Part 10 loaded, let's get this baby fired up. I have a weird shift schedule is because the military is being idiots about COVID again and me, in my infinite wisdom, decided enlisting as medical personell was a smart idea, so updates may be sporadic. Now, let's get some training in!

"So you're completely okay with distributing your own crew like this? Won't you guys also need practice?"

The two veteran tank commanders were situated in the hanger, sitting lazily on top of their respective tanks. They'd met early to discuss strategy, Anzu having pulled some strings and gotten them free periods at the end of class.

Joshua shrugged at Miho's question, "Sure, practice is always good, and we're far from the best Tankery crew in the US... but this is about resources. My guys can afford to miss some practice sessions if it helps get our team up to pace faster."

Miho nodded, "Okay, I get that... we may have to shuffle it around a bit though. The team has kinda taken favorites of your American friends, but if the purpose is to practice then we need to reassign them... but there's just so many people who need help..."

Joshua hummed as he cupped his chin in his hand, "Well... when in doubt, I say we default to something American. From military to fast food to cheap electronics."

Miho gave a sly smile, "Low quality and diabetes?"

Joshua raised his hand and gave her a rude gesture as the former Nishizumi heir giggled.

"NO, I was talking about standardization. Gunners with Rachel, Drivers with Michael, loaders with Hector, radio with Sam, commanders with you. Then we split them off to their teams to hone their skills as a ride along. Hector may not know alot about driving or Rachel radios, for example, but each one of my guys has had to fill in spots on more than one occasion. It's more experience than any of the girls have, at any rate, and they get along with their teams already."

Miho nodded, but then turned twords her American counterpart, "Wait, what about you? Aren't you gonna help?"

Joshua grimaced, "Miho... I'm not exactly a good tank commander myself. I'm okay, maybe a bit above average. but you... you're a legend. I've read the reports, seen the videos. You're incredible. It'd be a waste to not use that."

Miho blushed and looked down at the praise, before running her hand over her Panzer and steeling herself with a deep breath

"Well... I dunno about all that... and I think you're a good commander too! But... well, let's get this team into shape, then worry about it okay? And you WILL help me in teaching tactics, that's an order!"

The last part was said with a mischievous grin on Miho's face, causing Joshua to mock salute and laugh with her

"Alright, alright! I'll do what I can!"

"So you see, the key to good gunnery is rangefinding! Normally Joshy helps by rangefinding for me-hes so helpful like that!- But its good to also know how to do it yourself! A tanks gun and the sight also need to be periodically adjusted! your commander can help you do this, but I usually like having my loader help me! it makes him feel like he's helping with the gun, and everyone deserves to feel like they're helping, because everyone is important!"

As Rachel continued on, intertwining her lesson on ballistics with the importance of friendship, Joshua couldn't help but notice her stuttering and shyness had evaporated.

"When you get that girl on a roll with tank guns, she's a whole new beast"

Ayumi, Aya, and Akebi were paying rapt attention to the lesson, Aya holding a notepad and furiously scribbling in it as Ayumi yelled 'write that down, write that down!!' as Rachel talked about the importance of getting your loader flowers for Loaders Day. However, since it's important for nobody to be left out, you should get EVERYONE flowers for Loaders day, and everyone flowers for Drivers day, and so on.

Saemonza, however, was less infatuated, though she was paying attention, and Momo looked like she was embarrassed when Rachel started talking about the importance of accuracy

"... and eventually, you'll get so used to your own sights and the arc of your shells, that you can guess how far away something is within a reasonable distance just by looking at it!" Rachel smiled, "Okay everyone, now we're gonna get in the M3 lee and take turns!"

The girls followed Rachel twords the early American tank, Aya and Ayumi being the most enthusiastic, closely followed by the busty volleyball player and Seamonza. Momo followed as well, but she eyed the tank nervously, as if it would bite her, before ducking into a hatch

Akebis voice carried over the echo of the last shell fired in the 37mm gun

"GUTS!"

The first year girls quickly echoed her battle cry, shouting "GUTS!" as they fired

Saemonza was much quieter, but was consequently much more accurate. Momo, however, was without a doubt the most innacurate gunner of the group. She was slowly improving however, with Rachel teaching her some breathing techniques and showing her to calm her mind before firing a shot. She was still bad, but not horrendously so.

Who Rachel was most impressed by Hana, by far. The graceful flower girl had hit her target after taking only 2 ranging shots, and had proceeded to hit almost every target on the range, almost measuring up to Rachel's considerable skill.

"She must have alot of friendship in that tank to be shooting so well! It's a shame Joshy isn't crushing on her... she is kinda cute!" Hana was too engrossed to notice the way the other girls had been staring at her, firing the 37mm rapidly. Her breathing was becoming more and more labored as she fired, and a bead of sweat began trickling down her neck.

Aya tugged on Rachel's sleeve, looking nervous

"Is Hana-senpai gonna be ok? she looks like shes in pain!"

Rachel took a good look at the gunner, biting her bottom lip and squeezing her legs together

"O-oh no..."

Rachel tapped Hana on the shoulder, who jumped and looked at the American gunner

"P-please forgive me, Rachel I j-just... I got carried away..."

Her face had turned uncharacteristically red, and she was squeezing her thighs together tightly

Rachel could sympathize. Despite the assumptions of most of the crew she worked with, she DID have a bit of knowledge about romantic affairs. She knew 'getting to second base' meant holding hands in public, she knew 'making out' meant cuddling on the couch, and she knew 'Doing it' was something Hector refused to talk to her about. Personally, she assumed it had something to do with kissing AND holding hands, but she wasn't too sure. Still, in the privacy of her own room, she did explore those feelings she got when firing the gun. Many a long night had been spent alone in the turret, struggling desperately to load the heavy 2 piece shells (how did Heccy do this everyday?? he was so strong, she should remember to thank him!) and firing round after round, feeling the shockwave go through the air, the THUMP pounding her chest and... other areas... before going home on wobbly legs

Suffice it to say, she could sympathize with the poor Japanese gunner. She bid the other girls to keep practicing, and led Hana out of the tank. Hana began apologizing and uncharacteristically embarrassed before Rachel stopped her

"H-hana... I know. it's okay! I-in fact back home it's s-somewhat common among gunners... so no need to be embarrassed!"

Hana looked at her gratefully, "Thank you Rachel. It was just so... overwhelming. The Panzers gun was strong, but the 37 felt similar, I just wish it was.." She said as she blushed

Rachel decided to help her friend. When she had been going through these feelings, she had felt like a freak, like a pervert in one of Sam's comic books with naked people in it. But she was determined not to let her newfound kindred spirit experience the same shame alone. Besides, Hana was a very good gunner, and more practice would only help, right?

"Hana... would... would you like to fire the T32s gun?"

Hana's eyes went wide as she nodded her head vigorously

"Alright, remember; Clutch in, brake, ignition, clutch out slowly and gas at the same time. It takes a bit of getting used to, and some tanks are much easier than others. You also wanna know your engine and keep the RPM range in its powerband. Lower gears are better for climbing hills, and your reverse gear in alot of tanks is much lower than your forward gears. There's been alot of times when I managed to back up a hill in Sugar that I never would have managed to do in first gear."

The gathered drivers around him we're paying close attention as Micheal sat in the driver's seat of the Panzer 38 (t). The hatch was open to allow the girls to see inside, and one by one he had taken each girl out to instruct her on her driving. He had managed to get everyone to the point where they could make basic manuevers and movement, though every once in a while they did still stall or get stuck in some mud, but they were improving.

The one person he couldn't quite figure out was the sleepy Garupan, Mako. She had laid on top of the tank immediately after he began his lecture, and when he took her for her training ride, she had taken 10 seconds to feel the tank out, then began drifting around corners and achieving speeds he didn't think the little Czech tank was capable of (and he did NOT scream like a girl the whole time, despite what Hector would tell you). Through it all she had maintained that sleepy, bored expression on her face.

Michael split the girls up into their tanks (other than the Lee, which was being used by the gunnery team) when he noticed one of the volleyball girls struggling to drive the I-go. He approached it while it was stalled, jumping onto the tank and dropping down the hatch to the sight of Shinobu angrily screaming at the controls and banging then with her hands.

"Hey! need a hand?"

Shinobu fixed him with a glare, sitting back in the seat

"Stupid thing won't turn like I want it to! it takes years for it to turn around from a stop!"

Michael nodded, humming to himself

"I think I see the problem. I had the same issue with Sugar when I started. See, turning is all about momentum. When you're starting from a standstill, only one track is grabbing the ground, and it's struggling to get started. Try giving it some gas in a straight away for a few feet, get some momentum, then turning the tank with that instead."

The volleyball player looked at him sceptically, but grabbed the controls again. Within moments, she was swinging the tank around much faster than before, and she was whooping along with Michael as they ran around the track.

Coming to a stop they exited the tank and sat on the hull, Shinobu had a grin replacing her previous scowl, before smiling and punching Michael in the shoulder

"Thanks, American. That was actually pretty fun."

Michael, unfortunately, was Michael, and like a shark smelling blood, he moved in for the kill, throwing an arm around the volleyball player and putting on his best charming face.

"Ya know, if you want to take a drive in Sugar over there, I heard there's this little hill on the bow that overlooks the ocean. Real pretty at night, and I have it on good authority that we'll be headed westbound tonight. You, me, the sunset, maybe a few drinks..."

Shinobu half closed her eyes and put on a flirtatious smile, leaning in

"Oh?"

Michael grinned, "Oh yeah. perfect place to take a beautiful woman for some alone time, just the two of us, with just the sunset watching"

The volleyball player smiled more, "Oh, well that does sound nice..."

"Jackpot""... If that's the case, it sounds like the perfect spot to take a certain American Tankery I just met..."

"Really now? and who would he be?"

"SHE happens to be a very nice radio operator I got to meet a few days ago actually, I think we got along quite well"

Michaels mind took a few seconds to process what she had just said, as his companion unhooked his arm around her shoulder and began laughing at his expression

"but-she... you... but I.. Sam?!" he sputtered

"Why not?" Shinobu replied, "She's nice. Smart. Kinda pervy but that's not totally a bad thing... she also isn't afraid to argue back when someone confronts her. she's got Guts. And a nice ass, as I think you say in America"

Michael was taken aback, leaning backwards before responding in a surprisingly sincere voice

"I... uh... yeah... yeah actually, Sam is great. She's one of my best friends, just... well, don't hurt her, please? She's pretty open minded about stuff, but just he upfront with her. She's a good friend of mine, and she's got a good heart."

Shinobu gave a genuine smile at that, "Oh, don't worry. I consider her a friend too. Besides, I'm not really looking for a super committed relationship... if she's not down for a friends with benefits sort of thing, well... Then I don't think it's work out. I have too much on my plate, with Volleyball and Sensha-Dō now on top of it. But I'll be honest with her."

Michael nodded, relieved. "Thanks, Shinobu. I appreciate that."

She patted his shoulder, "You're a good friend Michael. and a good man. Despite what Saori says!" She laughed with the last part, as Michael put on his charming smile again

"Ya know, if any of those other volleyball players are single..."

"Don't push it."

And there we have two training sessions. I'll split it up because obviously there's alot to write, and I'll need a whole other chapter for Hector, Sam, Joshua and Miho. Maybe even three chapters for it all. And we haven't even hit the practice match yet. This story might take a while to finish.As before read, review, etc etc. Let me know what you like, what you didnt. Hopefully I conveyed the characters well, if not let me know and I'll try and improve.