The Tigers of Chi-Ha-Tan ReRise Volume 0: The Veil Before Glory

by Nazz11

They say our past defines our future while shaping some in the fires of conflict. From a young lady who must forge a bloody path with her sword and bow to save her clan, while birthing the true Nishizumi style, to a team whose warrior code is facing the twlight of its era, but will press on to whatever end. They all have thier stories to tell, as the fall comes before the rise.

13. To Our Final Charge

Authors Note:

Keeping this short, lot of reading as this chapter got way longer than I expected. While also after this we're on to the final chapter of this prequel and the 4th volume not far behind.

So thank you dear readers for sticking with me on this prequel that has been such pleasure to write for you.

Till the next Authors Thought, be safe and be well.

---

May 2010

Match Day 1 Chi-Ha-Tan Academy Vs Saunders University High

A feeling of great excitement had taken hold of tankery fans around the festival area as they made their way to the bleachers, as the first match of the 62nd national tournament was just about to begin, with Chi-Ha-Tan Academy and Saunders University High School having the honor of kicking off the tournament that had all the makings of another great one to add to their cherish sports history, though most were already tossing in their lot with the unstoppable juggernaut of Kuromorimine Girls Academy once more claiming the victory flag for what would be for the 10th time in a row, making over a decade of dominance that no other school had been able to dream of stopping, only quake when the sounds of their panzers came rolling onto the battlefield.

Yet even with a winner in most minds already chosen, there was still the unknown of Sensha-do that on any given day in a flag battle, an unlikely underdog could swoop in to avert expectations, which always gave fan's a sense of wonder if that were a possibility that could become reality. While there were many upcoming teams that were looking if not to win the victory flag outright, were at least going to try and unsettle the other top 4 teams who had to fight just as hard to maintain their high ranks in the Sensha-do world.

Then there was just the general love for tanks that capture the attention of fan's, be it male, female, the old or the young, and as well as many young girls who were eager to learn and be inspired as they too were to become tankers when they came of age to operate tanks in one of Japan's oldest sport that held great tradition among the female populace of Japan.

Though few knew it, this day and this match would start the domino effect for a team whose warrior code was at its zenith with the fall not far away.

For a ReRise was about to dawn.

XxxxX

Walking down the neat line of the Japanese tanks that were a mix of Type 97 Shinhoto's and Type 97 Chi-Ha's, was the leader of the Chi-Ha-Tan Academies Sensha-do team, a tall girl with her light blonde hair cut short that just touch her shoulders. Her eyes were a light greenish color, with a light complexation. Wearing the Chi-Ha-Tan's Sensha-do commander uniform with the dark brown tankers jacket, mustard skirt, brown boots, and white lapels that mark her out to be an officer.

Ako had just finished watching the team offload their tanks from the military transport train, then drive them to the starting area to begin the process of loading on the shells since rules did not allow them to be preloaded on the tanks while on the train ride to the match grounds for safety reasons, so the crews were beginning the process now working in teams to get the shells in and stow away for the match. A match that was already proving to test the nerves of Ako as they were taking on the vaunted Saunders UniversityHigh School a top four team in the High school circuit and for good reason.

They were a team that had given even Kuromorimine fits in years past, even if they never defeated them, the fact that the American theme school had made them sweat was enough to give Ako sleepless nights trying to find the strategy to beat them, mostly drawing blanks because her traditionalist second years were constantly fighting anything she drew up in the meetings, right in front of the first years no less, making things awkward as of late.

With all that, the final result was for Ako to divide the team up, with Mizuko leading a platoon of 4 tanks as their vanguard, while Ako took the rest as the main force to follow in behind. Though Ako had planned to use Mizuko as a distraction, letting her and her second years go do what they do best, get blown away while she flanks around and found the flag tank making use of their tanks small profiles that could punch through some of the heavily wooded areas that would be impassable for the Shermans, that might give the advantage to attack from an area Saunders wasn't expecting.

Yet Ako felt sick the entire train ride to the battlefield having had to come up with this strategy, while keeping it secret from Mizuko because Ako wanted to win and hopefully, in the end, show Mizuko that their warrior way, something that had held their club in a vice grip, choking them from any change, was what was causing their failure and with just some different tactics could take Chi-Ha-Tan to new heights, even if Ako had to use less than an honorable scheme to win.

Yet I can't waver on this path if I want to change this system of things for the better

Ako thought as she continue to walk along the line of tanks, stopping to talk to the crews and offer some encouragement. The third years all had a smile and a boast for Ako about the big upset that they were about to pull off, making the Chi-Ha-Tan commander smile, while matching their boast with great enthusiasm. Yet when she reach the platoon of second years under Mizuko's command, Ako only got cold looks from them, as they had an obvious distaste for their commander who had been trying to change their culture. They were at least civil, saluting their commander, but their words to her were clip, that told Ako they didn't wish to speak with her long, to which she took a hint and move on.

Coming up to the last tank in line, Ako took in the sight of Mizuko talking with her crew in silent chatter, but when the sub commander saw Ako coming to them now, she quickly got her crew in a neat line to offer a salute to her. However, Ako knew Mizuko was only doing this for appearances, while the second year had no respect for her commander, to which always haggard Ako that the two could not find any common ground in almost two months of leading the club.

Hopefully, that day for their divide was at an end, or so Ako had hope.

"Commander, our Type 97 Chi-Ha is loaded and ready to meet Saunders. Will give those party girls a dance they won't so forget," Mizuko boasted still saluting.

Ako saluted back, then spoke. "At ease, we sure will. Would you mind if we talk for a moment?"

"Certainly, girls go check on the others for me," Mizuko said, to which her crew nodded and went about their task, then Mizuko spoke once more. "So what do you need?"

"You ready for today?" Ako ask.

"Like you need to ask, I got to impress my junior Tamada and the others, show them the fighting strength of their upperclassmen that can't be matched by any team in Sensha-do," Mizuko said with a sly smirk.

"I believe you will do that, but Saunders isn't a team we can rely on charges to bring down, their Sherman's have great turret traverse speed, they will be able to line up on us quickly if we reveal our hand too early," Ako lecture, even if it was pointless to try to do.

Mizuko scoff with a shake of the head. "There you go again with that defeatist mindset."

The comment made Ako bristle. "I'm only laying the facts out to you, we're up against a tough foe, yet I want to win just as much as you."

Mizuko didn't respond right away, seeming to let her eyes analyze her commander, which made Ako feel uneasy. Then finally the sub commander spoke. "Does this winning include using me and my girls as a distraction?"

A gasp escape Ako's mouth, which she mentally cursed herself for doing, knowing that she all but confirm that to be true, unable to hide the fact now.

Which made Mizuko's face contort into anger at her commander. "Don't act so surprised, while also don't be cross with yourself. I only found out after one of my girls had to extract the information out of one of your girls."

"What do you mean extracted?" Ako shot in, feeling anger take over.

"Mean's what it means, commander. You mean to use us as a distraction for your little plan to work, didn't think you be so bold to get rid of me," Mizuko said.

Now anger left Ako, replace with some guilt. "It's the only way I could find to make you see our tactics are outdated."

"Outdated? These are the hallmarks of our club, these are what girls fifty years ago follow with their souls and body, no other school can even boast about that. Only we of Chi-Ha-Tan can say were loyal to our past, no matter what," Mizuko said with a growl.

"To what extent Mizuko? What has this loyalty bought us in the end, but ridicule and jokes, is that what you want to be proud of, just being a punching bag for others?" Ako argue.

Mizuko just shook her head at her commander's accusation. "A true warrior doesn't listen to the voices outside their domain, those naysayers can say what they want, its nothing but white noise to me at this point. Let them laugh because when we achieve our first victory with the old way, they're going to have to clamp their mouths in the wake of our prowess."

"That isn't going to happen Mizuko, please see reason, not as your commander, but as your tankery sister. We can win if we work together on this, I can throw my current strategy out and figure out something on the fly right now if you can please just work with me," Ako said, making one final plea, to put an end to their bickering.

For a moment Mizuko stare at her commander as if she were thinking it over. Giving Ako some hope that maybe, just maybe they could break this system if they just work this once together, put aside the code that was tearing the team apart to achieve something no Chi-Ha-Tan team had achieved in a near decade and win. All they needed was to set aside this useless fighting for the betterment of the team.

It seem so close to being achieved, but traditions don't go gently into the night just because of a plea.

"I never saw you as my tankery sister," Mizuko said, her words like daggers.

Ako felt like someone had squeezed her heart, even though she and Mizuko were at each other's throats at seeming every waking moment. She always felt that if anything, their enjoyment of Sensha-do was something they both could say they had some common ground stand on, that and only that was what they could at least agree upon. For even a family will fight, but at the end of the day, they still care for each other, to which Ako had hoped the case would be here. Yet that small sentence had all but crush those hopes, which sadden Ako beyond words at this point.

"I…I…," Ako try to speak.

"You and I will never be tankery sisters, I'm just holding on till you graduate and then this team is mine, then will refocus our code tenfold and wipe away anything you try to do," Mizuko said resolutely.

"Please Mizuko, I don't want this divide to continue, I want us to win together, as the team we were always meant to be," Ako try once more.

Yet, nothing but a condescending laugh follow the statement from Mizuko. "You choose now before a match to play the 'let's drop everything and be friends' card. Sheesh, look you want your sacrificial lamb, you got it, but this day I'll show you the heart of a warrior even when sent to their end."

"Ple-," Ako try to say.

"Shut it, I'm done listening. Even if we win, I'll follow our warriors path along with the first years, and believe me they will hold this code to their hearts like me," Mizuko said, then without a salute, she walk past her commander.

Ako said nothing as her subordinate passed by, almost knocking into her with a shoulder, then was out of sight. With great shame taking over Ako, for she had been unable to convince Mizuko to change, to find the resolution so they could fight together for once, instead of each other. Nothing was more painful for her at this moment knowing she had fail as a commander of Chi-Ha-Tan, making her wonder how she be remember when she graduated.

She had wanted to be the one to lead the revolution.

Yet in the end, she might just follow in the footsteps of previous commanders, the one of defeat.

No, I have to stay positive here, for Nishi's and the other first year's sake. I might not be able to do the impossible with this team, but I can start the change if we at least pull off this win

Feeling resolute with that thought, Ako took a deep breath and began to walk back in direction of her team's Type 1 Ho-Ha, which would soon carry her and the vice commanders to meet with Saunders before the match. With Ako finding her steps becoming confident as she was going to meet this battle with the same determination she had wanted to instill in Nishi to have, and she wasn't going to be a hypocrite, Ako was going to show her the fighting spirit she wish this team to have, if not now, then in the future.

XxxxX

"Hey Naomi, can I talk to you for a moment?" Kay said as she walk up to the newest tank in their arsenal in the Sherman VC Firefly, which had garnered a lot of interest from fans when their transport train pull into the festival area, all wondering how Saunders got it, while at the same time wondering why they were using it since it was technically a British theme tank, even if it had the M4 Sherman chassis.

Naomi who had just finished passing up a Shot Mk.6 AP shell to her loader to be placed in the tank, look over her shoulder to her upperclassmen. "Sure, give me a second ma'am."

After working hard to get the last of the last shells stow away in the Firefly, Naomi step away from her crew, who were going to relax before the start of the match. Coming up to Kay, Naomi snap her feet together and gave her sub commander a smart salute, as this was Linda's demand to be the first way to address a superior officer in their ranks.

Kay let out a sigh as she hated the stifling discipline Linda demanded but saluted back. "Everything ready with the Firefly?"

"Yes, ma'am. Shells loaded and were itching to put that legendary 17 Pounder gun through its paces," Naomi said with a confident smirk.

"Good, you already got your range shooting down. Still can't believe how excellent of a gunner you are, not to mention you didn't even pick up Sensha-do till this year over girls who been doing this since junior high," Kay praise with a hand on her hip.

Naomi fidgeted a bit since she didn't like to get overly praised. "It's nothing really, but I'll admit theirs nothing better than hitting a tank from afar, though this will be my first shot at it in a real match."

Walking up to her junior, Kay lean up to pat Naomi on the shoulder. "Don't worry, just go out there and have a blast. Forgot about any pressure if we lose, most important thing I want to happen in this match is for you to grow that love of tankery you got, understood?"

"Miss Kay," Naomi said, her voice like a whisper, as the blonde's words inspire the first year like no other.

"Also drop the miss, were friends," Kay said, shooting her the trademark smile at Naomi.

Naomi blush a little, as she respected Kay a lot for her fun loving attitude that could break anyone out of their shell and bring them up with her lectures and motivating talks. A far cry from Linda's way of teaching that was all about breaking others down to mold them as she wanted, but Kay wanted the girls to be themselves while having a blast at the same time.

"I like that…to be friends," Naomi said with a shy smile.

"You bet, now let's get past the mushy stuff. We got some business to discuss," Kay said, losing her brilliant smile, replacing it with a more serious look.

Naomi pick up on the change of mood and hone in.

"As you know, Linda's got plans to humiliate Chi-Ha-Tan," Kay said.

"Yea, Brooke, my tank commander, told me the plan yesterday. How can Linda be brazen? It's utterly disgusting if we actually do what she wants," Naomi said.

Kay nodded. "I agree, which is why we need to be on our toes. I've talk with your tank commander yesterday as well, I got a special frequency set up to communicate directly with her, so when the time comes I might call on you to come to take the flag tank out and end this match quickly as possible before things get out of hand."

"You mean for me to disobey my platoon leader?" Naomi ask, though more to make sure she understood what Kay wanted, not to go against it.

"Exactly, right now I'm having to be a good little solider and follow orders, if I go out of my way Linda might take me off the team, I don't want that, so let me apologize to you for putting this on you," Kay said, then bow to Naomi.

A look of surprise crossed Naomi's face to see how earnest Kay was. While she understood why Kay couldn't do it herself, especially if Linda kick her off the team, she might place one of her own cronies in the Sub commander position, with the goal to only continue this terrible ideology that had taken hold of their club. While Kay was the future that Naomi wanted to follow next year with great vigor, which the first year already would follow to the ends of the earth.

"I understand Kay, the worst Linda will do to me is berate me, but if I put on a good show I think she will overlook it," Naomi said, with a smug grin to go along with it.

Kay's eyes lit up like fireworks to see Naomi was onboard and leap in for a hug. "How exciting! You're the best Naomi!"

"Ah! Kay, you can't do that, everyone is watching," Naomi said shyly.

Pulling back, Kay with a proud smile on her face, once more plac a hand on Naomi's shoulder. "What's life without some sparks, eh? Once we win this match I'll give you an even bigger hug, if it all goes to plan."

Naomi had an embarrassing smile on her face following the response. "Sure, sure, I better get ready up."

"Yup, I gotta go to the pre-match meeting, good luck Miss Ace," Kay said with a wink, then walk off.

Watching after the eccentric blonde, Naomi just shook her head in amusement but felt her heart leap with joy because of the confidence Kay had in her, while also not wanting to go along with Linda's plan, to which Naomi would do all in her power to make happen for the future commander of their Sensha-do team who had her undying loyalty and respect, for she emulated all tankery was supposed to be about and the reason Naomi had join.

XxxX

The Match of Chi-Ha-Tan vs Saunders was in full swing now as the starting gun had sounded off a few moments ago, with audiences in the stands giddy with excitement as they watch the large monitor in front of them of the coming action. The Saunders student section was already anticipating an easy victory for their Sensha-do team, against a team they knew was inferior to their squad, even if some girls didn't even know much about tanks, there was general consensus they were on a whole another level than the Japanese tanks their school was facing.

"Let's go Saunders fight!" a collection of voices spoke as one, belonging to Saunders Sensha-do Cheerleading group, who was standing between the walkways in the bleachers, waving their pompoms in the air, their choreography in sync with their movements together, that was follow up with a high kick, then back to repeating their words while shaking their pompoms.

"Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! Saunders fight, fight, fight!" They holler as one, which excited the student section to follow their call out.

"Ugh, they're so rich they hire cheerleaders, this a Sensha-do match, not some American football game," Tamada said with a tsk following, as she sat with the first year reserve group close enough to their foe's section to get a glimpse of the cheerleaders at work.

"I think their students actually," Hosomi said, eyeing up the cheerleaders with indifference.

"That makes it worse, what benefit do they get out of waving those things around and kicking up their legs. Aren't they worried about peepers?" Tamada said, shaking her head, then turn back to the large monitor in front of the stands.

"They wear shorts underneath, so technically it's ok, plus I can see they really get their fellow students excited about the match the more they cheer," Ikeda said with amusement, sitting next to Tamada.

"Hmph, like I need some cheerleaders to get me excited for a match, heck if anything I'm excited to see their disappointed faces when we beat them," Tamada said with a sly smirk.

A nervous chuckle follows the statement from Kubota sitting in the next row below. "That kind of makes you sound like a villain."

"Oh, what if I want to sound like a villain, nothing bad about playing the bad guy once in a while," Tamada said, giving Kubota a devilish look scaring her friend.

"Well you certainly play the villainous well enough in Judo training, you need to learn to hold back with your throws," Nishihara said, sitting next to Kubota while rubbing her back as if the emphasize her point as she had been Tamada's sparring partner the previous day and was shown no mercy.

"That's just Tamada for you, can't hold her back when that fire is burning in her eyes," Nagura said proudly.

"Hel-," Tamada was about to agree.

"Tamada no cursing!" Nishi order, sitting beside Hamada a little away from the boast party.

"Eh, yes ma'am," Tamada said in a timid tone.

"Well that is until Nishi comes into play," Hamada said with an embarrassing smile.

Nishi though just shook her head in amusement at her friends. "Tamada, you do need to learn to hold back, or you're going to break your friends."

"No, I'm not," Tamada argue back.

"Try telling my back that," Nishihara gripe.

"I'm just making you stronger," Tamada argue now with her.

"Then how about testing me in a 100-meter swimming race," Nishihara challenge with an arrogant smile.

"Uh, maybe not, you know it impossible to beat your swimming skills," Tamada said with a nervous chuckle, knowing that Nishihara was head and tails better than anyone when it came to swimming, the product of being part of a proud fishing family.

"More like you just can't plain swim," Hosomi tease.

"I can!" Tamada shot back.

"That's a joke right?" Ikeda jump in.

"No it isn't!"

"My little brothers can help you, they go to kids' swimming lessons every weekend, you could even join the little kid's section," Nishi tease.

"Nishi!" Tamada said in a bewildered tone since she never thought her commander to be so merciless with her jokes.

A soft elegant chuckle escapes Nishi's lips, then look at her friend with a warm smile. "Sorry Tamada, it's fun to fluster you every once in a while. Don't worry after our team wins this match, I'll show you some pointers back on the carrier, promise."

Seeing how earnest her friend was, made Tamada smile gratefully at a girl she respected a lot. "Thanks, Nishi, can always rely on you. While also I believe my seniors are going to win too, especially Miss Mizuko who is going to show off her warrior's spirit for us."

The boast made some of the first-year reserve group raise their fist in the air to agree with the sentiment, while others were for lack of a better word, more reserved than their enthusiastic counterparts. As there was a divide between those who clung to the warrior code and those who had no like for it. Luckily, due to Nishi's calming presence, there had been no fighting compared to their upperclassmen, as Nishi was always able to find some common ground and keep her girls bonded together.

Nishi looking on to her cheering team, decided to add her own voice in to try to get them all on board. "Come on girls, our seniors are about to pull the upset of the century off, lets not be silent while they're doing it!"

Now all the members raise their voices to the sky, letting know their passion for tankery that had bonded these first years like no other. Their cheering got so loud, it overshadow the Saunders cheerleaders, who grew irritated by the opposing teams cheering that was dwarfing their efforts, which only double their cheering to not be outdone. With soon a small battle was taking place between them, seeing whose cheers could be raised the loudest.

Don't worry Miss Ako, I know you can do this, you can win

Nishi thought as she continue to yell as loud as she could for her team to do the impossible.

XxxxX

Steady Naomi, steady girl, we got this, my big debut, remember Kay's words and just have a blast alright?

The brownish-grey hair gunner Naomi thought to herself, seated in her gunner's seat aboard their team's Sherman Firefly VC. The only one they had in their entire arsenal and now was to make its debut as well this day with a first-year crew at its helm no less. Though Linda had only placed this first-year crew in their team's best tank killer due to Naomi having shown off unbelievable gunnery skills, sometimes adjusting her own fire without the need for their tank commander to do it for her, something not done by anyone in Saunders.

Naomi herself didn't know where this ability manifested itself from, though she was always an accurate shooter, but that was in a different sport before Sensha-do, as she had been a pretty good basketball player in her middle school team in Sasebo city, in Nagasaki Prefecture. She had played point guard, though her team made her that position because she could dribble down a court like no other, while no one could stop her three point game that led her middle school to two national titles. Basketball was a passion for Naomi, thinking it might take her far if she stay with it.

That was until Saunders University High School had a parade come through their city, with their M4 Shermans thundering by. Naomi had always been interested in Sensha-do, but always as the casual fan. Yet when large American tanks drove by for to feast her eyes upon, with their crews waving from the open hatches, and then one of the tanks stop to fire their gun that was blank for show, Naomi felt an excitement she couldn't descried take hold of her. With a want to be the one to fire the gun now taking root, to have control of that unbridled fury, that she could unleash at her pleasure, with her mind thinking of it akin to making a deep three pointer.

After that, she immediately apply for Saunders to be part of their Sensha-do team, to which her older sister and parents argue against since Naomi had a great many offers to join talented High school teams that boasted national title contending basketball programs, but Naomi was strong in her conviction to be part of Sensha-do, to be a gunner and make exceptional long shots.

Now Naomi was here, as a first-year gunner in her first official match against Chi-Ha-Tan academy. Even with the harsh training, their commander Linda Sickle put them through, Naomi had never wavered, feeling that the challenging training was what Sensha-do was all about, wanting to push herself through the pain and fatigue that was rougher than any suicide drills she had done in basketball. At the end of this tough training, she had become the team's ace gunner among the group even if she had no official match experience, having scored higher on the practice ground than her upperclassmen by a wide margin.

Yet for all of this, there was one thing Naomi wasn't on board with when it came to Linda's teaching, it was the snobbish attitude that she wanted the girls to take after. Linda was drilling them hard to be able to finally make it to the top, but because of this upward look, Linda wanted her girls to look at any team who wasn't in the top four, to be seen as inferior and nothing but an obstacle to be wipeout of their way, like an irritating fly.

That sort of mindset didn't sit well with Naomi, since even in her basketball days, even if her team wipe the floor with another team, she always gave them their respect. Never did she want to look down on even some of the most underwhelming teams she went up against, because she knew at the end of the day, they were working just as hard as her to win and needed to be competed against as such. Kay, Naomi's upperclassmen also didn't like this mindset at all, which had only endear the sub commander to Naomi who she respected like no other for her charismatic and down to earth attitude.

"Hey Naomi," a voice call out.

Dragging herself from her memories, Naomi turn around in her gunner chair to her tank commander Brooke, though American name, she was Japanese through and through. "Sorry Brooke didn't mean to zone out on you."

Sitting close enough in her position, Brooke reach out to tap Naomi's shoulder. "Don't mind, I know you're mentally prepping yourself for this first action."

"I won't let you down, or any of you girls," Naomi said resolutely.

Sitting across the 17 pounders large gun breech was Naomi's loader and close friend Lilly, she had bright brownish eyes, with long flowing black hair that was bundled up under the tanker helmet she wore with the tanker goggles resting on top, one of few girls in the team to actually use the 1938 US tanker helmet.

"Yea, please make all your shots count, my arms can't handle loading these heavy shells in this cramp turret," Lilly said in a joking tone.

"That's because you skimp on the fitness regime," Brooke said with a humor shake of the head.

"Please, not like you don't want to skip out a ten mile run that Linda has us do every morning before class, that girl is crazy, though Naomi over here runs it's like its nothing," Lilly said, focusing in on her friend.

Naomi gave Lilly a coy smile. "That's because I don't have a late night snack all the time before said runs."

"Eh! Don't make such baseless accusations," Lilly said with a pouting look, though she was feigning ignorance.

"You really want to say that when I got a recording of you stealing from my stash," Naomi shot back.

"Busted," Courtney, the driver said adding to the fun.

"You probably just edited it to look like me," Lilly said, still fighting against hope of getting out of this.

Though Naomi was going to put the final nail in the coffin. "Does the statement, 'this muscle head could use fewer snacks anyway', ring a bell."

"No, I think I said this muscle headed demon could….," Lilly then stop to cover her own mouth, as she just ratted herself out.

"Double busted," Brooke said, causing all the girls to laugh save Lilly who was blushing from deep embarrassment.

As the chuckles die down, Naomi spoke. "Just tell me how you really feel sometimes."

"Ah, sorry, I was a little peeve with you since you push me so hard in the weight lifting that day," Lilly said, still blushing hard.

"Sorry, sorry, but you're my loader. These Shot Mk.6 shells are a lot heavier than our M72 shells, I don't want you cramping while loading or worse," Naomi said.

"Ahh, you almost sound like you care," Lilly tease.

Naomi just shook her head, then spoke. "I want us all to do well, not just me. I can't operate this tank on my own, so my kills are our kills."

"Hmph, you say such inspiring words even though I'm the tank commander," Brooke said in joking angry tone, nudging her knee into Naomi's back.

"Alright, alright," Naomi said, having nowhere to hide from her tank commander playfulness.

"Well just ask me where you need this bad girl, and I'll get us there in no time," Courtney said, her hands itching to get the tank moving when they needed.

"Wel-," Brooke was about to add in but was cut off when the wired communicator buzz with a call over the net.

"Brooke, this is Nikki, come in," A voice call over the net.

Brooke pick up the communicator and click the receive button. "Brooke here, what've got for me platoon leader."

"Seems we're about to get some flys awe by the light, meaning time for you to zap them," Nikki said with a hint of amusement in it.

"Roger that, where we needed so we can start zapping?" Brooke ask.

"Move to point 0453, theirs a hill their you can hull down behind and have great sightlines, our little pest is already moving in to hit one of their platoons to entice them to chase, while Linda will deal with the rest of their forces," Nikki order.

"Roger platoon leader, will break from cover and get on it, over and o-," Brooke try say.

"May you please let me talk to Naomi for a moment?" Nikki ask.

Brooke was surprised by the request, but muttered an agreement, then tap her gunner on the the shoulder. Naomi twisted around a bit in her seat towards her tank commander, who simply held the wire communicator and headset to her, saying the platoon leader wanted to talk with her. Which made Naomi's heartbeat fast to talk with Nikki, but kept her face neutral as her upperclassmen wanted to keep things quiet about their activities.

After putting the headset on, Naomi spoke. "Here platoon leader."

"Hello little Miss Ace, I'm about to give you a field day for shooting, so we can pop that Sensha-do cherry, though we already pop another cherry already didn't we," Nikki cooed out, her voice in a low alluring tone.

Naomi had to take a breath to compose herself. "Don't worry, I'll prove I belong in this tank."

"Oh I know, you got the skills to make this happen. Then the team's going to have a nice party afterward and we can slip away, just you and me," Nikki said, knowing she was pressing the right buttons.

"I…I…understand, let's go win this thing," Naomi said in an even tone, but was just as excited.

"Good, over and out," Nikki said, then cut the net call.

Naomi then handed the communicator back to Brooke who had questioning look, to see Naomi a bit fluster even if she was trying to hide it from the crew, but she didn't want to openly ask about whatever was happening with her and their platoon leader Nikki, but Brooke felt like something wasn't right between the two, as she had heard a rumor that Nikki was a bit loose, to which Brooke didn't want for Naomi who she figures was into girls.

Yet whatever feelings Brooke had about it at the moment had to be put on hold, as there was a match going on, as she relay orders over the crew net. "Alright, time to move out, get her warm up Courtney, then put it in third gear."

"Roger that commander," Courtney said, then turn to her left to the panel that show all the oil levels for their tank, as well as gas, to touch the starting switch to get their engine to roar to life, then Courtney grip the steering tillers, after working the clutch into third gear, that sent their Firefly forward steadily.

All the while this was happening, Naomi felt her left leg begin to bounce, as it was speaking to her antsiness to fire the gun at a live opponent for the first time, while starting truly her path in Sensha-do that she would try to obtain the award as the best gunner in the entire league and maybe for all time.

"Hey Naomi, got a notebook here so you can start marking down your kills, pretty sure you fill up soon enough," Lilly said while waving said notebook in the air.

That made Naomi give her friend an odd look. "Thiers no way I'm going to fill that up before I graduate."

"Now is that how the future ace gunner of Saunders should speak," Lilly tease.

"Wel-," Naomi try to argue.

"Yea, like you said, your kill is our kill, so know I want that thing loaded with kill marks, till were going to need a whole new one," Brooke said, while patting her gunner on the arm for encouragement.

"You're putting me through my paces with this driving, so I better see some compensation for it, by you filling that thing up," Courtney said, while keeping her eyes on her periscope as she drove.

"You girls," Naomi said quietly, then spoke. "You got it, got expectations to meet and I'm not about to let you girls down."

"Yea!" her crew match her, as the Sherman Firefly of Saunders roll to the front ready to show its deadliness that would come to be fear by everyone in the Sensha-do world.

XxxxX

The roar of engines fill the air, as a platoon of 4 Type 97 Chi-Ha's roll over the grassy landscape that slope up and down. With nothing but a few bushes around, but besides that, it was open steppe, perfect tank country. With the sun rising high on this beautiful day making for perfect weather for a tankery match, though even with such a pleasant mood being set, one of the tank commanders of this platoon was not in the mood to be pleasant. For her blood was boiling for a fight, to wash away the bitterness she had towards her commander.

Mizuko, standing tall in her commanders cupola, scan the area around her as her column pressed on in a single file, with their spacing being a little too close, but they didn't mind it. None of them care to follow the small principles of tankery, like pulling security on their column or spacing, for it didn't matter to them, because when they saw the enemy they were going to charge them. Displaying not just their own courage in their minds, but the courage of all past members of their club by their bravery.

To which Mizuko was itching to do, to show Tamada and her other juniors what should be expected of them when they join the starting lineup next year. Show them what Mizuko needed them to follow when she took over command next year. Mizuko care little for this tournament and what happen since Ako had already shown to be a coward after Mizuko discover the plan she had in place to beat Saunders, which utterly made her sick.

Ako's plan was to drive to the edge of the match and press through a large wood that would be impassable for Saunders Sherman, so they could flank around their defensive line Ako had guessed they create thinking that this Chi-Ha-Tan team would do another suicidal charge. Once they were out of the woods, they would use their combine tanks to overwhelm small platoons of Shermans and wear Saunders down to nothing.

When Mizuko learn of the plan, after having to extract it from a third-year by force, she was utterly sick. To think that was the best their commander could come up with, to scuttle around like scared dogs, till they had an opening to attack. While they were to retreat if they were overwhelmed by Saunders and try again, which made Mizuko even sicker to hear the word retreat ever couple with their tankery club.

Retreat.

A word that Mizuko had banned from ever being used, especially by her first years. That word was used by cowards who didn't have the stomach for the fight, to which Mizuko would make her underclassmen know they were never to retreat in the face of the enemy. Only should they endeavor to charge and meet them with the fury they could not contend with, though some first years resisted this, especially Ako's pet project in Nishi who was leading the reserve group, who be a problem next year for Mizuko, she was confident she sort out that pamper girl in no time she was certain.

"Hey, Mizuko, where are we headed?" Tank commander Mura Ayao ask over the net.

"We're heading for that high ground, just beyond that small wood near point 0453. We can spot some enemies from their and charge them," Mizuko explain.

"Interesting, that will give us good sightlines too, couple with charging downhill will give us a boost in speed that will close the distance quickly and then we can show the commander not to look down on tactics ever again," Mura Ayao said over the net, making the other tank commanders voice their agreement.

"That's if she ever gets in the fight, she mucking around in the woods and by the time she gets out of it, will have won the match already," Seiko Tsuga, another tank commander said.

"That be something to shove in her face, then maybe she'll step down before her cowardice spreads any further to the team," Mizuko added in, causing another round of agreements.

"Can't believe she wanted to disguise her little move of making us sacrifices by giving us the vanguard role, while she does what she wants, I mean who wants to follow a commander like that," Hozumi Sueoka, the last tank commander in the platoon said.

Mizuko just huff in annoyance then spoke over the net. "Her cowardly third years that's who, too bad, there are some who disagree with her, but she's brainwash the others to follow her way."

"Well nothing to do now, but prove we're in the right," Mura said.

"Yep, well show you're first our first ye-," Mizuko said.

As tracer shell bounce into the ground in front of their column, causing Mizuko's driver to stop as the shell bounce over them from the remaining velocity. Dust hung in the air for a moment, as Mizuko went into full hunt mode, bringing her binoculars up to scan the surroundings for the sniper, while her platoon form a line on her without orders as they knew their job. Another shell soon follow, this time it bounce between the space of Mizuko's and Hozumi's Chi-Ha's causing both to cover their heads as dirt rained down on them for a moment, cause by the shells impact.

"Where the hell is that tank?!" Mura yell over the net, scanning just as hard as her platoon leader.

"Watch for muzzle flash! Whatever is shooting is a poor shot!" Mizuko reply.

Finally, the platoon spotted the muzzle flash coming from a bush that lit up as sent another tracer shell their way. Though this time the gunner had finally found their range, as the tracer shell glance off the side of the Mura's turret causing a high screech from the contact of metal, but the shell found no penetration and glance off behind the platoon, but giving Mura and her crew a good shake.

"Mura, you good!?" Mizuko call over the net.

"I'm fine, just a ricochet," Mura said calmly back.

"Alright all tanks, charge forward! Let the coward know a bush isn't going to save them! Let your gunner's fire on their own time," Mizuko order.

"Roger!" her platoon reply back.

Then as one, the Type 97 Chi-Ha's came rolling down the gently sloping grassland to the ambusher. Ready to give them the Chi-Ha-Tan Special Mass Charge. Gunners push their shoulders against their guns mounts to steady their aim of their low velocity Type 97 57 mm guns. Then began to fire their shells one after the other in a ragged volley. Even with their stabilization, their shots were way off the mark, smashing around the bush coming nowhere near to hitting it. Yet the volley must have given the opposing tank crew a scare since the ambusher began to reverse itself out of cover and give the enemy a good look at it.

It turn out to be an M22 Locust, color all green, with the Saunders school log painted on either side of the hull. The tank was only 1.85 meter tall, to which the Type 97's dwarf it, being one the smaller tanks produce in World War Two, with the light tanks low profile was what had made it so hard to spot, while another nice feature was its incredibly lightweight of the tank that turn on a dime and put max speed with its Lycoming O-435T 6-cylinder engine that got its speed up to 64 km/h in no time.

To which this light tank now did as it turn from the charging foe to run, while it rotated its turret to its rear to fire its M3 37mm gun at its foes still.

"What the hell is that thing? A pest?" Mura ask with frustration over the net.

"Practically should be its name, those damn Saunders girls are toying with us," Hozumi said in equal frustration.

"Then let's show them what happens when you toy with us, follow that tank and bring it down with mass fire, will show them what they get for poking the bear," Mizuko order.

"Right!" her platoon roar back and charge after the pest to put it down.

Watch me Tamada, going to show how a warrior should act on the field, how you should act when you step into a tank and hopefully one day take command

Mizuko thought, as she held the brim of her cupola tight as her Type 97 Chi-Ha was put into max drive to get at the foe and prove their code to their first years.

That was only to be the catalyst of their downfall.

XxxxX

"Alright, ease her over Courtney," Brooke order her driver while standing tall in the commanders cupola, as the Sherman Firefly crested over the grassy hill to overlook the plain down below, they pull forward till Brooke ordered for a stop, putting their tank into a Hull-down position, thanks for finding nice reserve slope to hunker down.

Brooke scan down to the hill to their front, with nothing but a scenery of a grassy plain to take in, with a small patch of woods to their direct front, that she guesstimated was 900 or so meters from them, to which she took a mental note of for Naomi, then lean down into the tank.

"Alright, Naomi, how's your sightlines?" Brooke ask.

Leaning into her optics, Naomi work the turret to swivel left and right to look around with her limited 13-degree field of view. Once she got an idea of her surroundings, she next took advantage of the Number 43 telescopic site that allows for 3x and 6x magnification, though the increased magnification cause the field of view to lessen when you switch the settings, but a small sacrifice for Naomi who love the increasing view that regular M4 Sherman sights didn't have, which only added ease to sniping from a distance.

Once she felt everything was good, Naomi lean back to look over her shoulder at her tank commander. "I'm good, we can cover the whole field from here, though something is to be said about only having five-degree depression, if they get under 500 meters we won't be able to depress down to meet them I believe."

"Roger, will move it that happens, keep me informed," Brooke said with an encouraging smile. "Also, do you want to start with a ranging round for the first shot?"

A ranging round was a use of a high explosive shell when the opening engagement happen, as a way to test if you got your ranges right on the first shot, while also not wasting an AP Shell. Since high explosive shells were next to useless against all tanks in Sensha-do, so most teams didn't bother putting them in their tanks, and if they did it was only for said range finding or if they needed an obstacle in their path destroyed.

Naomi thought it over for a bit, then just shook her head. "Nah, I'm good, I'll hit them the first time."

"That's what I wanted to hear, alright Lilly, give me an AP Shell. Courtney be ready to move when we needed, Naomi that patch of woods to your front is at a distance of probably 900 meters or so, adjust your reticle accordingly," Brooke order.

Her crew gave her a round of yes ma'am and went to work.

"Up," Lilly said after she got their large Shot Mk.6 shell into the breech that slammed shut when the shell was home. "Damn this turret is way too small for this shell, have to basically wiggle it in."

"Comes with being a stopgap tank," Naomi joke.

"That doesn't make me feel better, since I'm the one with the toughest job here," Lilly complain.

"Well you had a chance at the gunner seat," Courtney said with a smug smile.

"Oh yea, I remember, you sent a shell so high it even miss the dirt mound behind the plywood target didn't it?," Brooke added in.

A wail of displeasure escape Lilly's mouth. "You guys, we promise not to talk about that anymore."

Naomi look over the gun breech to her friend. "No, we promise to not talk about it in front of the others, doesn't save you from your friends when we're alone."

"You're the worst type of friends!" Lilly whine at them, making the others chuckle.

Brooke, with her chuckles dying down, stood tall in her cupola to look down the hill with her binoculars. She caught sight of her platoon leader Nikki, lining their 3 M4 Shermans at the base of the hill, as they discuss their strategy to meet the enemy here who they were baiting with their M22 Locust. Nikki would draw fire from the charging Type 97 Chi-Ha's, while Naomi got the pleasure of picking them off as they came through the woods to their front. A turkey shoot as Nikki said it was going to be for them, which was fine with Brooke who wanted to get some experience from this engagement that would be invaluable to her and the crew, to help them with growing as tankers.

Suddenly a sound of cannonade echo through the air, making everyone in the tank tense up, as that was the sound of the enemy coming on. Brooke took a deep breath, steadying herself because she wanted this first taste of combat to go well, not just for her, but her friends who operated this tank. They had been given extra training to try and master every detail of the Firefly, having to be up at 4 or 5 in the morning to fire at the gunnery range, till as Linda ordered them to do, to fire until they got sick of it, then do it some more.

Even as much as they hated the training, they could respect it because they had grown tremendously in the short time before the match, to which now they wanted to show off to the Sensha-do world, as the Sherman Firefly was going to make its big debut along with a first-year crew who was going to turn heads.

The cannonade seem to echo closer to them, making Brooke bring her binoculars up to scan the tree line to their front, scanning to find where their M22 Locust was at. She still couldn't believe it when Linda put that small tank into the starting lineup for the match, when they had Sherman's that was enough to handle Chi-Ha-Tan, but she had learned from their platoon leader that they were going to use it to annoy Chi-Ha-Tan into recklessly following since they knew they the opposing team was a bunch of hotheads who wouldn't take to being mess with lightly.

With said strategy seeming to have work, as Brooke still watching the tree line, saw their little tank burst through it, being in highest gear trying to get away. Following this was a ragged volley of AP shells that pour out of the woods trying to hit the M22 Locust, which was only saved by terrible gunnery as the shells flew all over the place, with none of them even coming close, as the little tank press on to find safety in its teammates not far away.

Which sent Brooke into action, as she brought her wired communicator up and click the button to speak in the crew net. "Naomi, your time to shine is now. Remember the distance is 900 meters, the enemy will be breaking from the tree line soon. I want AP as soon as she fires Lilly, I know it's a trial to load our gun, but we're counting on you."

"Roger, getting on target," Naomi reply.

"Don't worry, I'll keep our beast fed, so our ace gunner can have a field day, just remember to thank me by treating to a nice dinner once we're done," Lilly said happily.

"Roger that," Brooke said with a chuckle, then focus back on the tree line.

Soon the enemy tanks burst through the tree line, revealing themselves to be a platoon of 4 Type 97 Chi-Ha's. Brooke knew these were outdated tanks, though they had good speed and were quite agile from the study sessions her team had on them. Watching through her binoculars, Brooke watched as the Chi-Ha-Tan tanks seem to stop for a moment as they most likely spotted Nikki's M4 Sherman at the base of the hill, but their hesitation only lasted a small moment longer, before the Type 97 Chi-Ha's did what their Sensha-do team was best known for, charging forward recklessly.

Even if she knew that was their foes hallmark tactic, Brooke still felt baffled to see it on the field, seeing as the foe charge them with seemingly no fear, even if they were facing the frontal armor of Shermans their guns could not penetrate. The site did nothing but make Brooke now shake her head, wondering why they didn't pull back, with the enemy having to know they were facing a superior position, while they might know the Firefly was on the crest of the hill looking down on them as well.

It was a turkey shoot, as Nikki said it would be.

"What the hell is wrong with those Chi-Ha-Tan girls," Brooke question quietly to herself.

Before she could conjure up her own answer, an eruption of cannon fire from Nikki's Sherman platoon fill the air, as they now open up the engagement with their M3 75mm cannons. Brooke watched through her binoculars as the tracer shells flew at their foe but were off the mark as most of times expected of the first shots when a Sensha-do engagement happen as ranges were still being calculated, as the shells splatter all around the charging Chi-Ha's, who didn't back down from the foe's volley and answer them with their own volley while on the move, but their shells found nothing but earth to damage. Most rounds splattering into the grassland well away from the Sherman line, while one got only close to 100 meters of their position of Nikki's platoon.

"Ugh, so much for upperclassmen Nikki's boast about her platoon's exceptional gunnery," Brooke said with a shake of the head.

"All bark and no bite," Courtney said, having seen some of the engagement from her periscope in the drivers position.

"Then I guess we best show her why we're here," Lilly said, looking over the gun breech to Naomi.

Naomi said nothing, but grin like a fool as her friend's confidence became her confidence, then spoke. "Permission to fire."

"Hell yea girl, I'll observe your rounds, but you're in control, show what we all know already, that theirs a new sniper in Sensha-do to fear," Brooke said excitedly, with her binoculars to watch the show.

"Got it," Naomi said then and got to work.

Burying her eye in the monocle sight, Naomi took in the sight of the Chi-Ha's coming on hard. With the distance becoming less as they were in full gear, with Naomi knowing she had to adjust her aim from earlier. She quickly began to work the elevation wheel to bring the reticle lower while swiveling the 17 Pounder gun to the right with the power traverse handle, matching it up on the line on the 800-meter distance, then putting the reticle right over the Chi-Ha on the far right of the line, keeping it match up as Naomi knew the velocity of their gun would keep the shell flying in a straight line over this distance with no need to lead.

Taking one deep breath for luck, Naomi lifted her left foot to step on the firing pedal, while she call her shot. "On the way!"

What followed next was a muzzle flash that practically blinded both Naomi and Brooke, as that was the product of their powerful gun firing, with blast echoing louder than all M4 Shermans together. Their AP shell screaming across the space to its foe, that was to get a taste of this legendary British tank gun that had no mercy for any who would be caught in its sight, especially one being reckless in charging against it.

The screaming shell smack into the frontal armor of the far right flanking Type 97 Chi-Ha in the line. With the violent force of the shell punching so hard into the thin armor of the tank, making the front half lift off the ground a little, then slide out of control when it came down. Smoke billow over the defeated tank, with a white kill flag to follow to tell its defeat, while being the first causality of the Chi-Ha-Tan team this day, which certainly wasn't going to be the last.

"Target destroy! Nice job Naomi!" Brooke yell in delight taking in the sight of the destroyed Japanese tank.

"Wow, that felt way better than shooting plywood targets," Naomi said, feeling her heart beating hard in her chest.

"That's our ace for you!" Lilly cheered as best she could in the limited space.

The crew's delight was wiped out as Nikki and her platoon down the hill had seen the destruction their first-year tank crew had laid on the enemy and didn't want to be shown up. As Nikki order her tanks to charge forward and meet the remaining Type 97 Chi-Ha's who weren't stopping just because one of their teammates had fallen and wanted some revenge as they press forward still.

"Seems like Nikki wants in on the fun, but let's be a little selfish, eh?" Brooke said.

"Fine by me, let's do it," Naomi said, while getting focused.

"Alright I'll guide you on to target, traverse left, load AP," Brooke order over the crew net.

"Roger," Naomi said, twisting the power traverse handle to the left, with the electric whine filling the turret as it swivel.

Lilly lean over the ready rack next to her seat, picking up a heavy shell, then twisted around to get it loaded, which was a trial in a half, having to get the shell under the gun breech, then angle and twist it so it could go straight into the tube.

"Up!" Lilly scream, letting her gunner know she was clear to fire.

"Steady," Brooke said, helping her gunner not over traverse. "On, fire when ready."

Naomi got her sights on the next Chi-Ha, while bringing the reticle a little lower, with her gut feeling being her compass, then call her shot. "On the way!"

Another tremendous roar from the 17 Pounder echo across the land, as it sent its shell for its next victim, that struck true in the frontal armor of the Type 97 Chi-Ha that like its comrade before them, also got lifted a bit from the tremendous force the shell smacking into their hull, then came to slow stop as the scorch and batter tank let out a white kill flag as the onboard systems label them a kill.

"Good hit! Load up another AP will try to get another one," Brooke confirm to her gunner and loader.

Going about the strenuous procedure, Lilly push her body hard to get the next shell into the breech, in record time no less, feeling her excitement watching her friend snipe tanks, only made her want to match her fire with her own. As a loader, she was a gunner's best friend, for if they got shells in quickly and effectively, they could give their gunners ease of mind knowing they could fire quickly before any danger shot back at them.

"Up!" Lilly yell.

"I'm on," Naomi said, letting her commander know she was on her next target.

Brooke watch intently through her binoculars for the remaining two Chi-Ha's, as their M4 Sherman comrades closed the distance, which made it dangerous for the Firefly to fire that might hit their own. Making Brooke grunt in disapproval as Nikki was breaking with the plan to pull their foe's attention away so Naomi could snipe them, now Nikki and their tanks were trying to get in on the action and throwing the initial plan out the window.

"Hold fire, will hit our own if we shoot now," Brooke order.

Though Naomi wasn't deterred. "I can hit the target still."

She wasn't just trying to make a boast for her ego, as Naomi remember Kay warning her that thier team was going to try and humiliate Chi-Ha-Tan, to which Naomi figure Nikki was going to try to do right now as she charge them, to which this rookie wasn't about to let happen.

"Heh, alright, lets have it. Though if you hit one of our comrades that will count as a kill, and you get to deal with the scolding afterward," Brooke joke, in a hope she might deter Naomi from doing something dangerous.

Yet there was no stopping this now ace sniper, who was at an all time high right now. "No pressure, I got this trust me."

"Alright, fire when ready," Brooke said.

Once more Naomi, with a little sweat running down her face, knowing she made a good boast, but now was feeling the pressure of making such close shot, buried herself once more in the gunner site. She could make out Nikki's Sherman platoon about to close the gap with what remained of the enemy platoon. Meaning she would have to fire and almost skirt one of her tanks just to get another takedown, but push doubts down as she work the elevation and horizontal traverse gear to get her reticle where she needed.

"On the way!" Naomi yell once she felt settle.

For a third time the 17 Pounder roar across the land, with tracer shell screaming down from the hill to follow. Naomi felt as if time slow down, as she watch the tracer shell's flight through her reticle, with her heart pounding so hard she could hear it in her ears.

Then it happen, the shell scream right between a gap in the M4 Shermans spacing, not even coming close to hitting either of them, then push past till it found its home in a Type 97 Chi-Ha in its frontal armor that punch hard into it, with the expected result of the tank being taken out, but unexpectedly the tank driver seem to have completely lost control of their tank when they were hit. As suddenly the tank, even its defeated state, veer to side hard and into the path of its teammate's tank.

Both collided with one another with great force that it sent both into a tumble, as the out of control tanks flip over till they nothing but crumble pieces of tins on the fields. With next both tanks white kill flags pop up, speaking to their defeat as they both were done this day, their special mass charge once more broken and beaten into submission. Though this would be the first time one was broken so utterly by just one tank whose gunner had begun to build her legend.

Silence hung over the Firefly crew who were too in awe to speak, which was matched by Nikki's M4 Sherman platoon who stop in front of the destroy Chi-Ha-Tan tanks, as now there was nothing for them to do now.

Brooke then sat down in her tank commanders chair, while next wrapping her arms around Naomi who was taking deep breaths to calm herself down, but let out a yelp with her tank commander hug her from behind. Which was matched by Lilly who work her way around the breech and got in on the mass hug.

"Naomi! You literally got a two for one, nobody's ever done in Sensha-do!" Brooke yell in delight.

"That's our girl! Here's the legendary gunner start!" Lilly added.

Naomi who was trying to find her breath began to chuckle at her excited friends. "Alright, alright, I need to breathe."

"No way, I need to spoil my gunner like no other!" Brooke yell once more, making the girls chuckle.

Then suddenly a net call sound over the radio. "Brooke! This is Kay, come in, over!"

Now all the celebrating was put on hold, as all the girls could hear the desperation in their sub commanders voice, while they knew she was on the special frequency just for them to share in case of emergency. Brooke broke from the hold, while sending Lilly back to her seat, then pull the wired communicator off its holder on the radio.

"I'm here Kay, what do need? We just finish off a Chi-Ha-Tan platoon out here, should have seen Naomi she took all of them out," Brooke praise, the made Naomi herself blush from it.

"That's nice, but we got bigger problems here! We met Chi-Ha-Tan's flanking force, but Linda is…is…god it's sick!" Kay scream over the net.

"What's happening Kay?" Brooke said with more vigor.

"Our team is humiliating them, their spraying them with machine-gun fire, ramming their tanks into the Chi-Ha's, mass firing on one tank after taking out its track, and now are chasing the flag tank while just toying with it," Kay said in frustration over the net.

Brooke was silent for a moment, taking in the information that only ache her heart, but press on. "What do you need from us?"

"Thanks, Brooke, leave your platoon behind, and head to point 0245, you should be able to find a position to intercept the flag tank our team is chasing, for love of god, put it down so we can end this" Kay order.

"Consider it done, over and out," Brooke said, then cut the net call knowing their was no time to waste.

"What's up?" Naomi ask.

Quickly Brooke explain to them what the rest of their team was doing, which only made all the girls gasp in frustration by their team's action.

"Damn, I knew Linda wanted to humiliate them, but this is plain sick," Lilly said with a shake of the head.

"I know, which is why it's up to us to end it, Naomi I'm going to need some more of that long range shooting," Brooke said looking to her gunner.

Naomi just stare hard back at her tank commander. "Consider it done, I don't care how far will need to fire."

That made Brooke smirk to hear the conviction in her voice, then call to her driver. "Courtney, get the engine fire up were moving."

"Roger that, you think Nikki's going to order us to stay here though?" The driver ask as work the steering tillers to start rotating their tank.

"I can care less what she wants, we follow Kay," Brooke said, putting her crew at ease.

XxxxX

"What the hell is this?" Tamada said quietly, her face contorting in horror as the large monitor in front of the bleachers of the Chi-Ha-Tan student section was displaying the match to her, the first-year reserve group, students, and their club's fans.

Yet there was no cheering going on, no shouts for the Chi-Ha-Tan to keep pushing against the impossible challenge to taking down Saunders. There was not even a peep, just dead silence enveloping the section as they watch the match play out, that was quickly becoming a humiliating affair for the Chi-Ha-Tan team who were being easily outclassed by their foe, who didn't seem content with just getting the match over with, but also drawing it out to toy with Chi-Ha-Tan.

"What the hell is wrong with Saunders!?" Hosomi yell out, standing from her seat.

"This is humiliating! Don't they have any class?!" Ikeda said, rising from her seat as well.

"Their disgracing our upperclassmen!" Tamada said, standing as well, her fist at her sides clench so tight they became white.

"Girls calm down," Nishi said, trying her best to simmer down her friends, though she was in complete shock as their upperclassmen were being cruelly taken piece by piece right before them.

With anger fueling her, Tamada turn on Nishi, making her way along the row till she was face to face with her. "How can we be calm!? Don't you see what Saunders is doing to our team?!"

Nishi wince from her fiery friend, but remain steady. "I do Tamada, but we're not helping by losing our cool here. Even now our upperclassmen can win, because Saunders is taking them for granted."

"Really! Because all I see is our defeat coming because our damn third years left Mizuko out to dry!" Tamada roar again, turning to her fellow classmates to make her point know.

"Ako is no leader! She's a coward!" Hosomi said, equally anger.

"Now our team is going to lose because she doesn't follow our warrior's way!" Ikeda said with equal conviction.

"Girls, that's no way to talk about the commander," Nishi scolded.

"Not our commander!" Tamada said, turning to Nishi again, her anger at the boiling point.

"If that's how you feel, then right now, I'm your leader, so sit down and stop making a scene," Nishi said, trying to keep her voice steady because she didn't like talking this way to anyone.

"Make me!" Tamada said, now getting in Nishi's face, making other first-year reserve members rise, wanting to break up any possible fight that might happen between the two.

Steeling her nerves, even though she was slightly shaking, Nishi just lock eyes with Tamada. From day one, she knew Tamada had an angry streak, that when it reach a certain point, made her just see red and nothing else. Yet Nishi knew this was something apart of Tamada's personality, which only came out when she wanted to protect her club or teammates, with said teammates being humiliated right now in front of their very eyes. Knowing of why she was angry, made Nishi feel no need for resentment to Tamada challenging her, only the need to calm her down.

Though Hamada, who was seated next to Nishi came around to a lower row, then reach to touch Tamada's arm, as she spoke. "Tamada, please let us not fight, we're on the same team."

"We are, but Nishi here doesn't seem to care about what's happening," Tamada said, turning her blind rage on Hamada, who let go and wince at the sharp rebuke.

Nishihara who was on the lower row, now wrap a hand around Hamada's shoulder, while turning to Tamada with annoyance. "Do you care about how you're treating your teammates? Look how you're acting."

Tamada look to make a retort but then notice save Ikeda, Nagura, and Hosomi who were looking to aid Tamada, the rest of the first-year reserve group was looking at Tamada with concern or fear. It then hit Tamada that all she was doing was making things worse on her fellow teammates, but even still she couldn't let go of this anger about how things were going when this year had held so much promise for their club.

With Tamada's life having found some semblance of light, after so many dark days being an orphan no one wanted, with also the loss of Tohaku, her best friend. Yet here, she had found not just a place to belong, but a family that wanted her in the form of the girls who made this club up. Yet all she was doing was scary her tankery family by her actions, worse she was taking it out on Nishi of all people, someone who she had come to respect in the leadership role.

An awkward silence now took over, as the match continue to play out on screen, but the first-year reserve group only had eyes for Tamada, wondering if she was going to blow up again. Tamada herself wanted to apologize as well, but her pride was making her stubborn, as she felt she had had a right to feel the way she did, though there was doubt in her mind if she should apologize or not.

Yet Nishi push forward, now finding her resolve, she reach out and pull Tamada into a hug. The sudden gesture made Tamada yelp, as Nishi wrap her up, holding her close. Yet this simple comfort was all Tamada needed not words, as she grip Nishi back, clingy to her tabkery sister she hadn't wanted to fight with in the first place, as hot tears began to fall down Tamada's face, as she couldn't stomach it anymore as her anger left her, leaving nothing but a void in her chest, needing someone to fill it, and Nishi was the one to fill it with her care and touch.

As the rest of the first years let our a breath of relief, but knew their team's dreams of doing the impossible had been utterly crushed.

XxxxX

"Momoko right stick! Right stick!" Ako yell into the wired communicator to the crew net.

"On it!" Momoko said, working the sticks to get the right track only spinning so to turn their Type 97 Chi-Ha sharply, just a bark of M3 75mm gun blech an AP shell out them.

It scream past the Chi-Ha-Tan flag tank, which now was running across the open grassland trying to keep themselves in the fight. Yet that fight was becoming more and more difficult as 3 M4 Shermans were following closely behind Ako trying to win the match with the flag tank in sight. With Ako herself being the last of her company to survive the ambush she had led them into, which only made things worse when Saunders didn't even take them out right away, seeming to just toy with them as Ako's Chi-Ha's bounce rounds off Sherman's frontal armor with ease.

While Saunders answer in kind with their main cannons taking out tracks to immobilize the foe, they began to rattle their tanks hulls with their 1919 Browning machine guns with the intent to do nothing but add to their humiliation. Even going so far as to ram their tanks into the Chi-Ha's just to add to their torment. While that was happening Ako just watch, to stun to move or do anything as she watch her team get torn to shreds, till one of her fellow tank commanders yell at her to run and keep in the fight, since she was the flag tank. Then charge forward to buy Ako time, to which the Chi-Ha-Tan commander with deep frustration at herself, order her tank with an escort tank with her to flee, but it wasn't long before she was all alone now with nobody help her.

Turning in commanders cupola, she spotted the 3 M4 Shermans come rolling over bushes to get at her, making Ako go into action. "Momoko get us going again, full gear!"

"I can't! I shifted too hard and the transmission is stuck! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" The driver apologize profusely over the net, knowing it was over.

"No…," Ako said to herself quietly, seeing the Shermans close the distance now, with nothing they could do stop even if they swung their gun to meet them.

Suddenly the M4 Shermans all stop in front some distance from the Type 97 Ch-Ha, with Ako closing her commanders hatch, as she thought they were going to mass fire on her. Ako held her face in her hands as despair completely took over, knowing the end was near for them. All she had wanted to do was bring Chi-Ha-Tan tankery up, break traditions that left them in a dark state for so long. Yet that was a dream, nothing more, as their team had been taken apart piece by piece, and were humiliated. Nothing could be worse in Ako's mind and she would have to take the blame as commander.

Will this be my legacy?

Ako thought, trying to hold tears in, not wanting to cry in front of her teammates. Then a sudden sound of clacking, like someone was throwing a host of rocks at their tanks hard making the girls wince at the constant racket. Ako lean up to look through her right vision block to see through the limited sight to the M4 Shermans letting loose their bow gun and coaxial machine guns that sent angry red tracers at her tank.

The hail of machine gun fire on the hull wane on the nerves of the crew, who cover their heads, even if the armor would allow no harm to come to them from small arms fire, it still rattle their minds to hear it constantly pattering hard on the hull. Ako though, felt anger grow in her heart now, as she look through her side periscope to see the Sherman were continually spitting out machine gun fire at them, keeping their main guns silent even though they could end the match now, but were choosing to draw it out.

They're really out to shame us…but damn if I'm going to sit here and take this…

Ako thought, then lower herself to yell to her crew. "Kawa load AP, Ririko traverse the gun right and hit the middle Sherman."

"What?" Kawa said baffled.

"You still want to fight, it's over," Ririko argue.

Though that didn't deter Ako. "Not as long as our white kill flag doesn't pop up. We fight till the end, because were Chi-Ha-Tan tankers or are we not."

The challenge was laid to the gunner and loader who look to each other, then after a moment nodded to one another. For their tank commander was right, they were Chi-Ha-Tan tankers through and through, even if they didn't follow the outdated code of their underclassmen. They were fighters who didn't give up when things even look hopeless, even when the foe was too strong, for that was when they cheered loudest.

Kawa turn to grab an armor piercing shell off the ready rack, then shove it into the breech. "Loaded!"

Next Ririko push her shoulder into the gun mount to stabilize it. Then grab the horizontal traverse wheel, that she spun with all her might to get the gun on the target, silently wishing their tank had a power traverse.

"Alright steady…On! 100 meters!" Ako said, helping guide her gunner.

Finally, the gunner was on, though had trouble aiming through the rain of red machine gun tracers still ripping into their tank, with some smashing into the gunner's sight, blinding Ririko somewhat, but suddenly there was a lull in the machine gun fire. Ako thought it was due to the need to reload their machine guns, which gave her confidence they could at least get in one round before they wanted to take her down.

"Fire!" Ako order.

"On the way!" Ririko yell, while pulling the trigger.

Their 57mm low velocity gun belch their round out, that's aim was true on the middle M4 Sherman opposed to them. Yet the gun prove to show why it was an infantry support gun, not a tank killer. As the shell's slow velocity smash into the front of the slope American tank's armor, redirecting it upward and away like the Japanese tank had done nothing but toss a tennis ball at it. The M4 Shermans remain silent for a moment, then began to do something that only raise Ako's ire.

As the 3 M4 Shermans began to swivel their guns left to right, that might confuse other's what they might be doing, but to Ako, she understood it was a subtle way for their crews to show their foe they were shaking their heads in embarrassment at Ako's pitiful attempts to fight back, which was only adding to the disgrace she felt, that was match by her crew who she told what was happening.

"Damn them, I won't…I won't let them poke fun at us anymore, If I'm going down, I'm going down fighting. So come on let's see what you're made of Saunders, because I'm going to show you the fury that will be your demise next time you ever face Chi-Ha-Tan, fir-."

Ako was cut off as shell slam into her tank, but not for any of the M4 Shermans present, making even the Saunders girls wonder who had fire the shot, that had to be from some distance. Yet the fact remain that Chi-Ha-Tan's flag tank had been taken out, with it came the end of the match, and the end of this degrading affair that would have far reaching ramifications, neither side knew was to shape the future.

Bam!

XxxxX

Brooke brought down her binoculars as she confirm the flag tank was taken out from her Sherman Firefly, with it the end of this match, then lean down into her tank. "Nice shot Naomi that had to be at least 900 meters."

Yet Naomi didn't feel any excitement for this takedown, compared to others. She had seen her fellow teammates just fire their machine guns into the immobilized tank just for the fun of it in her gunners reticle. It made her sick to see them toy with the foe, instead of ending them. At that moment they had just destroyed all the notion of what Sensha-do was about, there was no respect for the enemy, just a unbridle need to exert their dominance over them, which Naomi knew was going to hurt her team's reputation for the future.

"Hard to get excited about that takedown," Naomi said depressingly

Brooke let out a small smile, as she put an arm on her gunner's shoulder. "I know, but you did a lot good ending this before it got out of hand."

"Yea, take heart Naomi, you did well," Lilly said from her loader's position.

"Alright girls, let's get back to the hanger, Courtney take us home," Brooke order, wanting to put this all behind them.

XxxxX

"It's your fault! Your cowardly plan did nothing but prove how right we were!" Mizuko yell at her commander.

Currently, the Chi-Ha-Tan tankery team was lining outside their transport train, which was loaded with their scorch and batter tanks. All of them having been taken out in the shameful fashion by Saunders, toying with them with their machine guns, then put them down with their cannons when it seem they were bored with them. Which left many in the Chi-Ha-Tan group boiling with anger, with Mizuko the angriest out of all of them, even though she had been separated from the main force who were subjected to this, she had her own humiliation to handle having her whole platoon wiped by just one tank she was told, with the only place to put her anger was into the very girl in her mind that had caused this.

"We just got caught out, I'm sorry, I thought my plan was steady," Ako said, but her voice was defeated, not wanting to fight after going through what she did.

"Yea, leave us to go get slaughter, what a great plan," Mizuko continue to press on.

"You don't get to talk to her like that," one of the third years said.

"What you going to do about it?" a second-year said back.

Before anyone could blink, the third and second years began to shove each other and point fingers. For their minds were seeing nothing but red, with no one to level their anger against besides each other. With each side no longer holding back their true feelings, as insults of being zealous idiots and calls of being nothing but cowards rang together. There was no one to calm down the fighting either, as both leaders lost control of their respective sides.

Though Ako wasn't going to quit, pushing past their her fellow comrades, she came close to Mizuko. "We need to stop this, before we do any more damage, especially to each other."

"Hmph, you've done enough, commander. I'm done following you, so I'm here and now telling you to leave the club, because my girls won't follow you anymore," Mizuko shot back.

The statement shock Ako, to see that her subordinate was dead serious. "Please Mizuko, we can't let this happen to our club."

"My club, you're done here. Look at you, all you're wanting for change, and look where it's gotten us, nowhere. All you done is waste our time with your ideals, so leave, and I'll lead this club back to what defines us," Mizuko argue.

Something snap in Ako, as she said the very words that would be the final push to tear their team apart. "Your stupid code of just getting blown away, that's what you're going to keep teaching? Don't act like you didn't get humiliated by following that code when that Firefly made short work of your charge."

"What you say?" Mizuko snarl at her.

All around them, the other 2nd and 3rd years began to stop fighting, as they focus in on the clash between the commanders. Both sides knew they were always reaching this boiling point for the past month, with now being the moment to unleash all their pent up hate for one another.

"You heard me, this damn code has done nothing for us, but make us a joke. I wanted more than that, not be stuck in the past just to repeat this cycle for nothing more than a notion of keeping the tradition alive," Ako said.

Mizuko was quiet for a moment, giving Ako the hardest look she could muster. "You say that when you know how much this means to some of us. What it help build in us, after we were nothing but street rats all our life. Now you trample on not just the code, but for us orphans as well."

"Don't play that card with me, I try my hardest to work with you, to just try and make you see we can do more than follow the past," Ako argue.

"No, you just try your hardest to be more than you thought you could be. You're a failure as commander, a tanker, and more importantly a member of this club. Just leave before I make sure you never do Sensha-do again," Mizuko with a shake of the head.

"I won't leave just because you say so, I'm still the commander here," Ako shot back.

That statement seem to amuse Mizuko who started to chuckle, then spoke with a smug look. "Oh, I see, you're worried you won't be able to protect Nishi from me anymore. Don't worry I'll break her down soon enough, she'll become a true Chi-Ha-Tan tanker under me."

"You won't hurt her, because she's stronger than you, someone who will see this club rise back up," Ako stated with confidence behind her boast.

"What a joke, with the way you brought her up, she will do nothing but shame it as you did. I'll get that out of her soon enough," Mizuko said.

Ako growl at the statement. "No, you will never touch her or hurt her."

"Heh, and what exactly are you going to do about it," Mizuko challenge.

"This," Ako said, then charge Mizuko and tackle her.

Both of them went down in a tangle of flesh, with both throwing punches at one another, no longer to hold back their anger in their hearts. With each protecting something they consider precious, one a junior who she wanted to enjoy tankery, the other a dying code that had reached its zenith in this age of tankery.

The fight didn't last long, as Headmaster Hidemichi had been coming down to pep his girls up, with the first years in tow, but upoun seeing the fight happening hustle over to break it up, all the while Nishi and the first years watch from a distance in horror that their club was tearing apart right in front of them.

The tankery family they thought they had formed was now officially broken, as Hidemichi suspended both sides from the club for the rest of the year and Mizuko to the point of the first round of the tournament next year because when she threw a last punch in when Ako stop fighting.

Which was the final straw as Mizuko quit the club, while throwing her tankery jacket on the ground in front of him in anger, then her fellow second years did the same, with the third years following suit. Leaving their scared first-years to pick up the pieces of their club.

With the final breaking of the old era of Chi-Ha-Tan, with a new one rising, as destiny was aligning itself for a Tigress to save these batter tigers.

XxxxX

"Goddammit!" Kay yell, as she climb down her M4 Sherman, with her sudden cry making everyone in the hanger look at her.

They had just returned their tanks to the hanger to await their military transport train to be ready to load them and then make their way back to port, and finally back home to their school carrier the USS George Washington. With most likely a party to be held in celebration for their victory of Chi-Ha-Tan Academy that had been not really a match, but an utter demolition derby of the Imperial Japanese theme school, with their Type 97's being batter into nothing against the M4 Shermans of Saunders, though the toast of the party was first-year gunner Naomi, who had taken out 5 tanks herself, though many of the third years were peeve she had taken away their fun of toying with the Chi-Ha-Tan flag tank.

Yet for this festive mood that was beginning to take hold, Kay was not in the mood for any of it. As she just finish climbing down her tank, she unzip her tankery jacket and threw it on the ground in disgust, in disgust of what had just happened, in disgust of the fact she had gone hadn't been able to fully stop it, and disgust that they had just disgraced the very sport she had come to love in this one match. Media outlets were already eating it up, dubbing it the First Match Massacre, since they completely tore Chi-Ha-Tan apart, but slowly and with unneeded cruelty.

Down to her black undershirt and not Sensha-do registered uniform denim short shorts, Kay storm through the hanger for her target who was about to get an earful from her. Many of the Saunders girls made way, scared to see the usually bright and cheerful Kay, looking about ready to blow several veins in her head, which made even the third years back away from their junior's path. Finally Kay found the person responsible for this disgrace in her commander, Linda Sickle, who was just coming down from her own tank with a self-satisfying smug look on her face.

"Linda!" Kay roar out, coming up to her commander.

Though the shout made everyone wince in the hanger, Linda just turn to her junior with a hand on her hip, not faze at all with that smirk on her face as she spoke. "Something I can do for you blondie?"

"Don't play cute with me, what the hell was that?" Kay press on.

"That is called winning," Linda said with a shrug.

"It's called humiliation, don't you have a conscience. We just toy with that team for nothing other than put them down, not as competitors, but as a bunch of bullies," Kay said, her fist at her sides getting tighter.

The accusation didn't make Linda break her smirk, shaking her head at her junior. "Yo, what did I tell you about the nature of Sensha-do. It's a brutal sport that is about the survival of the fittest out here. You win and you stay, that's that, nothing less nothing more, so we can't be gentle on our opponents because they won't show us any mercy."

"This a sport, not a war," Kay argue still.

"A sport base on war, based on its unquestionable violet nature, so I say let's have some fun with our brutality right girls," Linda boasted to the whole hanger.

"Yea!" a majority of the Saunders girls agree with hands raised in the air, though there was a small group who simply cross their arms in silent outrage of their team's actions this day.

"Well, what do you say that to blondie?" Linda challenge.

"I say that this isn't what Sensha-do is about, you singlehandedly just brought our club down worse than any defeat our school has ever suffered," Kay shot back.

Linda just chuckle a little, then spoke. "Don't like it, go quit. Plenty of girls who can do your job as second in command, don't think you are special or anything."

Kay growl, as her anger, was to the breaking point and was ready to pounce, but was stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking back, Kay took in the sight of the first year gunner Naomi coming up to her now, though her face was calm, a silent rage was behind her eye's, as she too was not liking what had happened, and was only glad she had put the flag tank down before any more shame was put down on her team by just their actions.

"Commander, I agree with Kay, we did nothing but harm our school by doing what we did," Naomi said, keeping her voice balanced.

"Ugh, what's with this mushy feeling crap," Linda said, rubbing her hand against her forehead in mock frustration, then smile as she spoke. "You agree with blondie, but you did as I order, really broke that dumb Chi-Ha-Tan special charge they were so proud of, so that means your hands are just as washed with this 'humiliation' you think this was."

"It was humiliation, in every sense of the word. I join Sensha-do because it was a sport that was fought with the upmost respect," Naomi said back.

"Yuck, your taking after blondies noble and fun loving ideals of Sensha-do, do away with that girl, especially when you're going to be the toast of the party when we get back to the carrier," Linda said, trying to get the first year onboard.

Though Naomi was having none of it. "You can have your party, but I won't take part in it."

"Fine be a party pooper, but you two better get your head right for the next match or I swear I'll ban you from this team for good, don't need team problems going into the next match," Linda said, then turn on heel to walk away, wanting to get away from both of her subordinates who were making her sicker by the minute hearing them try to argue against her Sensha-do style.

Kay watch Linda go, with her little posse along with her. The worse of all was Alisa who had been seduced into Linda's Sensha-do style, of having a downward look on minor teams, and had all but enjoy what they had done to Chi-Ha-Tan. Kay consider her to be a good friend, yet watch helplessly as her mind was being poisoned, which tug on Kay's heart that she couldn't do anything to stop it.

Taking a deep breath to finally calm herself down, Kay turn around to Naomi. "Thanks for standing up with me, means a lot."

"No prob, Top," Naomi said with a small smile.

"Top?" Kay said with a questioning look.

Now Naomi blush, as she spoke with a smile. "Sorry, just felt right to call you that, because I respect your leadership. You were the one who wanted to stop with our humiliation because you stood up when others just went along with it."

"Oh you, trying to make me blush," Kay said, losing her anger seeing her cute first year get fluster, wanting to tease to help herself calm down. "You know you look a lot cuter when you smile."

"Ah, don't mess with me, Top," Naomi said, fidgeting in place now.

"Kay?" A voice call out.

Both girls turn to see another first-year who had participated in the battle who Linda saw as a future leader for the team. She was a girl of average height, with deep crimson hair with a black ribbon holding it in a loose ponytail and large brown eyes.

"What's up Rosie?" Kay said, turning to give the first year her full attention.

"I…I…I'm sorry I didn't have the courage to speak out as well. I didn't like what we did to Chi-Ha-Tan, worse I witness it all from my Sherman as part of the force chasing the flag tank, I feel so ashamed because I just did what my platoon leader order me to do," Rosie said, with her lip quivering.

Before Kay could try to comfort Rosie, a small group of Saunders girls came forward, all voicing their regret about what had happened in the match. Though it was at most a handful of girls, mostly first years and some second, Kay felt some relief that she wasn't the only one that was fighting back against what they had done, but they were greatly outnumbered by those who were ok with it.

Putting her hands on her hip, Kay steady herself, so her voice could come out confidently. "Alright girls, know I'm grateful you all feel this way, because this is not what Sensha-do is about. We girls of Saunders fight for the excitement of the cannons firing and the great friends we make after all is said and done. We are all part of the tankery family of this sport and will have to do a lot to make sure we can be a part of it, though the road won't be easy, but can I rely on all of you to follow me and my style to achieve this."

"Ma'am!" The girls said back, with iron determination in their eyes.

"Good, now go shower up before we get on the train for home," Kay order.

As one, the small group of girls saluted their commander, the commander who they had gained a healthy respect from them with this speech, and would now be loyal to Kay now and next year. Then they walk off, ready to get out of their sweaty tankery uniforms and then get some sleep on the train ride home, though Kay touch Naomi's arm before she left.

"Need something else, Top?" Naomi said.

Kay was silent for a moment, then spoke. "That third year, Nikki was it? Your platoon leader, is treating you nicely?"

"Ye…ye..yea why?" Naomi ask.

"Because I know you got a like for girls, but don't get wrapped up with her, especially if you think she values what being lovers is like. She only wants fun, then will dump you hard, I saw her do it to one of my friends last year," Kay warn.

"Oh," was all Naomi said, knowing she had already had cross a line with Nikki. "I…think that isn't the case, she likes me."

"She likes what she can't get out of you," Kay said with more vigor.

Naomi lower her head, knowing that Kay might be right and Naomi had been caught in what she had perceived as her first taste of love, having to repress her feelings for girls since middle school when she realize her preferences. Which would hurt hard to deal with having been nothing but fun for someone else, when it was Nikki who had approached Naomi.

"You might be right, but I can't…just give up. I've repress these feelings of who I like for so long," Naomi said.

Kay smile, then pet Naomi's head with affection, having to reach up for the taller girl. "I get it, though I like boy's, I get how you feel. First taste of being with someone special is something that can't be describe with words, but Nikki ain't it, so if all she is offering you is pleasure, get out. Find someone who values you, yea."

"Ok, thanks Kay, for looking out for me," Naomi said, giving her upperclassmen a big smile.

"No prob, though I'm going to warn you now, no dating in the team. Can tell you that can get dicey if you break up, so try to keep your lover outside the club, alright?" Kay said with a hand on her hip.

That made Naomi chuckle a little, then spoke. "You got it, Top."

"Good, now go ahead, I need a minute," Kay said.

Naomi nodded, then offer a smart salute to her leader who she also would be loyal to the end, for Kay was the charismatic leader this team needed if they were to regain their honor, while also showing Naomi all the fun Sensha-do could be. Yet first Naomi had to go confront Nikki, to understand what they were, good or bad, Naomi had to know, as much as her heart just wanted to keep things the way they were.

While Kay stay behind with her hands on her hip, wondering how she was going to bring this team back up after this match. Their reputation would be crushed in its wake, even if they won the Victory flag in the end, Kay knew this was going to leave a bad taste in the mouth of the other teams going forward. Though there was a certain someone she wish not to look at her in a bad light, as she took her phone out.

She search through her contacts till she found that name, the press the call button. It rang only once before the call was pick.

"Well hello, Miss Kay, a pleasure to hear from you," Darjeeling said over the phone.

"Hey, I…," Kay said, then felt angry tears start to roll down her cheeks.

The sniffling seem to make Darjeeling understand her friend's state of mind. "I heard what happen, but don't fret Kay."

"How can I not? We shame Sensha-do, the sport I love with all my heart, what can I do now?" Kay voice her grief to her.

To which Darjeeling answers with the best form of medicine, in a quote. "The only cure for suffering is to face it head-on, grasp it around the neck, and use it."

That made Kay stop sniffling, then chuckle. "Sounds kind of brutal."

"To which I know suits you, take heart Kay, you can rebuild from this one day, and I will be with you," Darjeeling said.

"Thank you, I'll take those words to heart, I won't let this bring Saunders down, I'll make us respectable once again," Kay said, with her tears gone, replaced with a unbridle need to wash this era of Sanders tankery away and bring back what made them what they were.