So this was the situation in early September. The Confederacy of Independent High Schools was formed and the Japan Sensha-Do Federation didn't recognize it. A day after the breakaway they stopped all federal ammunition transport to the boy's schools. Both sides sat up an army and both of them stated that the other side was the aggressor. Though the gunpowder was nearly palpable in the air there were still people who were searching for peace. The boys offered to pay the federal property they have taken over and sign an agreement but they've got a negative answer. On the other hand a few JSF directorate members have also wanted negotiations but Tsuji banned all attempt to do this.
The boy's schools were controlling their home cities and their surroundings, but there were hotspots.
As we mentioned, the whole island of Shikoku was on their hands, controlled by Szent István, Conquistador and Sherlock Holmes.
The lords of the northern and northeastern coast of Kyushu were Diamondback (based in Fukuoka), Seinarukaze (based in Kitakyushu)). By its location Seinarukaze could guard the connection between Kyushu and Honshu.
By the way Honshu. The biggest island of Japan was also biggest hotspot as most of the girl's schools were based here. Jatkosota and Bonple High School were in the nearby neighborhood of Landsknecht and Stromboli. Bannockburn was farther from any other schools. The Scottish styled school was up in the mountains in Nakatsugawa. On the southern coast Hiroshima, Nagoya, Shizuoka and their surroundings were the confederate territories under the control of Uluru, Habsburg and De Gaulle.
And finally the Confederacy could say whole Hokkaido to itself. Well, nearly whole Hokkaido. Because a small federal force was based in Muroran, on a peninsula on the eastern side of Uchiura Bay. Maple High School.
The Canadian based girl's school was a lonely bastion of the JSF in southern Hokkaido. And it was heavily outnumbered by the terrifying combined forces of Tsar Peter, Mannerheim and Odin.
Maybe it's unnecessary to mention that Maple's students felt very uneasy in the last days. At this time they used to have worry about tests only but now… Though not a single open fight has happened until now both sides leaders ordered their troops to set up defensive lines in case of the other's attack. The three boy's schools formed a line from Otaru through Sapporo to Tomakomai. And for a while they were sending protest messages to Tokyo, for the JSF has ordered Maple to take positions on Mount Eniwa on the bank of Lake Shikotsu so they can observe the rebels. The Confederacy stated that the mountain was clearly within their territory thereby it is an act of hostility. All around Japan the Federation installed defensive facilities on the countryside. Trenches and small fortresses encircled by barbed wire and tank barriers and even walls built of cement blocks. Maple had some forts to control the roads to the Tsugaru Strait like that at the Eniwa, at Mount Yotei and another one on the island in the middle of Lake Toya.
Mount Eniwa stood on the outskirts of Sapporo but they couldn't enter the city for the boys have barricaded the roads used by the JSF before.
"It starts to piss me out." Trout, Maple's overall commander commented as she was looking through her binoculars one afternoon on the mountainside on top of her MK VIB. In the distance Russian tanks were rolling back and forth and making movements. She could even see the boys in green uniforms observing their positions with their own telescopes. Looking to the east she could see the right flank of Mannerheim's line. What worried her most were those freaking self-propelled guns. The barriers could stop the tanks and tank destroyers for a while but there was no cover against artillery fire.
"Do you think they will attack us commander?" Amber one of the vice-commanders asked while fixing the red beret on her head.
"Not until they aren't told to do so from Matsuyama."
"What about Pravda? You've asked Tokyo to send them here as reinforcement." asked Oleo the other vice-commander.
"They aren't coming." replied Trout. "The Federation wants them to guard northern Honshu."
"Will there be a war commander?"
"I'd prefer to avoid it Amber. But if that happens we will be strong like how Bougainville fought to defend Quebec!"
Aomori, Pravda Girls High School
Though Pravda was also alerted they stayed in their home city Aomori the Mutsu Bay. It was pretty late in the evening and Nonna was walking home all by herself. Entering her apartment she fell on the sofa. She may used to be firm and cold in public but this crisis indeed affected her. To tell the truth it affected her personally. After a few minutes of thinking she took her phone and dialed a number. The interesting part was that the number belonged to Habsburg Boys High School's vice-commander. And that vice-commander has happened to be her cousin brother.
"Hello cousin." Ishida Sora said at the other side of the line.
"Hello cousin." replied Nonna. She sounded confused. "Do you know why I called you?" She asked.
"I think I do…" Sora said with an unpleasant feeling in his voice.
"Why are you doing this Sora?"
"Please Nonna; try to understand me and my friends."
"I'm trying but… I can't see the purpose of it all."
"Believe me Nonna; I don't blame you for anything. But if we stay in the JSF there is no view for us anymore."
"But you could have negotiated! Maybe it's still not too late!"
"The negotiations were dead from the first second and not because of us. If you believe in what you just said blame your directorate! You could ask them for peace but you can be sure that you'll find deaf ears."
"…"
"I'm sorry but I think that you can't understand our case in Pravda's comfortable position in the Federation."
"Sora I… I don't really know what to say." Nonna said tiredly.
"You know I could never fight with you right?" Sora asked in a more gentle tone.
"I hoped you'll say that. I just don't want to lose you my cousin. Not after our happy childhood together."
"You'll never lose me Nonna; I promise. But I have to do what I think is right."
"… Alright Sora. Just pray that the clouds will spread." Nonna said with a sigh. "Love you brother."
"Love you sister." Sora replied than they hang up the phone; Nonna looking towards the commode at an old common photo of her and Sora.
Kuromorimine
Maho entered the huge gates of the tank sheds. Since days their Sensha-Do team was in standby in Kumamoto to act whenever it is necessary. Though Kuromorimine was among the most successful teams in Japan it was an unpleasant circumstance that together with Saunders they were at the edge of the country in western Kyushu separated from the rest of the other girl's schools; facing Diamondback and Seinarukaze with Uluru behind their backs. Not to mention that this time they could not rely on numerical superiority.
The german tanks were lined up in two rows. Suddenly Maho spotted a figure near one of the Königstigers.
"Ah Erika. What are you doing here this time?"
"Hi commander." Erika greeted her in a neutral tone. "Nothing special I was just checking my tank."
"Tell the truth, you are a bit nervous right?"
"Wha... I? No, not at all! Well… Maybe I'm a little bit annoyed."
"I see. What's the cause of that? This whole thing with the boy's schools?"
"Of course it is! What are they thinking?"
"I can't tell what they are thinking but everything in this world has a reason. Our reason is that we have to save the JSF. Their reason is… also something." And with this Maho left the scene and Erika turned back to her tank. She didn't mention that like Nonna she also had connection with the Confederacy. A childhood friend of her Gensai Fumito was a student of Szent István. Erika didn't know too much boys during her life but Fumito was a true friend. And now… What could he be doing in this minute?
Oarai
A knock on the door wake Miho from her sleeping. Sleepily she rose from the bed walked to the door and opened it. A short figure stood in front of her.
"Kaichō? What are you doing here? It's 04:00 a.m."
"I'm sorry Nishizumi-chan." Anzu replied. "But we'll take off at 08:00 a.m."
"Excuse me?"
"We have order to go to Hokkaido to support Maple High School. They are recently at Mount Eniwa. We will be stationed in Muroran as reinforcement."
"Wha… And what about the school?"
"We were given a "special break". I've already told it everyone. Then be at the tank sheds at 06:30. We'll drive down to the train station. The train will be waiting for us."
"H… Hai." Miho stuttered in surprise then Anzu turned away and left.
"Ok. I'm really starting to freak out." Thought Miho.
In the middle of morning they were travelling along the seacoast to the north. The tanks were carried on flatbed wagons while the crews were travelling at the end of the train in two passenger wagons. They weren't talking too much as they didn't know what was waiting for them. Short after they left Oarai they've heard that the boy's schools learned about the troop movement and threatened the JSF with aggression. Their way and arrive in Muroran was uneventful. They were placed in a dormitory in the town. The tanks were lined up in the yard. After sunlight was gone Miho was sitting on top of her Panzer IV and thinking about their views. If a fight occurs she was sure that they will not be able to defend the federal territory in Hokkaido even together with Maple. The Confederacy clearly outnumbered and outgunned them. They asked for further reinforcement but the directorate replied that they have to concentrate most of the teams in Honshu. Furthermore sending more troops could lead to an open rebellion. Actually they were not so far from this scenario. The letters from Matsuyama and the other boy's schools became more and more sinister. They wanted the removal of the federal forts in Hokkaido and first of all the one's at Mt. Eniwa.
"In my opinion its possession does not coincide with the security and dignity of Tsar Peter Boys High School." Wrote the student council president of the Russian styled school which was the closest to the positions of Maple High School.
In order to avoid the fight for at least that day the JSF directorate promised that they will no longer carry out federal troop movements if the confederate schools are not harassing their teams and leaving the remaining federal property alone. However the team commanders were not notified separately about this. A day later in her own sphere Trout decided that Mt. Eniwa was indefensible, therefore her and Oarai's team silently moved to the Nakajima Island in the middle of Lake Toya. From there they could observe the roads more safely.
The outraged Tsar Peter, Mannerheim and Odin students cried out and invaded all other JSF fortresses and storages in southern Hokkaido like Mt. Eniwa and Mt. Yotei. In Tokyo a great uproar was triggered by the occupation. They wanted stronger actions. In meantime the three boy's schools in the north didn't hesitate to encircle Lake Toya and build up positions for a siege. Now they demanded Maple's and Oarai's withdrawal back to Muroran. The artilleries were place on top of the hills around the lake while the tanks and tank destroyers were positioned between the lake and the hills behind hips of earth or in holes dug by the crews.
On the western bank Torvald was observing the Nakajima Island with his binoculars. The wooded was encircled around its edge by a wall built of cement blocks. At some places it was lower so the federal tanks could fire through it. But now none of them was visible as they were hiding between the dense standing trees.
"The next step is yours girls." The Norwegian styled commander thought. "What will you do now?"
Murakami, Honshu
Stromboli and Landsknecht formed a semicircle shaped defense line around Nagaoka and Niigata. Kiyoshi's team guarded the northern side while Stromboli was at the southern side. The closest girl's schools to them were Bonple and Jatkosota. While Mika's only BT-42 was still pretty far away in Kanazava Bonple's tanks were facing the Italian boy's school from about two or three kilometers in a field sided by forests. Stromboli's team was standing behind a line of tank barriers and barbed wire. The situation became frustrating for both sides. The clearly saw each other and saw each other's movements day and night. They were so close that they could nearly see the other's faces.
One evening Augustus was studying a map and reports from Landsknecht when suddenly a loud bang filled the air. He instantly ran out of his tent.
"What the hell was that? Who has shot?"
"A TKS scout came too close General." A boy from a Semovente replied calling Augustus by his new rank. All the Sensha-Do team commanders from the boy's schools were generals in the provisional army of the Confederacy. "We had to fire. But it has retreated now."
"Damn it boys! I didn't allow it for God's sake!" Then a small caliber shell landed before the barriers. "Shit! Don't fire! Don't fire everyone!"
Asparagus's POV
"Cease fire! Who the hell was that?!" Bonple's commander shouted from top of her 7TPjw.
"But commander! Stromboli was shooting at our scout!"
"Then do not close them too much idiots! We have no orders to attack or anything like that!"
For a half agonizing hour both sides were watching listening and waiting. But it seemed that the incident was over.
"Ok. It seems we've got away with it." Augustus sighed. "It's still not the time."
Hokkaido
Meanwhile, both the JSF and confederate teams learned what happened near Nagaoka from the radio. Shortly after that both side's commanders gathered together to discuss the situation.
Trout and Miho had to count with the little food and ammunition they had. The three confederate generals however had to wait for Kyousuke's presidential orders from Matsuyama. It was hard to decide for him to remove the Federation's tanks with force or hold the blockade around Lake Toya. Both Matsuyama and Tokyo wanted to avoid being seen as aggressor by the public.
When Nakajima Island notified the JSF directorate that their food stocks will last barely for a week, Tsuji sent a letter to Tsar Peter's student council president. (Not for the Confederate Council in Matsuyama for it was not recognized by him nor the Confederacy.) In the letter he stated: "We will attempt to supply the fort on Nakajima Island with food only and if you do not interfere, no further troops or ammunition will be sent except in case of an attack on the fortress."
Tsar Peter transmitted the message to Kyousuke who – after a meeting with his council – ordered Ivan, Törni and Torvald to call the island for surrender and if it does not happen destroy the fort before the supplies arrive.
On the night of 12th September the three vice-commanders of Tsar Peter, Mannerheim and Odin took a small boat and headed to the island through the waves waving a white flag.
"They are coming Nishizumi taichō!" Erwin shouted to Miho. "They are delegates."
"Open the gate!" Miho ordered and the girls opened the metal door. She walked down to the mole to greet the delegation. The three boys stepped on the mole in Tsar Peter's green, Mannerheim's bluish grey and Odin's blue and red uniform. To her surprise all of them saluted to her what she returned.
"If I'm not wrong you are Nishizumi Miho-san, Oarai's commander." Igor, Tsar Peter's vice-commander said.
"Yes, I am. And currently the second in command of the Nakajima Island fort."
"Perfect. Then please, take our first general's message to your overall commander. We'll be waiting here." Then he gave Miho an envelope.
"Thank you. I'll bring the reply soon." She turned away and met with Trout on a small glade between the trees.
"Dear Trout-san,
As commander of the Hokkaido Battalion of the provisional army of the Confederacy of Independent High Schools I call you for leaving of Nakajima Island with respect, as its federal possession is a direct danger for our safety. If you do so we assure you a free retreat.
Yours faithfully,
Tsuda Hiroya, commander of Mannerheim High School and Hokkaido Battalion" Said Törni's letter.
"Bring them my reply Nishizumi-san." Trout said. "I reject the surrender. That's all."
"Understood Trout-san." Miho returned to the delegates. "We are waiting for your first shot Igor-san."
"As you think Nishizumi-san." Igor saluted again then they left. After an hour the three boys returned.
"If you set the time for the evacuation of the fortress and agree that you will not shoot with your tanks by this time, until we attack, we won't open fire." Törni stated in his second letter.
Following that Maple's and Oarai's commanders and vice-commanders gathered together to discuss their situation.
"Alright girls." Trout sighed. "For our crews sake we are leaving this place and going back to Muroran." So Miho returned to the mole to the boys. When they got back to Törni he read the reply.
"Dear Tsuda-san,
We will empty Nakajima Island by midnight on 14th September unless we get new orders from the directorate or get supply.
Yours faithfully,
Trout"
After founding this reply too conditional and getting news about signs of Pravda's shipping, although it was not certain Törni wrote his final and more serious reply.
"Commander Trout,
I am obliged to warn you that our guns will open fire on Nakajima Island Fortress one hour from now." Miho read. Both she and Trout escorted the delegation to their boat then they saluted each other. All of them knew what does this mean.
At early dawn a corporal boy walked to Mannerheim's vice-commander, Aaron who now had the rank of a lieutenant.
"Lieutenant!" he saluted. "The first general gave the fire order!"
"Fine. Would you open fire Rasmus?" Aaron asked one of the Wespes commander.
"Me lieutenant?" The boy named Rasmus asked. "I wouldn't be able to deliver the first shot of the war."
"Alright Rasmus, then I will do it." Aaron said and walked to the Wespe. Then he sighed and pulled the sears. The 105 millimeters gun roared on top of the hill with an orange light. A few seconds later the shell detonated over the island. Its light served as a sign for the whole Hokkaido Battalion of the confederate army.