger of her audacity. Miho had always been free-spirited, but this was getting out of hand.

"I will not be spoken to in such a disrespectful way. Even if she is my daughter."

Rising from her seat, Shiho then rose her hand against her own daughter.

There was no way to dodge it. Continuing to work off of the adrenaline and believing her own words, she braced for the hit. Maho shook off the shock and went to block the attack. There was a loud thump.

"OH HELL NO!"

Once again, the three turned to Rirko who was standing. When did he stand up?

"When you are in your own home, feel free to follow whatever Eastern disciplinary bullshit you want! But when you're in my office, I don't care if this is culturally correct! Violence will NOT be tolerated here! Especially when it's towards your own kin!"

So fierce was Rirko's sudden reaction that all three Nishizumis recoiled with shock. As he stood staring at Shiho, her hand slowly started to drop.

He continued, "You asked her to explain?! She did! If you don't like her answer, fine! But what good is it to strike your own daughter!? If that was the solution, then it would have worked ages ago!" Rirko's voice returned to a gentler tone. "Besides. You know as well as anyone, she is who she is. That there? That wasn't defiance. That was a passion for her own ideals. Get it right."

While Rirko may saw it as Miho expressing herself, Shiho still thought it as defiance. Sitting down, she crossed her arms and closed her eyes. "Be that as it may. I will not be spoken to in such a manner. Especially by my own daughters." She tried to have a stern tone, but it was shaky. She was just as affected as everyone else.

Rirko turned to the girls. "I get you two have pent-up issues you want to address. But, your mother has a point. Let's try to avoid provocation of one another. We speak in a neutral, respectful tone. Got it?" As both sat down, Miho was surprised by her own actions. She had never spoken in such a manner to anyone. Especially not towards her mother. She avoided to make eye contact with her, stared at the floor and breathed deeply. Maho put her hand on Miho's, comforting her. Saying something like that after years of oppression took a lot out of her.

Avoiding what would have been a catastrophic end of the meeting, Rirko sighed and sat down. "F*** me, really?" The atmosphere had become more intense. Time seemed to move slower than usual.

Shiho had assumed that Miho would cave into the pressure of absolute rule that she had always used to keep her daughters in line. But, like Maho, Miho had shown that approach would be ineffective. The last few months, both of them showed a new level of confidence when questioning the ideals of their betters. Shiho gave a steely gaze towards Rirko.

"I blame you for this. It is as I said, neither of them would show such disrespect if you didn't intervene."

"If you were expecting for these girls to be the same way back when then this may have come to a shock to you. Miho especially, they have been exposed to different views, different ways of thinking. But, as I said countless times, the decision to adopt these views will be their choice. A view that you, yourself, were once open to."

The very fact that Rirko would remind Shiho of the life she had before Tsuneo's death still hurt her. Her voice was stoic but held hostile intent. "I warn you, Nagasawa. Don't go there."

"Why not? You know, perhaps we should lie everything on the table. Your daughters have done so, what about you?" As Shiho looked at her daughters, they both had fearful, confused looks. Staring back at the girls wasn't the face of fearlessness. It was anxiety.

"What does he mean by this mother?" Maho asked with a mix of curiosity and worry.

"I have nothing to say." Shiho was intent on keeping the secret for as long as possible.

But Maho wasn't. "You weren't always like this. A long time ago, you used to be different! You used to smile and were so much kinder! I believe that person is still there, buried underneath that cold, stoic façade!"

She remembered her childhood. The family outings where everyone was happy. She still remembered her father's laughter and her mother's bright clothing. What had happened to her father? Where did the kind mother that loved colourful clothing go? Why did she become the cold woman who wore black at all times?

"That was before I learnt the importance of my station!" Shiho snapped back. "A responsibility to not only to my family but to all of Sensha-do!"

Maho's eyes narrowed as she pressed on with an accusing tone. She wanted the truth.

"No! There's something more, isn't there?! You're hiding something, just like we were!"

"I am not hiding…Anything!" But she knew, once Maho was set on something, she would not relent. She was intent on finding out what Shiho was hiding. Her only option was to intimidate her to the point of submission. To overwhelm her opponent and swarm in when the time was right. Shiho's voice became louder.

"My patience is running thin of this disrespect!"

"And my patience of putting up with your stonewalling has ended as well!" After years of enduring Nishizumi responsibility and expectations, Maho's rage for her mother was unleashed. All the pent-up anger, sadness and resentment rushed out; taking the opportunity to finally express themselves.

Once again, Shiho stood up to intimidate Maho. "Why are you so insistent on this?! It has nothing to do with this situation at hand! Nothing!"

"I don't believe you! Why else would you tell him 'not to go there'. We are entitled to the truth!" Maho shrieked, her face contorted in anger.

"You two are entitled to NOTHING!"

"This is getting out of hand." Rirko was about to step in when suddenly…

*SLAM*

Both women stopped shouting, trying to find the source of the sound. It came from Miho, who slammed her fist on the hard table. Silence engulfed the room again.

"…ow." Miho rubbed her hand sheepishly, trying to ease the pain.

"Miho, mother is hiding something! It could be the very reason why she changed! To relentlessly pursue the truth; we must show that we will not back down!" Maho said desperately.

"And if you continue the way you are, then you're no better than she is!" Miho's stern tone gave Maho time to calm down. "I want to know the truth too. But not like this. You're better than this. We all are."

Both women looked at each other, the sat back down. Miho turned to face her mother, once again. But this time, she would take a different approach. Silently contemplating, she thought on her option. "Mother doesn't want us knowing something. What is the reason? She won't tell us. Wait." If Shiho was not vocal in revealing her secret, how she was acting would tell Miho how she felt.

Shiho was shaking, slightly. This was not the same person that Miho feared. Her arms were crossed the entire time and her face. Her eyes glistened, and she was biting her lower lips. Rirko saw this and realized that the matriarch would soon break. Her daughters behaved the same way before they blew up. Adding this all in, Miho would try to understand what was going on.

"Mother. There is a reason why you won't tell us what you know. Either for your benefit or for our sakes. But, if we are not truthful, then what chance do we have in understanding one another? Me and Maho showed ourselves to you. How we are sad, scared and hurting from everything that has happened. All we are asking is for the same respect from you. We simply…just want to understand…"

As Miho looked down again, how could Shiho speak against that? With Maho, it was easy to argue. She had put up such a staunch resistance to her intimidation. But Miho was so soft-spoken, precise in what she wanted. It was at this moment that Shiho realized that sooner or later, they would find out about Tsuneo's death.

She needed more time. At least, until she could come up with another lie. "If…if you wish for me to tell you, answer me this, Miho." Miho looked at her mother, not with eyes of contempt, but with tired but willing eyes. "Why did you leave? Why did you leave your sister and me? All I wanted…was for you to learn the importance of our style. To be able to make the proper decisions necessary to survive. I never told you to leave, but you did it regardless. Answer me that."

Shiho's hope was Miho wouldn't have the courage to reveal the reason behind her action. With this, she would prove herself hypocritical to her own pursuit of the truth. This would be a foothold in hiding the incident from them. "I cannot let them find out. They'll be ruined. I'll be ruined."

But, as Rirko said before, this wasn't the same Miho.

Sighing, Miho had wanted to tell her how she honestly felt. It was a good a time as any. "I had failed you and our family. There's no doubt about that. Bringing shame to our family, I wanted…to cease being a burden."

Hearing Miho said that crushed Maho, while Shiho tried desperately to keep her stoic façade. However, it was quickly cracking. Did Miho genuinely consider herself a burden? An abysmal failure?

Laughing softly, Miho's eyes welled up with tears. "I mean, you said it yourself. You had no role for me to play. I was just a handicap for Maho. What good am I to you? To anyone… Neither you or anyone back then…needed someone like me." At this, Miho shook her head slowly and tried to hold back from crying. Maho looked silently at her mother, tears streaming down her redden cheeks.

Taking a moment, Shiho turned to Rirko. Apparently, she wanted him to intervene.

"Dammit Shiho, take the hint! You want my advice, my lady? Take a page out of Miho's book. Do what it is you know is right."

Deep down inside of her, Shiho knew that they deserved to see the truth. Tsuneo was their father. After all this time, trying to desperately hide this from her daughters; was it really for their sake? Or, for her own. The logic that the girls had the right to know. Maho got her wish.

"It…it wasn't about not needing you, Miho. It was all about not losing you. Either of you."

"What?" A confused Miho asked, wiping away the tears.

"Back then, when you saved those girls. You put yourself and your team at risk. You could have died. Had you been killed, it would just be like that day all over again! I couldn't allow that to happen!" Shiho said, her voice breaking.

"What day? What are you talking about?!"

"Tsuneo…your father…" Shiho went silent again as tears started streaming down her face. But her words gave Maho enough information to piece together the truth.

"He's dead, isn't he." Everyone turned to Maho as she said this grimly. "Father sacrificed himself for the sake of others, didn't he?"

Rirko could only stare. "How in the f*** did she piece that all together with only a few words?" Shiho's silence confirmed this fact.

"When? How?!" Shocked by these turn of events, the girls demanded an explaination.

Shiho turned to Rirko again. Nodding at him, he understood she wants him to tell them. She could say no more, it was too much for her. She simply didn't want to relive the terrible memories of that day.

"Gas explosion. He went back inside and was able to save two of his maintenance crew members before being caught in the blaze. Rescue crew retrieved him, and he succumbed to his injuries an hour later. This happened when the two of you were young."

Shiho couldn't hold it in anymore. Holding herself, she openly wept in front of her daughters. Both were understandably in shock. What happened all those years ago now made sense. Why they were out of the city for an entire week. Their mother's change in disposition and her words. Maho's fears about her father came true.

Miho silently wept but Maho was livid. She kept something like this hidden for so long? After all this time, she hadn't gotten over her grief about her dead husband? That they both would suffer under the guise of responsibly and family obligations to Sensha-do because of an unresolved heartache? She made no attempt to hide her fury. Breathing loudly and shaking, the grief of loss settling in.

"Maho." She turned to Rirko, calling her name. "Take a walk."

There were so many things she wanted to say to her mother. She growled angrily at him, but Rirko was persistent. He knew that he had to get Maho out of the room, less she blew up in front of Miho and Shiho.

"Well, what are you waiting for?! You heard me! Get goin'!" His rising tone meant he was serious. Maho, with the little rational thought she had left, got up quickly, glaring at her mother for a moment, then passed her opening the door. Slamming the door shut, there was a shrill scream of anger that could be heard.

"F**k." Looking at the two before him, he knew he had to keep an eye on Maho. He couldn't allow her to roam the school in her state. Getting up, he was about to address Shiho, who was still holding herself. He wanted to say that if she laid a finger on Miho, she was dead. But he apparently saw that Shiho was no longer there. In its place was a woman grieving for her husband. The only reason why she kept the stoic and demanding façade was that she was hiding that truth.

Now that it was out, there was no need for it.

Miho couldn't care less. She was still weeping for the death of her father. She had always hoped for his return... but now it was gone forever.

Sighing, Rirko made for the door, intent on helping Maho with her grief and anger.

More to come. Please review and favourite if you haven't done so already. It helps a great deal. It is greatly apperciated.