Watching Der Film as we speak, RIP penguins who had their home destroyed by the match.
This is the true price of Sensha-dō.
The teams left the cake shop in much better spirits than before, with even the losers laughing and joking with their opponents. Unfortunately, nothing could help the dirt, grime, grease, carbon, and cordite that clung to their skin and uniforms.
Deducing correctly that cleanliness was next to godliness, Darjeeling proposed a post match relaxation session with the whole teams in attendance, to which Miho readily agreed. Grabbing Rachel, Sam, and Hector (plus his Pravda escort/captors), the team slowly began making their way down the street, their previous animated discussions muted by the calming aura of sweet pastries that now sat within them.
Joshua was the first to speak up after the plan had been agreed to
"Oh man, thank God! I can't wait, where are we meeting up?"
Silence filled the air, and several of the girls looked away awkwardly before Miho cleared her throat
"Uhm... W-well, you see, it's uh... It's gonna be at an Onsen..."
"Cool, so it's like a pool house right? I'll grab my swimming trunks."
Miho's face turned red, "N-NO! it's... uh... you can't come!"
Joshua felt his heart twinge at that a bit; Was she embarrassed by that? Social rules dictated that he had to blow this out of proportion and storm away in an argument, but he couldn't even muster the energy to fight back beyond a bewildered 'Why not??' that sounded whiney even to him
"Joshua, an Onsen isn't a place for... you can't really, uh..."
"What your lovely young girlfriend means to say, old bean, is that this will be a strictly female affair. The more brutish sex isn't quite welcome."
Turning twords the traitorous Brit, even Hector began frowning from beneath Katyusha
"And why the hell not??"
Marigold fought to, unsuccessfully, hold in a cheeky grin
"Why, because we'll all be naked, of course!"
The American sputtered at that, his face burning as he looked at the gathered girls
"What do you mean NAKED!?"
"Nude, in the buff, dress attire is your birthday suit, cosplaying as Eve-"
"You CANNOT be serious!"
"Oh, lighten up! I swear, you yanks and your prudish notions of the human body... It's quite common here in the east, Joshua. But it would be most inappropriate for you to be in a hot tub, naked, with the entire Sensha-Dō team, wouldn't it?"
Joshua's mind drifted to the thought; Miho, Marigold, Nonna, Darjeeling, all naked, surrounded by other naked tank girls, hot steam swirling around them. Miho would stand up, slowly easing her wet body out of the water as her-
"-And of course, Rachel and Samantha would be there too."
Later, Joshua would have to take ibuprofen for the whiplash he swore he could actually feel as he was ripped from his thoughts; The team was one thing, and even though he was sworn to Miho and a loyal boyfriend, he wasn't blind. But the thought of sweet little Rachel Lee, the little sister of his tank crew, naked in a hot tub with him made a wave of nausea rise up in his throat
"AGH! UH, YOU GUYS GO ON AHEAD THEN! YEP, WE GOT STUFF TO DO, LOTS OF THINGS, COME ALONG NOW HECTOR, LETS LEAVE THEM TO THEIR WATER THING, WE'VE GOT THINGS TO SEE PLACES TO DO!"
Marching away and fighting back bile, he saw Hector blushing and looking uncomfortable as he lowered Katyusha onto Nonna's shoulders and hastily bid his own retreat
The girls laughed as he retreated, shaking his head to clear the images of the girl he thought of as his sister in that position, the burly loader gazing forward with a look of discomfort on his face
Marigold turned to Miho, who was simultaneously looking uncomfortable and trying to hold in her own laughter
"Ahahaha! Oh darling, you sure do know how to pick them don't you? He's entirely too easy."
"Y-yeah, but he's really sweet anyway... But he can be kinda dense sometimes."
Marigold pat the girls arm, "All the more reason to love him, dear. Or mold his malleable mind to your liking, whichever works for you!"
Miho looked aghast at the prospect; She wouldn't change her boyfriend like that even if she could! Well... maybe she'd make him like boko a bit more... But that's it!
Shaking her head, Miho decided not to encourage the mischievous Brit any more than she needed to
"R-right, well, let's get on with it then!"
Thoroughly evicted from participating with the rest of the team, Joshua decided that they wouldn't stand for this blatant display of discrimination; It may have not been a Saturday, but this night would be for The Boys all the same. Wrangling up Michael from trying to sneak into the Onsen, Joshua dashed into a convenient store nearby and bought a pack of cards
Tonight, it was poker night!
The gentlemen of Oorai set out to a bar, where their noteriety managed to secure them passage even though they were quite clearly underage. It didn't matter much anyway; They weren't there to drink, just enjoy some bar food and have some fun
Seven rounds in, Michael B. Cooper was a much richer man
"How in the hell do you manage to do this shit!?"
The driver chuckled at Hectors outburst; He'd been holding in his cursing for almost the entire school year around the girls, and it was amusing to see him letting his hair down a bit
"It's all in the face, young padawan. You gotta give off an air of confidence, and lie to others so well you damn near convince yourself you're being honest!"
"so, alot like your dating strategy?" Joshua snickered
Michael winked at him as he shuffled the cards, "Precisely, watson."
Rolling his eyes, the American settled back into his game when a woman walked through the door to the bar, exuding an air of confidence and unshakable resolve that had lonely barbirds running for cover. Ordering a drink, the woman glared at one of the men who was brave enough to approach her, whispering words that were lost in the atmosphere of the establishment.
But not, it seemed, on her target, who scampered away like a man burned, as the woman went back to sipping her saké.
Is that...?Like a shark sensing fish nearby, Nishizumi Shiho quickly turned to the Americans eyes, looking startled for a full second before her mask slipped back on. Joshua, on the other hand, was frozen in fear; What was she DOING here!?
As if the universe hadn't had enough of tormenting him, the woman grabbed the full bottle of drink and made her way twords the table the boys were at.
Putting on a brave face, Joshua faces the full might of the Nishizumi Style with every ounce of his willpower.
Shiho spoke first
"Mister... Joshua... I did not expect to find you here..."
"T-the same could be said if you, Okaasan"
Hector and Michael had put their cards down, looking between the two tank commanders nervously before Michael spoke up
"Would you l-like to, uh... join us, Miss Nishizumi?"
The woman turned twords him with her steely gaze never faltering, and Joshua was sure he'd be picking a new driver very soon, because his current ones was about to become the immediate past president of the Being Alive Club
Much to his shock, Shiho simply looked at the gathered cards before taking a seat between Joshua and Hector. The massive loader was sweating bullets, and subtly tried shifting his seat as far away as possible
"I've never played this game before, I'm afraid."
Michaels fear transformed then, and dollar signs filled his eyes
"Is that so?"
Joshua simply stared at the man, as he obviously set out to try and card shark the most terrifying woman in the city, and perhaps the country
Yeah, bagpipes as we lower his coffin into the ground. He'd like that.
Hector Perkins feared no man.
"I'll raise."
"C-call..."
"S-same..."
"U-uh, I'll f-fold..."
But that... thing...?Nishizumi Shiho gazed at the Americans, her eyes a glacier of cold and a void of the soul, as she set her cards down calmly
"I believe this is what you called a 'flush', mister Cooper?"
"H-how!?"
"O-of course, Okaasan! H-here!" His commander stammered, practically shoving the chips twords her
"S-shes not human! She's not!!!"
... It scared him.
The loader sat there sweating bullets, his entire weeks spending money nearly gone; But he'd pay nearly double that gladly if it meant Shiho Nishizumi never turned that gaze on him like she had done a few rounds ago. He was raised a religious man, but even he had thought it fruitless to call out for God to save him then, knowing against knowledge that such a thing as the Divine Creator would only annoy the Nishizumi Mistress in her quest to destroy him. He'd almost broken down in hysterics as she looked at him with those devil portals in her eyes, beautiful and terrible beyond all reason. He found himself wishing for his Rabbits then... He needed a hug, and he needed to feel safe.
Fortunately, her attention all night had been turned to Joshua for the most part. Hector felt bad about that, but at the same time... it spared him from the same fate. The woman calmly stacked her chips before shuffling the cards quickly with the skill of a Las Vegas dealer, her eyes never leaving the American commander as she did so.
Hector let out a shuddering breath as Joshua was cowed by the unshakable mask of Nishizumi Shiho.
He shuddered to imagine what thought lay behind that mask; what dreams of chronic and sustained cruelty...?
Shiho Nishizumi was on her their bottle of saké, and boy was she feeling it. She and Chiyokichi had both developed a strong tolerance for the stuff early on, but three bottles was three bottles. Inwardly, she was giggling up a storm; Ever since Miho had come home, she'd been letting her hair down alot more often, and right now her activity of choice was to tease her daughters boyfriend mercilessly. Of course, outwardly, she looked terrifying; Unfortunately she was quite unaware of the effect of the famed Nishizumi Style.
To her mind, though, she was playing the part of the giggling and mischievous mother in law quite well, getting the poor boy all flustered and scared (and, unknown to her, terrified beyond measure). She couldn't help it though! She really did like this boy, and the more she got to know him the happier she was that Miho had chosen him. He was smart, tenacious, and properly submissive when it counted, as a man should be to a Nishizumi, her mother always said. The cameras installed in Miho's room had caught the two in the act after their family dinner, and Shiho was more than pleased; She had a few pointers, of course, and wrote up a summary and instructions on how to properly improve their lovemaking. Only Tsuneo had stopped her from sending it at the time, but she'd get around to it.
They boy was absolutely adorable now too; So much like her Tsuneo when they were younger. She was surprised the poor man had been able to walk, as her mother wouldnt let the two leave their room until she was satisfied with his cries for mercy. Miho didn't seem to have the same drive to continue the Nishizumi line, unfortunately, but she'd get there.
A broken pelvis once in a while was simply what one had to deal with when marrying a Nishizumi, as it had been for ages, and many young unsuspecting men had come to learn, much to their initial elation and later horror. This, too, was the Nishizumi Style.
"S-so, Okaasan, what brought you here"
Shiho internally laughed; He was getting holder, being able to speak on his own accord! A fiesty one, to be sure, but a little spice was good in moderation. Miho had chosen well! Though, not as well as Tsuneo...
Gathering herself, Shiho turned back twords her daughters boyfriend, who cowered back into his seat. He was improving, he didn't even whimper that time!
"I came to watch the match of my daughter. What else would I come here for?"
"O-oh, and uh... how was it?"
What a silly question, from such a silly boy!
"You were in it, were you not? You should be able to tell me."
Looking mortified, Joshua began sputtering apologies and excuses, before Shiho decided to have mercy on him
"Of course, I also came on business. The Sensha-Dō federation requested my presence on a matter of utmost importance, though they declined to tell me what exactly it was."
"In Oorai?"
"Yes."
Speaking of which, she had to get going soon; Her meeting was early in the morning, and she wouldn't be showing up hungover of all things.
"Speaking of which, I will leave now. Gentlemen, I bid you farewell. Perhaps we shall play again some time."
The gathered boys looked excited at the prospect (or terrifyed, she couldn't tell) as she rose and giggled at the sight.
Walking out of the bar to her waiting limousine, the nights events had her dwelling on the early years of romance with her husband, her beloved Tsuneo. Giggling in her mind, she dialed her husband, who answered quickly
"Hey honey, hows the trip goin-"
"Tsuneo. I will be back the day after tomorrow."
"-oh, of course. But how's it going so far-"
"I expect you well rested and ready to do your duties. Clear your schedule for the next five days."
"F-five days!? Shiho, we aren't young anymore! A-and I have a Panzer Engineers Guild meeting in two days, can't we-"
"Irrelevant. A husband has duties he must attend to. Now, begin hydrating and stretching tonight. l expect you ready when I return."
"...Yes, honey..."
Indeed, this, too, was Sensha-Dō.
The Americans were left terrified, and Joshua was pretty sure he saw Hector crying. He'd not been in the presence of Shiho alone since the championship match, and he'd been riding the high of victory at the time, as well as blissfully unaware of the true history of the woman. But now, having learned more about the Nishizumi family, he was grateful he'd been so ignorant in the past; had he known, he wasn't sure he'd have had the gall to stand up to her like he did, unless Miho was in danger.
"Josh.."
"Y-yeah Mike?"
"I... I wanna go home..."
Nodding at that, the commander quickly payed for their tab, and the crewmates made their way back to the safety of the schoolship.
Instead of their usual entrance ramp, however, the Americans found their entire team clustered around a closed off gate with yellow caution tape wrapping around it, and the girls of Oorai heatedly discussing something.
"What's going on boss?"
"I dunno Mike... Lemme go find Miho, you guys hunt down Anzu..."
Making his way to the Panzer IV, his girlfriend ran into his arms when he came into sight, bawling her eyes out into his shoulder. Bewildered, he pat her head, looking around at her crew; They were all in a similar state, with even Hana looking close to tears
"Baby, what's going on?!"
"Joshua! Th-they, theyre- Anzu couldn't, it was all useless, we cant-"
"Whoa whoa whoa, slow down. What happened?"
Miho pulled away, tears welling in her eyes as she looked up at her boyfriend
"Joshua! They're closing down the school!"
I like writing Shiho. I think her idea of being laid back and friendly would still be terrifying, unbeknownst to her of course. And I also find the idea of the Nishizumis having a tradition like royalty from the middle ages, where love revolves around producing an heir and serving the Emperor (or Empress, in our version of Japan where men are legally second class citizens). If you couldnt tell, her scene was pretty heavily inspired by the Meet The Pyro short from TF2. Yes, im still a whore for refrences.
More filler and set up here, but now we're going to be getting into the Shutdown of Oorai, and the gathering of the teams together; Unlike the movie, where every team just kinda shows up, I want it to be more involved and clandestine this time around. Make no mistake, the other teams are more than willing to help, but everyone has to sneak around to avoid detection by the Education Department.
I also don't think that Renta Tsuji would take the bet willingly like he did; He has everything to lose, and nothing to gain. So, a bit of... coercion, and some long ago forgotten rules might have to be brought into play.
All of this is mostly justification for me wanting to write more clandestine operations like we had originally, with each teams intel divisions working together this time.As always, reviews are lifeblood, lemme know if you have suggestions or think this direction is trash.