{April/4/2026}

(Khon Kaen city:Isan region:Thailand)

1345 hours

The 17th Tank battalion was deploy to Khon Kaen province to be attach to the 1st Division of the JSDF. Their tank was sent there by a freight train and their crew follow behind on a passanger cart attach to the freight train that was carrying their tank. They go through an 8 hours journey from Bangkok to Khon Kaen province in northeastern Thailand or Isan as its most commonly known.

The reason they were sent to Khon Kaen with the entire 1st division is because the coalition have deploy a total of three million soldiers and marines to Thailand and now the coalition high command have determined that now is the time for a counter offensive.

"The moment you all step foot on Khan Kaen city, you will immidietly prepare your tank and yourself for battle. Because the very next day after we will launch a counter offensive in order to liberate Loei province and Thailand as a whole from the Chinese and kick them out of this country once and for all. In Khon Kaen, you will be joining the 1st Division of the JGSDF, 3rd Kostrad infantry Division from the Indonesian army and the 3rd calvalry Division of the Royal Thai Army. Made sure you all be on your best behaiviour around the Thai soldiers so our allience stay strong. The tactics of this operation will be discuss in detail once you reach Khon Kaen by the commander of the 3rd calvalry Division. Alright you all are dismissed." Those were the excact words of the 1st Division commader to the tankers of the 17th tank battalion before they depart for Khon Kaen.

Miho and her friends are nervous for what was waiting for them once they reach the frontline. They arrive in Khon Kaen in April 3rd, just after midnight and they spent most of the night unloading their tank and equipment and they didn't get any sleep until 2 A.M, after that they slept until 10 A.M when the sun is already up. The counter offensive that they suppose to take part in won't be happening until April 5th and they didn't have anything to do for the rest of the day, so they all just gather around near their tank.

Their tank was parked on a soccer field near a middle school and a large tarp was over the tank to protect it from the element. The four girls were sitting on top of their tank ankou, Saori had suggested that they should have one final eat out on a street food place she saw nearby, but that plan was crushed when Miho disagree. She reasoned that even though the offensive aren't schdule until tommorow, the schedule could change at any time so it was best for them to stay near the tank. Her friends were dissapointed, but understand where she's coming from.

So they just sat on their tank and start conversing with each other, though this time their conversation was very serious about what they're expecting to see on the frontline. In the middle of their conversation, Hana notice that Mako wasn't really engaging much in their conversation, she instead focus all her to write something on a piece of paper. Curious, Hana ask her what she's writting.

"A letter for my grandma." Mako said.

"I thought you already send one last week?" Saori ask.

"Yeah i did." Mako confirm. "But this letter is for her to read if i didn't make it."

Saori frown at this. "Don't say that Mako! I'm sure we're all gonna make it, we're the best senshado athlete in Japan afterall. Right girls?" Soari ask Hana and Miho for approval.

"In senshado we don't have to worry about ATGM Saori." Mako told her in her usual deadpanned voice.

"Our tank have been equip with APS, we'll be fine Mako." Saori reasured her again.

Mako just snort at her comment. "Yeah, tell that to the Russian."

"Japanese APS system is a lot better than Russian ones. I'm sure it'll protect us from ATGM threat." Saori said, still trying to be optimistic.

"We don't know that Saori." Mako told her.

"Of course i-"

"We also have to deal with attack helicopter, artillery, airstrike and many more. My point is it's impossible to know if we'll survive this war or not." Mako said.

Her friends were quite shock to hear this coming out from her, sure she is smart, have an almost perfect grade in high school and collage and have contributed to many Oarai's victory in the past because of her driving skill and unitentionally giving her team a good idea during matches, but still hearing her spoke like that was odd to them.

"Well that's kinda depressing." Remark Saori.

Mako just shrug. "It's war, what did you expect?"

Saori shoulders slump down let out a sigh. "i guess you're right." She muttered.

None of them say anything after that with Saori who's trying to keep the positive energy alive getting shot down by Mako who's being realistic. An uncomfortable silence soon followed the conversation. Miho, Saori and Hana didn't say anything for a while and Mako have all her attention to the letter she's writting.

"Do you guys think Yukari is already out there?" Hana ask no one in particullar, breaking the silence.

"probably, speacial operation unit like the rangers are usually send to the frontline early for recon and sabotage." Mako said without turning her head from the paper.

"No, Yukari is definetly already in the frontline right now." Miho said. "Remember what Colonel said this morning?" Her friends nod. She's referring to a brieffing their platoon attend that morning, the briefing is about the tactic they're going to use to liberate Loei province from the chinese and during the briefing, Colonel mention that the rangers have been sent in the night before.

"I hope she's okay." Saori muttered under her breath.


15 hours ago

Deep within the mountain range is a lush forest of Loei province 150 kilometers from the Laotian border was a small village called Lampang that was inhabited by no more than sixty souls. The village was located far from any city with the nearest town took up to four hours by car.

The village used to be a quiet place with it's inhabitans living in relative peace for most of it's existence. Even during when the time Thailand was plauge with chaos and turmoil because of coup d'etat or protest against the goverment, Lampang village was never affected by it, due to it's location that was far away from any large city like Bangkok or Pattaya.

But this time that peace didn't held. When China invaded Thailand after they conquer Laos and Cambodia, the inhabitants of Lampang village was force to flee as the chinese capture the village a few days after the first soldier cross the border and use it as a ressupply base for their invasion force due to the road that went throught the village was connected to the Laotian border.

The Chinese turn the villager homes into barrack and storage facility to house their soldiers and equipment, they also build warehouse and garage to store spare parts and fix their vehicle.

However, despite it's importance, the chinese almost never paid any attention to it as their line were strecth to thin and the little soldiers they could spare was use to strengthening their defensive line and fighting resistence movement inside occupied area.

So most of their ressupply base was guarded by three platoon max or one hundred and fifty men, sometimes even less. Something that the coalition high command was aware of and something the will exploit to their adventage.

"Patrol closing in, four men in total." Yukari said to her companions in hush tone.

"I see them." Kuribayashi confirm.

"Should we take them out?" Inquire Naomi, who had her crosshair set on one of the soldiers head.

"Let them pass, but if they get any closer, kill them." Kuribayashi order.

"Roger that."

The three women were crouching down behind a bush on top of a small hill overlooking the chinese ressupply base. The reason why they are hiding near the base is because their squad were task to capture the base so they could use it for their own purpose.

Of course their squad was not the only one that was send to capture it, despite their elite status, sending a squad of eight rangers against three platoon of well armed enemy soldiers is suicide.

To even the odds, the JSDF send a platoon of rangers to take this base. They were all are drop of two kilometes from the base by helicopters and made their way to the base on foot. On their way to the base, they met a few dozen battered Thai militianmen who offered them helped in accomplishing their task. The militias were tired and have been through hell and back but they are determined to make the chinese pay for invading their homeland.

Their strategy of attack was to encircle the base from the south and east side and attack it simultaniously to create confusion among the enemy ranks. The three women was order to stay on a high ground west side of the base that overlook the base and was task to warn their comrades if something unexpected were to happend so they won't be caught by surprise.

Currently they're waiting for everyone to get to their position before they could start their attack. All three of them have a night vision goggles attach to their helmet to help them see in the dark. Both Yukari and Kuribayashi were armed with a Howa Type 20 assault rifle that was customize with a foregrip, an elcan acog scope and a surpressor, perfect for a ranger while Naomi were armed with an HK417 battle rifle equip with a sniper scope with a 15x magnification, a surpessor and a bipod.

"They're closing in." Yukari said nervously.

"Calm down rookie, we're fine, they'll just walk pass us." Kuribayashi calmed the newer girl, though despite her words, she had her index finger on the trigger as she was getting more anxious as well, she's just better at controlling/hiding them.

The four chinese soldiers continue to walk in their rountine patrol route that they've went through multiple times before and none of them suspect a thing and walk pass the rangers. However the last soldiers happend to randomly look at their direction and found the bush they use as a hiding spot to be... unatural.

He stop and squinted his eyes at the bush while simultaniously raising his rifle. His comrades called up to him to hurry up, but when they saw his face, they knew something is wrong. The other three followed their comrade example and aimed their rifle at the bush and slowly walking towards it

Seeing the chinese walk toward their position with their rifles raised, the rangers knew they were compremised.

"Ah fuck it." Kuribayashi swore to herself. "Take 'em out!"

Four gunshot briefly light up the silent night before silence starts to set in again. The chinese patrol was dead.

Kuribayashi let out a sigh of relief. "Clear."

"That was a close one." Muttered Naomi.

"Way to close for comfort." Kuribayashi commented. "Good job guys." Then she notice that Yukari is staring at the dead chinese infront of them with a blank expresion on her face.

"Hey rookie you okay?" Kuribayashi called out to the girl. When she doesn't respond, Kuribayashi tap her helmet to get a reaction out of her. "Earth to Yukari, You there?"

Yukari finally snap out of her trance and turn to face Kuribayashi. "What?"

"You okay?"

Yukari shook her head slightly. "Yea- yeah i'm fine."

Kuribayashi wasn't that convince, but before she could ask more question her radio starting to crackle and soon she could hear their squad leader voice, Itami. "Everybody's in position?"

"Kuwahara here, Mari and i are in position."

"Kuribayashi here, we're in position."

"Good, get ready guys, the other squad are will sabotage their power supply. Be ready for anything. Good luck." Itami said through the radio before signing off.

Kuribayashi turn to her two companion. "Turn on your goggle!" She order.

Both women do as what said. Their once almost pitch black mountain is now replace by the distinct green color of the night vision. They stared down at the base from their vantage point, the base is the only place in the mountain that was iluminated by artifical light has suddenly gone dark.

Their power supply has been cut off.

They could heard the sound of confusion the chinese made when the lights went out. Some soldiers turn on their flashlights to see better while some other went to check on their power supply.

But soon all that confusion noise suddenly stop when they hear a whistling sound cut through the air. Their eyes widen when they knew what sound it was, soon they all hid for cover as mortar shells began to rain down on them.

The chinese who's indoor went outside and manned their battle position. They try to return fire but they don't know where the enemy is and it's pitch dark and nobody on their side have any night vision.

So they do the next best thing to do and just listen for gunfire and fire blindly at the source in hope of hitting something. Though as they continue to fire blindly into the night, some of them didn't realize that their body was above their cover.

Soon, gunfire erupted from all around the base. The chinese soldiers desperately try to fight back but because most of their enemies weapons are equip with a supressors, it was really hard for them to find them, especially in the darkness and so the best thing they could do is to fire their weapon blindly to where they suspect their enemy was hiding.

On the high ground, Naomi is sniping the chinese soldiers below with relative ease. If she saw a chinese soldiers caught in the open, she will lined up her sight and pull the trigger and seconds later that soldier would be dead.

On her vantage point with her two companions, Kuribayashi was scouting the battlefield with her binocular. She and Yukari haven't fire a round yet but Naomi already taking several potshot at the chines below.

Setting down her binocular, Kuribayashi turn to face her companions. "Yukari! You're with me, we're going to rush the base." Yukari nodded and ready herself. "Naomi, gave us covering fire!"

"You got it boss." She said cooly.

"Good. Okay Yukari, ready?" Yukari gave her a stiff nod. "GO!" at once, both women left their vantage point and run toward the base down below with their rifle in hand.

As the two women run down the hill, Naomi had her eye fixated on the sniper scope, watching her comrades back as well as scanning their route for any hostile.

After seeing no enemy soldiers in her comrades path, she divert her scope to the base itself. Thanks to her night vision, she could see clearly the enemy inside the base, and there were a lot of them.

A normal soldier would say that they were outnumbered in such situation. But for a sniper like Naomi, she would call her situation as 'stuck in a target rich enviroment'.

She scanned the base for any potential target. It didn't took long, she found a chinese soldier, probably a private hiding inside a house. The private wanted to shoot the enemy but was to scared to even peak outside so he just cowered back inside the house. And outside of the house is a sargeant, looking frustrated as he was forcing the scared private to leave the house and fight.

Naomi steady her breath and carefuly aimed her crosshair on the sargeant and slowly squeeze the trigger. No even a second later, the chinese sergeant was swimming in his own blood. Seeing this, the scared private run deeper inside the house to avoid the sniper fire.

Unfortunately for him, he didn't hide well enough as his torso was still visible through the window. Soon Naomi directed her crosshair on the scared soldier and she pull the trigger. The bullet hit the soldier in the back of his stomatch, the soldier drop to the floor and howled in pain as he cluch to his wound.

"Poor bastard." Naomi muttered before she finished him off.

She aimed her scope a bit higher and saw a soldier manning a heavy machine gun just across the street. She shot him dead as well. Right next to him, his assistant gunner quickly took his place to manned the machine gun, ignoring the fact that he's just shot by a sniper. He was soon put to death as well

She then look for her two friends, checking if they had reach the base fence yet. After a few seconds of looking, she found them, both are still decending the hill as it was quite tracherous. She then divert her attention to the fence infront of them and saw a chinese soldier picking up ammunition from one of the building near the fence. She then shot him dead through the window.

Yukari and Kuribayashi were careful as they descend upon the base as the hill were quite steep so they constantly watch their steps. Thankfully they didn't have to dodge incoming bullets as the chinese didn't see them coming.

Soon they reach the outskirt of the base and came across a chain link fence. Yukari holster her rifle in order to climb over it, but Kuribayshi stop her before she climb over and pulled out a small bolt cutter from her vest and cut the fence open by making a small hole.

"Ladies first." Kuribayashi said playfully while holding the hole open.

Yukari snort and crawl through the hole and turn around to hold the hole open and letting Kuribayashi in.

After both of them are inside the base. Both of them are in full alert with their rifles raised, from all around them, the chinese defenders are firing their guns blindly into the night, completely unaware of the two intruder.

Yukari look at Kuribayashi questioningly and ask. "What now?"

"We take out as many of them as we could but avoid move in the open, if we do that we might get shot by our own snipers. Got it?" Yukari nodded. "Okay, follow me!"

Kuribayashi stand up and walk slowly with her rifle raised and Yukari following close behind. They walk behind a building that use to be a house and have been turned into an armory. As they walk right beside the armory building, they could hear the sound of gunfire and yelling grew more intense.

Kuribayashi peak over the corner and saw there were seven chinese soldiers huddled together behind a pile of sandbags. Two of them are manning a heavy machine gun, three riflemen and two mortar crew.

Kuribayashi made a hand signals that says 'grenade'. Both retrive their grenade and remove the safety pin and threw it at the unsuspecting Chinese.

The two grenade exploded right next to a pile of live mortar round, creating a huge exlpotion and kill the chinese soldiers in an instant.

Yukari and Kuribayashi then left their cover and rush inside the armory door to clear it from any hostile. Kuribayashi who entered first saw a chinese soldiers carrying an ammo belt for the machine gun. The soldier was to shock to react and Kuribayashi quickly shot him dead.

The two of them then split up to search for any enemy hiding in the piles of weapon and ammo. Yukari was walking one of the aisle in between weapon rack. The dark path was illuminated clearly thanks to her night vision.

As she was walking down the aisle, from her peripheral vision, she could see someone hiding behind one of the weapon rack. Before she could react, a chinese soldier run out of his hiing spot and lunge at Yukari with a knife.

Suddenly, Yukari felt her training kicks in, she duck down to avoid the knife and use her rifle butt to struck her opponent in the groin, making the chinese drop the knife and cry in agony. Without wasting any time, Yukari shot the man dead while he was still down.

After confirming the armory was clear, the two women leave the building while making sure to keep their head down. They took cover on what was remaining of the sandbag pile they blew up earlier. Yukari groan in disgust as she crouch down near the dismember bodies of soldiers they've killed earlier, but this was better than standing in the open and risking getting shot.

Accross the road, a few meters away from their position was a machine gunner and his assistant. Yukari aimed her rifle and kill the machine gunner with a well placed shot in the head. Kuribayashi was about to kill the assistant gunner, but before she could pull the trigger, the soldier suddenly drop dead.

"Bullseye." Naomi said through the radio.

Kuribayashi snort at her comment. "Cheeky bastard." She respond.

Kuribayashi and Yukari then leave their cover and run toward a house accross the street from them. This time Yukari went in first. She kick down the door and scanned the room for any enemy presence.

She then went to check the kitchen that was on the back of the house. In the kitchen was a window that overlook the village main road. On the main road was a group of chinese soldiers firing at the incoming coalition troops that had breech the fence and now was slowly taking over the base.

From her position, she could easily kill all of them. Yukari called Kuribayashi over to the kitchen to ambush the chinese soldiers from behind.

Yukari fire the first shot and was followed by Kuribayashi, Yukari fire her shot in short burst, taking out the defenders one by one. She then hear her gun making a clicking noise, she duck down and change the magazine and began spraying the chinese with bullets again.

Some of the chinese turn around to return fire but was instantly shot to death by either Naomi from a long range or by the advancing rangers and militias.

After a brief firefight, the chinese gunfire began to dwindle as almost all of them are taken out. The rest remaining defenders saw no point in fighting and they drop their weapon and surrender.

Unfortunately for some of them, the Thai militias were still bitter and vengefull for the invasion of their homeland. The militias shot any enemy soldiers that was trying to surrender without any mercy or remorse and their enemies cry for mercy were fallen on deaf ears. It took a lot of effort by the Japanese rangers to stop the militiamen from killing all the prisoners.

From inside the nearby house, Yukari watch from the window as her allies began to rounding up prisoners and taking care of the wounded. She then felt all the adrenalin left her body and her heart rate began to stabilize.

She then slump down into the kitchen wall as the feeling of relieve wash over her body once she reliesed her situation.

She had survive her first real firefight.

Though she didn't have much time to celeberate her new achivement as she felt Kuribayashi tap her helmet. "Don't get comfy yet rookie, we still have a job to do." Kuribayashi then left the house. Yukari groan a little bit before following her outside.


The firefight had ended an hour ago but the rangers and the militias are still cleaning the village street from the remains of the battle. Empty shell casings were gathered in a pile to be thrown out or recycled, captured enemy weapon were piled inside the armory, prisoners were taken, the wounded were treated and most importantly, bodies were buried.

Thankfully on the coalition side suffer no casuallties, though some of them are wounded, atleast none of them are killed.

The same could not be said about the chinese however. After the battle had ended, the rangers found out there are a total of one hundred and sixty four soldiers guarding this base. Out of those one hundred and sixty four, forty eight were wounded, twenty two were killed in action and an additional twenty five was summary excecuted.

The sun would not rise until a few hours, but even in the dark the rangers and the militias can see clearly the carnage of the battle littered the once peacefull village. Dead soldiers were lying behind their cover, some with a look of terror on their face as they lay dead. Intestines and blown up limbs lay in the floor just a few meters from their dead owners are being cleaned up.

Yukari and the rest of her squad were task to check the bases garage. They were order to check what type of vehicle was stored. The garage was large, enough to store atleast twenty vehicle and in the back of the garage is where the tools and spare parts were kept.

Though the garage were mostly empty as there were only few vehicles park there, a couple type 92 APC and some utility trucks. The rangers are taking notes of the vehicle condition and the condition of the garage itself.

Of to the side, Yukari and Kuribayashi were checking the vehicle spare parts.

"What the hell am i even looking at?" She thought to herself as she staring at a large box filled with vehicle spare parts.

Kuribayashi for her part didn't really understand at what she's seeing. To her all of them are just piece of metal that somehow made a vehicle move. Vehicle knowledge wasn't really her strongsuit. Maybe if she practice senshado in highschool then she might know what she was looking at. Unfortunately that wasn't the case as the only school that practice senshado are those who reside in a school ship, while she attended highschool in the mainland.

Then Kuribayashi remember something. Yukari, she used to be a senshado athlete, and a quite famous among the community if she remember correctly. So she must know a thing or two about spare parts. Kuribayashi then turn to face Yukari but soon she found the younger girl to be... troubled.

Kuribayashi couldn't see her face, but from her body languagge, it was clear to Kuribayashi that something was bothering Yukari. kuribayashi have a pretty good idea of what's bothering the younger girl. Unlike her, Yukari was drafted into the JSDF, so her first real combat experience probably bothered her more as she didn't ask to be here.

In the past Kuribayashi had trained with american soldiers, some of whom are veteran of the iraq war and from what she learned from the it is better to speak of what's bothering you than bottled it up as it might have a serious consequence on your mental health in the future.

So without any hesitation, Kuribayashi went over to comfort the younger girl by giving her a gentle tap on the shoulder. "You okay there?"

Yukari feeling Kuribayashi's touch brought her out of her trance. She look at Kuribayashi before answering. "Yes i am. Why do you ask?"

"Because you don't seem 'okay'. is something bothering you?"

"No, not really." Yukari said dismissively.

Kuribayashi wasn't convince. "Then why are you spacing out earlier?"

"I- i wasn't spacing out!"

Kuribayashi scoff at Yukari attempt to hide her feeling. "Come on Yukari, just tell me what's bothering you. Trust me it's better to let it out than to bottled it up."

Yukari sigh as she finally relented. "I don't exactly know what's bothering me. I maybe feel weird that i just killed six people and didn't thought anything of it." She confessed.

"Did you feel any guilt about it?" Kuribayashi asked.

Yukari shrugged before answering. "I don't know, i feel like i'm suppose to feel guilty. Those guys probably never wanted to be here in the first place. They all have families who waited for them back home, wishing they return home safely. But that won't happend because i kill them.

And yet when i kill them, i didn't feel anything about it. I didn't like the fact that i just take someone's life, but i don't hate it either." Yukari said. "Does that make me a bad person?"

Kuribayashi shook her head. "No, i don't think it does. Every choice has consequense Yukari, and those soldiers knew the risk of joining the PLA meaning that someday they must fight and ready to sacrifice their lives for their country. I know the average chinese soldiers are unhappy that they have to fight for a madman lust for conquest instead of defending their country from invaders, but that's the risk they have to face the moment they joined the military and one of those risk is to be killed by another reluctant soldier such as yourself. So no Yukari, i don't think you're a bad person."

Yukari absorbed her words for a moment and then gave her a smile. "Thanks Kuribayashi, that's comforting i guess." She said uncertantly.

kuribayashi return her smile. "No problem Yukari, just happy to help." She said. "Oh and by the way, just call me Shino, i won't mind you calling me by my first name."

"Okay, i'm sure to keep that in mind. "Yukari said cheerfully, but soon her mind drifted to another thought. "Hey uh Shino, if you don't mind me asking, did killing someone bothers you?" it was a rhetorical question. Yukari knew Shino's answer before she even speak as she already witness first hand how she perfomed in combat.

Shino just shrugged. "No, not really. Even before this mission i knew i will have to kill someone and honestly, it didn't really bother me at all. Maybe because the fact that today is not the first time i kill someone." She said nonchalantly.

"What?!" Yukari exclaimed in shock.

"Don't worry about it. It's a story for another time." She dismissed. "Anyway, i need your help with some of the spare parts."

"Uh okay." Yukari said, still in shock of what Shino just revealed to her. Though she put her curiosity aside for now.

On the other side of the garage, the rest of the squad are inspecting the trucks and APC's park there.

"Hey Kurata, how's the dirver seat?" Tomita called out to his squadmate from the passenger seat of a type 92 APC.

"All good here, except this thing doesn't have a steering wheel. What about you." Kurata respond from the driver seat.

"The passenger seat is fine, but the machine gun turrent is jammed." Tomita said.

"Huh, a missing steering wheel, three missing tires, melting engine and broken machine gun turrent." Kurata mumbled as he write it down in his notebook. "What the hell happend to you buddy." He said jokingly at the vehicle.

He then left the type 92 APC driver seat and walk over towards a utility truck that was park a few meters away from the type 92 for the next inspection with Tomita following him from behind.

As he got a closer look at the truck, Kurata notice the truck have a few dozen bullet holes all over it's body, Kurata was baffled that it even make it here to be repair. After inspecting the truck exterior more thoroughly with the help of Tomita. Kurata decide to inspect the truck driver seat, just like he did with the type 92.

When he open the truck door, he notice something was sitting on the truck dashboard that made his eyes widen in excitement and scream on top on of his lung in delight.

"HOLY SHIT!"

His scream startled everyone in the garage, especially Tomita who is closest to him. They all immideitly check up on him to see what's wrong.

"What the hell happend there?" Tomita ask Kurata as he walk over to him.

"What happend here you ask." Kurata said with his back facing Tomita. "Nothing actually, except that i just possibly made the biggest discovery of my life!" Kurata exclaim.

His words made Kuribayashi groan, she knows where this is going. "Oh god please don't tell me this is where i think is going."

Kurata turn around to face his squadmates and reveal what he'd just found in that truck. An action figure of Mikasa Ackerman from attack on titan.

Kuribayashi let out a huge sigh. "I knew it."

Tomita was not amused. "For god sake Kurata. You made us think you just found a nuclear bomb." He said, irritated. "Why would you scream so loud because of a kids toy?" He then turn his attention to Itami. "Lieutenant, please say something."

Instead of chastising Kurata for startling the whole squad, Itami instead walk over to him with nothing but admiration in his eyes. "This isn't just some 'kids toys' Tomita. This is an extremly rare limited edition action figure of Mikasa Ackerman. Only 500 of these are ever made!" He exclaim. "And the fact that Kurata just found one here is a statistical anomaly!"

"I know right." Kurata said happily. "Once the war is over, i'm gonna display this on my room with my other collection." He declared.

Itami didn't agree with him however. "What do you mean 'your room'?"

"I'm gonna take it home, it's mine."

"whoa, whoa, whoa hold on there, you can't just claim as your own." Itami protested.

Kurata however just look at him amused. "Of course i can. Finders keepers remember."

"I'm your commanding officer Kurata, i should get to say wheater you could keep it or not."

"Sounds like a case of power abuse to me."

The two of them bicker some more about who can keep the action figure. The rest of the squad just watching them in the sidelines.

"I should've seen this coming." Tomita groaned out.

"What did you expect huh? Lieutenant is a damn otaku, any mention of anime would make him forget everything." Kuribayashi said.

"I don't get why they fight over a girl action figure. Godzilla is much cooler." kuwahara commented.

"Well maybe for you old man. But for them i think they like that action figure more." Mari said.

"Who do you call old huh." Kuhara said to her, feigning offended.

Meanwhile, Yukari just watch the whole thing unfold with amusement spread across her face.

Ever since she join the rangers, she has been seperated by her friends, but it seem now she had made a new one. Sure they all are completely different than her old friend, but they are friends none the less.

From this days on, Yukari made a promise to herself to protect her new friends as much as she could so they all could survive the war and return to their normal life.