Chapter 20: Picking Ourselves Back Up
Deep in the heart of the Zuikaku, a long-abandoned warehouse was ripe with activity. The sound of a cue ball hitting a set of pool balls on a pool table and the sounds of partying and lazing about echoed off its rusty walls. In the center of the warehouse, an abandoned heavy tank sat with a ramshackle set of stairs leading up to the turret's roof. At the top, enjoying her position above the rest of the delinquents of the Blackshirts of Oarai, was a girl smoking a cigarette. She wore the signature pitch-black sweatshirt and torn jeans of her gang, and her black hair was tied up in a neat bun with streaks of white.
"So… did your 'meeting' finally free the Sensha-do team from those Americans?" Yuko asked while filing her nails from her perch above the delinquent den.
Sayuri grimaced and instinctively rubbed the side of her head where Victoria had struck her with her torque wrench. She stood below the tall machine and her leader. "U-um, no… in fact it looks like they've continued and participated in the opening round…" she answered nervously.
Yuko hummed around her cigarette in thought. "Shame, shame… you know how much I want to help them. If only they're pesky boys got lost…" she said and set down her nail filer. "We'll have to use other methods then." She pulled out her phone. "You know, that Ross boy really did a number on that Saunders Sherman, and then got into a fight with their captain. Truly something so brutish wouldn't go unnoticed by the JSF."
"Yes, he did Yuko, but the JSF waived any penalty," Sayuri pointed out.
"They did indeed," Yuko said, tapping her finger on her armrest. "But do the people up top really read any of those reports? Of course not, they are so gullible."
"I suppose so," Sayuri replied.
Yuko chuckled. "And thus, nobody would really fact-check a little rumor, especially if they only see… certain pieces of evidence," she said, "have our gossipers up top perpetuate a story about Ross deliberately ramming the Sherman. With luck, it'll spread just as well as them forcing poor Nishizumi onto the team."
"I'll be sure to pass the message along," Sayuri said.
"Good, good," Yuko muttered while putting out her cigarette. "It's such a shame that his poor daughter is in his custody. He must be a terrible parent if he's willing to resort to such brutish tactics," she stated, "I do wonder if the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry would be interested in him…"
000
Miho rushed over to Mako's house as fast as she could. It was a fairly long distance away from her apartment in a more residential district of the top deck, but she was in good shape and had good endurance from years of Sensha-do, so a quick jog, even after the previous day's match, wasn't terribly draining. When she reached Mako's house, she slowed down and walked towards the one-story home. She gently knocked on the door and was surprised to be answered by Yukari. "Miho, thank goodness you're here!" Yukari greeted.
"Hi Yukari, how's Mako?" Miho asked, stepping inside and removing her shoes.
Yukari frowned. "S-she's not well, Saori and Hana are doing most of the comforting… I'm not good with this sort of thing," she admitted.
"It's okay," Miho said.
Before she started walking to the living room, Yukari stopped her for another moment. "Hey, Miho, one last thing, Saori wants us to stay away from the topic of her parents. It's a sensitive subject for Mako," she informed, "s-she lost them in an accident when she was younger."
Miho nodded sadly and they entered the living room, where Saori and Hana knelt by a futon, with Mako hiding underneath the covers. "Hi guys," Miho greeted softly. She turned to Yukari and whispered, "Could you get me a glass of water quickly?"
Yukari nodded and swiftly saluted before quietly leaving the room.
Hana and Saori smiled and waved, while Mako remained hidden under her covers. Miho knelt down next to her. "Hey Mako," she said. Mako still didn't respond. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
"What do you think?" Mako snapped without emerging.
"Well, I'm sure it sucks to be away while your grandma is in the hospital," Miho said, "but we won't be at sea for much longer and you'll be able to see her soon."
"Yeah…" Mako mumbled.
Yukari re-entered the room with a glass of water. She handed it to Miho. "Hey Mako, would you like some water?" Miho offered.
"I'm fine," Mako mumbled.
"You sure?" she persisted.
"I. am. fine," Mako snapped.
Miho sat the glass next to her. "I'll set this here then if you want it," she said, "do you need anything else? Tissues or maybe something to eat?"
Mako sniffled. "I-I'd like a tissue," she stuttered.
Miho smiled and handed her one. "T-thank you." Mako poked her arm out of her futon to take the tissue and returned to her cocoon.
"Anything else?" Miho asked softly.
No response came from under the futon, but at least she was making progress. "How much longer until we reach port?" Miho asked.
"About two hours," Saori answered.
What can we do for two hours to help Mako feel better… Miho thought for a moment, maybe there's something around her house we can do… She looked around the room, but even the small peaks into the other rooms she could get from their spot could tell her that the house was perfectly spotless. The only thing I can think of that needs work is the Panzer IV. That gave her an idea. "Hey, Mako, would you like to go for a drive with us and the Panzer IV?" she asked.
The other three girls looked at Miho with confusion until Mako slowly rose from her futon. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were red from crying. "F-fine," she mumbled.
Miho smiled and Saori grabbed a washcloth for Mako. "Okay, let's go then," Miho said while Mako wiped off her face.
000
The tank garages and the field were completely empty. Victoria had stored her Gun Carrier Mk. I in Garage 2 but had already left by the time Anglerfish Team reached the garage. Mako slowly climbed into the driver's position of the Panzer IV while the rest did some quick maintenance work, mostly just adjusting the tracks and topping off fluids. Once they were done, the rest of the members climbed into their positions. "So Mako, where would you like to go?" Miho asked over the intercom.
"Anywhere," she answered.
"Okay, how about we go through the forest for a bit?" Miho suggested.
Mako nodded and fired up the engine. The engines rumbled throughout the garage and she shifted the tank into gear. The treads slowly rolled on, pushing the tank out of the garage and towards the forest. Everyone poked their heads out of the hatches and enjoyed the free-flowing wind accompanied by the clattering sounds of the tank treads. Through the forest they drove, losing track of time and just enjoying the ride.
Miho had to giggle at herself for a moment when she looked down at her dress. I must look pretty funny, standing in the commander's cupola of a tank wearing a cute little dress, she thought with amusement. She smiled and knelt over the edge of the cupola as the tank drove on through the forest. Occasionally the sound of twigs snapping could be heard as they drove over a fallen branch. Flocks of little birds would flutter away as the tank approached only to resettle on another nearby tree.
Eventually, they reached the other side of the forest, past Ventilation Mountain and through the other hills and fields on the other side of the massive nature park. They drove out of the park and onto the street on the other side of the school carrier. The street they drove onto lined the edge of the top deck and the great expansive ocean beyond glimmered in the afternoon sun. In the distance, the port of Oarai could be seen. Mako looked out of her hatch solemnly and stared at the port for a moment before looking back to the road. "Let's get ice cream," she suggested.
"Okay, there's a good place just ahead," Saori pointed out.
"That's why I suggested it," Mako replied somewhat sarcastically.
Everyone giggled lightly, even Mako had a small smile as they turned into the parking lot and parked the Panzer IV next to a few other cars. It was quite a unique and amusing sight, seeing a World War Two medium tank casually parked next to a bunch of sedans and family vans. When they entered, they saw a familiar driver and radio operator duo at work behind the counter.
Leslie stopped mopping behind the counter and looked up as he heard the front doorbell ring. "Welcome!" he greeted, "oh, hey Captain! Hey, Casey, Anglerfish Team is here."
Casey stepped out from the backroom with a new carton of ice cream and smiled. "Hey guys!" she cheerfully greeted, "it's nice to see a familiar face."
Anglerfish Team stepped forward up to the counter. "Hi, you guys work here?" Miho asked.
"Yeah, it helps get some money on the side. Kass is actually going to join us here starting this week," Casey answered.
"Oh really? Why's that?" Saori asked.
"Money probably," Casey chuckled, "I mean, that's why a lot of people go to work. Maybe she wants to save money to rebuild the Elefant, who knows?"
"Have you guys seen the latest press release from the JSF though? They pulled the safety approval for the Ferdinand and Elefant tank destroyers," Leslie spoke up, "Kuromormine was not happy."
Miho winced. "We had a couple of them. I'm sure Maho and Erika aren't pleased," she said.
"Yeah, but quite frankly, I don't have much sympathy for them. Have you seen what they've been saying about our team being co-ed? The Monthly Sensha-do Battle Report had an interview with them and the things they said, complete hogwash," Leslie said, "oh well if we face them, we'll send 'em flying just like we did with Saunders."
"Alright, alright settle down Leslie," Casey said, "what can I get for you guys?"
Anglerfish Team ordered and Casey made them their treats. Anglerfish Team went to sit in a window booth while Casey and Leslie returned to work. As they ate, the port grew closer and closer as the ship drifted closer to the coast. "Looks like we'll be docking soon!" Hana exclaimed.
"Yeah, then we'll be able to see your grandma!" Yukari said.
Mako sighed and looked out the window. "Yeah… but she'll probably just scold me again…" she mumbled.
"Scold you? For what?" Yukari asked.
"She'll know that I've been late to school like I always have," Mako answered.
"But you have been improving since you've started Sensha-do!" Saori pointed out, "you've gone from needing ten minutes to get up to about nine minutes and thirty seconds!"
Mako looked blankly at Saori. "You've been keeping track?"
"Just a little," Saori answered sheepishly.
The table laughed for a bit until Mako spoke up. "You know, I actually do think Sensha-do has helped raise my blood pressure a bit."
"That makes sense, a lot of hot-blooded people do Sensha-do after all," Miho said.
"And I think I've lost a little weight too!" Saori exclaimed.
Everyone giggled together. "Well, it is an active sport. Exercise is good for you," Hana pointed out, "I feel like my flower arrangements have had a little more color to them as well."
"Sensha-do can be beneficial to people in many different ways, but I'm just glad I can do it with friends like you guys…" Miho admitted.
"Last time I checked… we aren't guys," Saori joked.
Miho blushed and everyone laughed at her expense. "You know what I mean, Saori! Jeez," she exclaimed before laughing along with them.
000
When they returned the Panzer IV to Garage 2, Anglerfish Team heard the sound of activity in Garage 1, specifically the sound of a loud vacuum cleaner. When they went to investigate, they found all the hatches of the destroyed Elefant in its tank stall wide open. "Hello?" Miho called out.
Kass poked her head out of the commander's cupola of the Elefant with her face covered in soot. "Oh, hey Captain!" she shouted. She turned off the vacuum and climbed out of the tank destroyer. She set a handheld vacuum cleaner down and clapped her hands to rid them of soot. "What's up?" she asked.
"What are you doing here? Cleaning up the Elefant?" Miho asked.
Kass nodded. "I certainly don't want it to let it sit and collect dust," she answered, "the first step of restoring the Elefant is to clean up the burnt paint and the ash."
Miho looked at Kass sympathetically. "Kass, I admire your determination, but I really don't think it's possible to restore the Elefant," she said.
Kass sighed. "I would've thought you'd at least have some confidence in me. Guess I was wrong," she muttered before turning away.
"No, I didn't mean-" Miho started.
"Whatever," Kass interrupted, "everyone else may have given up on her and moved on to the T1E1, but I haven't!" She stormed away and picked up the vacuum cleaner. "And when I do restore her…" she said while looking back with a fire in her eyes, "I'm going to knock out every. last. tank. I. see." She turned on the vacuum cleaner and climbed back into the tank.
Miho looked sadly at the Elefant. "Well, it's not like she's hurting anyone…" she mumbled, "let's go, we should be docking any minute now."
000
The hospital was only a short distance from the port so only a short bus ride was needed to get there. Anglerfish Team entered the hospital lobby and approached the front desk. "Good afternoon," a secretary greeted, "how can I help you girls today?"
"I'm here to visit my grandmother, Hisako Reizei. I'm Mako Reizei and these are my friends," Mako explained.
"Okay, do you know her room number and have an I.D?" the secretary asked.
Mako nodded and handed over her I.D. "Room 101," she answered.
The secretary took her I.D and tapped on her keyboard for a moment. "Okay, looks like Hisako is okay to receive visitors. You're free to head to Room 101 on the fourth floor," she said.
"Thank you," Mako said with a bow before Anglerfish Team left to enter an elevator. Mako pushed the fourth-floor button and the elevator moved up to the fourth floor. They exited the elevator and after a short walk down the main hallway were at room 101. Mako sighed and opened the door, preparing herself for what would come next.
"I told you I'm getting out of here tonight!" a shrill voice shouted.
"Ma'am, we'll have you stay just one more night, just to make sure there are no more complications, and please do calm down, we don't want your blood pressure to get too high," a doctor consulted.
"Grandma, I'm here," Mako said as she stepped into the room.
Hisako was an old woman with light gray hair in a bun in a hospital gown sitting up in her bed. "Oh, so you made it after all. I would have thought you'd still be asleep," she said, somewhat bitterly.
"Sorry, the ship was still at sea when I got the news," Mako apologized, "are you okay?"
"I'll be fine!" Hisako snapped, "you should be worried about yourself more."
"I'm doing well. I brought some friends along. They were concerned when they heard that you had fallen," Mako said. The rest of Anglerfish Team stepped into the room and introduced themselves.
"So, you managed to make more friends after all. How'd you do that if you're late every day and sleep during class?" Hisako asked.
"I'm doing Sensha-do now. It'll help me graduate faster," Mako answered.
"Is that so? You best not be getting in their way!" Hisako warned.
Miho stepped forward to defend her friend. "Oh, Mako's actually been very helpful! She's one of the best tank drivers I've seen!" she praised.
Hisako frowned. "She can drive a tank, can she? Well, that won't get her anywhere in life," she stated.
Yukari stepped forward. "That's not particularly true. The Japanese Sensha-do Federation is actually looking to launch a professional Sensha-do league to prepare for the world tournament coming in four years! Not to mention the Japanese Self Defense Force is always looking for tank drivers," she added, before hastily shrinking behind Miho.
Hisako scoffed. "The JSDF would never accept her. They need soldiers with dedication, respect, and discipline. Mako has none of those traits," she said.
"Well, I've made it to all of our matches and practices so far," Mako added, "but I'm not looking to enter the JSDF."
"Then it looks like your tank driving skills won't be put to good use," Hisako said, "If you'd just stick with something, I know you'd succeed. I know you've got some brains behind that sleepy face of yours!"
Mako shrugged. "Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't," she stated.
"You are Hisako's granddaughter, right?" the doctor asked.
"Yes, and since she insists that she's fine, I'm going to need you to tell me if that's actually the case," Mako requested.
The doctor chuckled. "Well, she's much more energetic than she was this morning, and it looks like she hasn't suffered any severe injuries. We'll just be holding her overnight to be certain though," he explained.
"Like hell I will!" Hisako objected fiercely, "I want to return home tonight."
"Ma'am please calm down, we'd rather not need to resort to sedatives," the doctor requested.
"Grandma please listen to him, it's for the best," Mako added.
Hisako just crossed her arms and stared out the window indignantly. "So, how's school going," she asked.
"It's going well," Mako answered.
"And Sensha-do?"
"It's going well too. We won our first match in the tournament," Mako said.
"Good, keep that up and you might actually get into a good university," Hisako said, "you don't have a particularly stellar resume yet."
Mako sighed. "I know."
"Then do something to change that," Hisako said.
"That's the plan with Sensha-do," Mako replied.
Hisako smiled a little. "Well, you've still got a year and a half to keep at it, so widen your horizons a bit. Sleeping in won't help your future."
"But it's hard to wake up," Mako complained.
"Would you like me to come pester you awake then?" Hisako suggested.
Mako froze in fear. "Exactly," Hisako said, "don't worry about me so much and worry about your future. I wonder if you've found yourself a boyfriend yet. It better not be any of those rowdy Americans."
Mako blushed and covered her face. "Grandma…" she moaned.
"Well then, I'm sure you're busy with your tank things," Hisako said, "so, get out of here. This stuffy old room isn't doing you any good."
Mako smiled. "Okay Grandma, get well soon!" she exclaimed, showing some energy for once.
"Now," Hisako started and turned to her doctor, "you best be ready to let me go after supper. I'm not staying any later than that!"
The two started to argue again, so Mako and Anglerfish Team took their leave. Before she left; however, Hisako had one thing to say to Miho. "Excuse me, Nishizumi, was it?"
Miho stopped and turned. "Yes?" she asked.
"Thank you for taking good care of her," Hisako said.
Miho smiled. "Of course! Get well soon Miss Reizei!" she exclaimed before leaving.
It's good to see that Mako is finally doing something with such great friends, Hisako thought.
000
The next day, after school, everyone gathered outside the garages in neat rows of eleven, with each crew standing in a single file line behind their commander, except for Miho, who stood in front of them all, and the student council, who stood beside her. "Okay everyone, the first thing I want to say is, good work at practice today! I can tell that you all are encouraged by our first victory over such a very strong school like Saunders," she began, "Next thing is, I'd like to properly thank Eagle Team for joining us."
Eagle Team, Patty, Jennifer, Nora, and Harriet, now wore the uniform of Oarai's Sensha-do team. "It'll be our pleasure to fight by your side, Captain Nishizumi!" Patty exclaimed.
Miho smiled. "And it's our pleasure to have you. Next, I'd like to welcome Wildcat Team as well," she said.
Victoria waved to everyone from the edge of the crowd. Melitta and Manfred stood behind her, and they all wore the Freikorps' Sensha-do uniform. "Glad to be here!" Victoria shouted.
Miho giggled. "Alright, one last thing everyone. We now know who our second-round opponent will be!" she announced, "Next Sunday, we'll be facing Chi-Ha-Tan Academy!"
"Chi-Ha-Tan huh? Aren't they a Japanese-inspired school?" Azusa asked.
"Yes, Chi-Ha-Tan is based out of the Akagi schoolship. In the first round, they primarily used the Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank in their first-round match, along with a couple of Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks for scouting. They'll likely field two more tanks onto their first-round team, but I wouldn't be surprised if they had reserve models to swap out," Miho explained.
"Not to mention whatever trophy tank they chose from Bonple's line-up," Ross pointed out.
"I can't say for sure which tank they took, but we know Bonple fielded three 7TPjws, two 7TPdws, a 9TP, two 10TPs, and two TKSs with a 20mm cannon," Miho stated, "we can hypothesize which tank they picked; however, no matter what they pick, we'll still be at an incredible material advantage."
"I'm pretty sure my cannon alone is bigger than all their tank guns combined," Victoria mocked with a laugh.
"Any tank they could field can be penetrated pretty much anywhere with everyone's tanks, but they'll barely be able to penetrate some of our thickest armors," Joseph added.
"So just point and shoot!" Patty cheered.
"Everyone settle down. Although we have a material advantage, that doesn't mean victory is assured, it never is," Miho argued, "things like terrain and tactical knowledge all play into determining victory. For example, take our final fight in the Saunders match. They whittled our main force down to just Anglerfish, Hippo, and Turtle Team. By that point, they very well could've beat us with their advantage, but we still pulled through!"
"With some help from us, of course," William added, "and some impressive shooting from Hana."
"That's right! Individual skill and team cohesion matter just as much as technical knowledge and material," Miho exclaimed, "so let's go into this battle with level heads and give it our all!"
"Yes ma'am!" everybody shouted.
Miho smiled with approval, "Alright then, everyone, practice is adjourned. Have a great evening!"
000
As he entered his apartment, Joseph jumped over the back of the living room couch and crashed down on it in exhaustion. Ross rolled his eyes and walked past with Natalie in his arms. As he entered the kitchen, Natalie started to cry. "It's okay sweetie, I'll feed you in just a moment, okay?" Ross comforted while setting her into her high chair. Natalie still cried and pounded on her high chair's tray. Ross quickly grabbed a baby spoon and her favorite sweet potato baby food. He unscrewed the lid and offered a spoonful of the orange paste to Natalie. She quickly stopped crying and ate the offered baby food. "See? No need for tears," Ross said with a loving smile.
William entered the kitchen and turned on the kettle while grabbing a Darjeeling tea bag. Before the kettle finished, a sharp knock on the door took his attention. "I'll get it," he said and walked over to the door. When he pulled it open, it was not someone he would expect.
A well-dressed woman and man stood outside his door. "Good evening, is this where Ross Huot lives?" the woman asked.
"Yes… why do you ask?" William asked.
"We're with the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of the Japanese government," the man explained formally, "we've received an anonymous tip with concerns for a child's safety and wellbeing. May we come inside?"
William froze. Is this the Japanese equivalent of Child Protection Services? After getting over his initial surprise, he stepped aside quickly. "Of course, come in."
As they entered the apartment, Joseph looked up from laying on the couch. He sat up with confusion. "Who are you?" he asked.
"We are social workers with the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of the Japanese government," the woman answered.
Ross set down the spoon and wiped off Natalie's face. "The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare? What do you want with us?" he asked while putting the spoon in the sink and the baby food in the fridge.
"Are you Ross Huot, sir?" the man asked.
"Yes," Ross answered.
"And I presume that this is your daughter, Natalie, correct?" he asked.
"Yes, what's this all about?" Ross asked.
"We've received an anonymous tip that there was possible negligence and abuse in your household, so we have opened a case on you, your friends, and your daughter."
"T-this has to be some sort of mistake," Ross stuttered, "I have taken good care of Natalie. She's the most important thing in the world to me."
The woman approached Ross with a softer expression. "Good, if that's true then you have nothing to be nervous about or afraid of," she reassured, "we're just here to ask some questions and to investigate your living conditions."
"Okay…" Ross said, "I can do that for you. What would you like to know?"
The two social workers sat down at the other ends of the island while Ross sat across from them. "We'll just ask a few questions," the man said as he opened a small briefcase and handed a few papers to his coworker.
"So Ross, we know that you are separated from Natalie's mother, do you know where she is, and does she have any contact, regular or otherwise, with you and Natalie?" the woman asked.
Ross shook his head. "Not really, I haven't seen her in person in about eight months. Lisette and her family disappeared two weeks after Natalie was born," he answered, "Only type of contact I have is an envelope with her name on it filled with money that she sends every month, but no return address or any way to figure out where it came from."
"Okay, so you do have a steady supply of income, correct?" the man asked.
"Yes, both from her and from the Department of Education for participating in their schoolship development program," Ross answered.
"Okay, tell us about your schedule then. What does your average day look like?" the woman asked.
"Well, I wake up at about six-thirty in the morning to get myself and Natalie ready for the day. That takes about an hour and I drop her off at the Akiyama Barber Shop, where the owners, Jungoru and Yoshiko watch her for me until I'm done with school and Sensha-do practice, which is usually around five to six in the afternoon," Ross answered.
"And on the weekends?"
"No obligations other than taking care of Natalie unless a match is scheduled for the Sensha-do team," Ross answered.
The two workers nodded and wrote quickly on their papers. "And do you leave her with the Akiyamas during those matches?" the man asked.
"Yes, but usually they go to the matches, since their daughter participates as well, so I take her back once the match is over," Ross explained.
"Our documents indicate that you are 16, is that information accurate?" the man asked.
"Yes," Ross answered.
"And do you feel any form of judgment or face any unique challenges being a parent at your age?" the woman asked.
Ross nodded. "Of course, there are people who have made comments to me varying from minor to severe. I try not to let it get to me though."
"Do you think being a parent at your age affects how you care for Natalie?" the woman asked.
"I mean… I like to think I'm mature and rational. I did a lot of preparation before she was born and I know what to do, but in the end, I'm still a teenager…" Ross trailed off, "I don't know how it affects Natalie, it may not. I just do everything I can every day."
"Have you ever considered putting her up for adopt-"
"Never. I would never give her up unless I was completely sure it would be for her own good," Ross interrupted.
Both of the social workers nodded and finished writing on their papers. "Well Ross, that concludes our questions. All we need to do is investigate your living conditions and then we'll be on our way," the man stated. While they looked around their apartment, occasionally taking notes as they went, Ross picked up Natalie and held her close. "What do you think prompted this?" William whispered.
"No clue… could be anyone, someone I looked at wrong, someone who doesn't think I can care for her because I'm a teenager. I don't know," Ross answered with a whisper.
Natalie babbled and hugged Ross's neck. "Don't worry sweetie, I'm not going anywhere," he reassured.
"Dadadadada," she babbled.
The two social workers wrapped up their work and approached Ross. "We've completed our work here. Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any more questions, there is a number you can call on this card," the man said as he handed Ross a small card.
"Thank you," Ross said.
The two bowed and left the apartment. Ross let out a sigh of relief. "How about we get your bath done?" he asked to Natalie.
000
I don't have much to say here, other than we made it to the big 2 0! Chapter 20, that's like 10 but doubled.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I certainly enjoyed writing it. Writing Mako's part was something that was difficult at first, but I liked how it came out, and I hope you, dear reader, enjoyed seeing some of the focus turn to her for the time being. But alas, we must move on to the next chapter, and the next round of the tournament!
Next time on Girls und Panzer: Tank Aces!
Chapter 21: Panzers of the Jungle