AN: Since I'm an idiot, I screwed up this chapter, so I had to take it down and repost it. It's longer now and with a different title.

I've also moved the trivia in chapter 2 to its own dedicated chapter. It's called the BGuP: Encyclopedia. Please check it out, it contains information on terminologies that I will be putting in this story. That segment also updates every time something new comes up, I'll be putting a reminder on the beginning of the new chapter when it does. I'll post it when the next chapter comes out.

I'll also be posting a chapter with the names of each character affiliated with Hakodate and more.

And, I might also Americanize this story completely and forego things like honorifics and such.

Anyway, enough of that, and let's continue with the story.

"This is Kyoko. All teams, return to the depots. Recovery teams will pick up all the disabled tanks later. And I'd like to have a word with everyone and personally congratulate the winners," Kyoko reported.

The crew of the Tiger disembarked their tank and inspected it. It was covered in black soot, but it didn't look like anything that can't be solved with a spray of water. Kanagawa looked around and saw the Sherman still in the area, so he hopped on it and knocked on the cupola.

"Hey, let's talk," He said.

A little while later, the cupola hatch opened and a blonde-haired dude with green eyes behind a pair of glasses slowly popped out. He eyed Kanagawa with a nervous expression as the latter stared him down with little emotion.

"Y-Yes?" He asked nervously.

Kanagawa eyed him curiously for a moment before grinning and then chuckling.

"I don't think we've met properly yet. I'm Kenji Kanagawa," He introduced whilst extending a hand.

Eiji eyed his hand and took it a moment later. "Eiji Kikuchi."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Kikuchi-san. And congratulations to you and your crew's win. I wasn't expecting the flamethrower, but it was pretty cool."

"Y-You think so?"

"Well, it freaked the hell out of me and my crew, and it's probably not even legal, it's pretty cool. Well done!" He praised.

"Oh uh, thanks," Eiji stammered whilst a faint blush formed on his cheeks. He wasn't used to receiving such compliments.

"Well then, let's continue this on that way. And can my crew hitch a ride with you guys, it's kind of a long walk?"

"Oh, sure! Hop on!" Eiji gestured.

Kanagawa's crew climbed aboard and the guys from the other crews started arriving at their spot as well. They fit as many guys as they could on the top before they left to return to the depot. Kanagawa was able to formally meet the rest of the Sherman crew and the others did the same. They talked a lot considering the crew of the tank were quite introverted and they even learned that they played the same video games as them, leading to an exchange of gamer tags.

Once back at the depot grounds, everyone lined up with their teams and waited for everyone else to arrive. Once everyone was there, Kyoko, who was now sporting a visor cap reminiscent of the ones used by Heer officers, greeted them.

"The crew of the M4 Sherman, please step forward," She ordered.

Said crew nervously stepped forward and Kyoko approached them.

"Whose idea was it to use the coaxial flamethrower?" She asked with a sharp tone.

The three gulped and remained silent while the others just regarded them silently. A moment later, one of them finally spoke.

"I-It was m-my idea, ma'am," Eiji said.

"Really?" She asked again and he nodded. She stared at him for a moment before grinning. "That was one really cool display. Well done."

Eiji just stared confusedly. "W-Wha-"

"What? You thought I was going to scold you for such unorthodox tactics?" She asked and he nodded. She chuckled and spoke again. "I won't lie, I've never even heard of anyone using a flamethrower in a Tankery match. And I found the attachment of one on one of your tanks as something very weird when I inspected them earlier. Not to mention that fact you essentially tried to cook my son and his crew. But if it's there, then it's Federation approved, and a win is a win no matter how you look at it. Just don't try to rely on it. Congratulations on your victory, the three of you should be proud."

She then shook the hands of the three crew members of the Sherman before returning to the front to address the rest of the team.

"As for the rest of you, this was an educational exercise, and treat it like one. Learn from it and don't have any hard feelings. That being said, your shooting and maneuvering are exceptionally good. And seeing that you all ganged up to take out my son and his crew first, I can see that most of you seem to already have some knowledge of tactics. Take out the instructor's kid because he probably like he's the most dangerous. That's what you were all thinking, right?" She asked.

The rest of them looked sheepishly at one another before responding.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Well, that's very good, it means you're using your brain. However, you've all still got a long way to go. In a Tankery match, things can become way scarier and more confusing. Ten things can be happening at once while shells rain down on your tank. You have to know to manage situations like those and react accordingly, otherwise, you've already lost. And that's just from my experience, I know boys' Sensha-do can be a bit more extreme; you guys can shoot at exposed crew members with the MGs and personal weapons. I also know that you can go on scouting missions and raids against your opponent before matches. But don't worry, because you're all a team, and the best assets you have besides your vehicle are each other. Now, focus on improving your individual skills and teamwork, and you'll be aces in no time. I'll also be there to guide you all in every step of the way. As I said, I'll turn all of you into lethal weapons. If you have any concerns, then just ask. Is that clear?"?

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Good, well that's it for today. The crew of the M4, since you're the winners you can go home, the rest clean up! And oh, the crew of the Tiger step aside later, I'd like to have a word with you all. The Student Council too, there are some other formalities we have to deal with."

"As you wish. Everyone bow!" Kaede ordered.

Everyone complied and bowed to show their gratitude. "Thank you very much."

Kyoko nodded and returned their bow with a salute. Afterward, everyone dispersed to do what was asked of them with the Sherman crew heading home, other crews getting to cleaning duties, and the Tiger crew stepping aside to talk to their instructor.

"You asked for us?" Kanagawa spoke.

"Oh, sorry honey, but I wanted to talk to just your crew. Go help out with cleaning up and let's meet later. We'll head home together, okay?" She told him.

"Alright, I'll catch you later, mom," He said before walking away.

Kyoko waved him away with a smile before turning to the four remaining boys.

"You know, I've barely been here half a day and already I've been bombarded with surprises. Now, while every other crew exceeded my expectations, you four have exceeded them the furthest. And for that, I'd like to personally congratulate you. Vert well done," She told them.

"Oh, thank you, ma'am. But there's no need, without Kanagawa's orders, we wouldn't know what to do," Nakasone replied.

She shook her head. "They say that no man is an island, that we'll each need a helping hand every once and a while. And that's more true in the setting of a tank. What you've said is true, my son is a talented Panzerkommandant, and I wouldn't expect anything less of him. However, I'm still aware that he has limits. It's not like anyone can expect one guy, no matter how talented he is, to fill in every role in a tank. That's just stupid. And that's what's so special about the four of you. The degree of your abilities to obey and perform your commander's orders is remarkably high. Who's your driver?"

"That would be me, ma'am," Katayama replied, bringing as much energy into his voice as he could.

"Well, that was some fine tank driving for someone who comes from school with barely anything in terms of Tankery. What's your name?"

"Ogino Katayama, ma'am. And I already had experience with driving cars and tractors before since I'm from the countryside," He answered.

"Well, it's still a big difference. Now, who's your gunner?"

"That would be me, ma'am," Yoshima replied.

"Although they were from a pretty close range, those were some impressive snapshots you took. What's your name?"

"Thank you. I'm Goro Yoshima, ma'am" He introduced.

"Yoshima?" Kyoko parroted, racking her brain for the reason why that name was so familiar. "Wait, what's your mother's maiden name?"

"Um, it's Yukiko Kobayashi. Why do you ask?"

Kyoko's eyes lit up upon hearing that name and she chuckled.

"Well, I'll be damned! Your mother was my gunner back in the day, and let me tell you this, that woman had talent! All I had to do was point to where the target is, give her the range, the speed of the target, and an order to fire, and then the target was dead!" She told him. "It's nice to see that you were able to inherit that trait from Yuki. I hope you'd use it well."

"I will, Instructor, thank you," Yoshima replied.

She nodded. "Now, loader and radio operator?"

"That would be us," Nakasone said. "I'm Kobe Nakasone, the radio operator."

"A-And I'm Akio Fujimoto, the loader," He introduced a bit nervously. He's still not a very sociable person.

"Nice to meet the both of you. Now, there's no way for me to have evaluated your performance from the tower, so I'll be basing my opinion on those of your friends," She said and turned to the other two. They were about to speak when they were cut off by another voice.

"Fujimoto was able to put the shell the gun in record time, showing professionality of an expert loader, it was clear he knew what he was doing. Nakasone couldn't do much since the radio operator is nearly useless in the setting we were put in, so he was made to be an extra pair of eyes on the front of the tank. They both did their jobs perfectly and followed my orders earnestly with nothing more I could ask of them while also exceeding my expectations. In fact, they all did," Kanagawa reported.

"I see," Kyoko said as she took in the information before turning to her son. "Why are you here?"

"Oh, uh, I was wondering if you're finishing up your talk with my friends. I need some help moving some things," He answered.

"Ah, okay. We're just finishing up, just give us a couple more minutes."

"Alright," Kanagawa said before leaving again.

"Well, there you have it. I have no reason to doubt my son's words. Great job out there! You've all still got a long way to go, but you're doing great right now," She told them.

"Thank you, ma'am!" They all said.

"And one more thing," She said in a more timid tone before bowing slightly. "Thank you for being friends with my son. Some rough things have happened, it's reassuring to know that he has support."

"Oh, please raise your head, Instructor Kanagawa! You don't have to thank us!" Nakasone said.

"Yeah, it was our decision to befriend him and spend time with him," Yoshima added.

"Kanagawa-dono is one of the few people I can talk about tanks with. I'm actually very grateful that he chose me to be his loader," Fujimoto said.

"I just went with the flow, but he's a good person," Katayama said.

"I see. In that case, if any of you have the time, would you like to come over to our place? I'll be cooking," She asked.

They smiled. "We'd love to, ma'am."

She smiled as well. "Right. Well, you still have things to do and so do I. Carry on now."

They nodded and left. As the Tiger crew met up with their commander, Kyoko went around to look for the Student Council. She'd shortly find them sweeping the interior of the depot and approached.

"Student Council, can I speak with you for a moment?" She asked.

"Oh, Instructor Kanagawa, of course! What'd you like to talk about?" Kaede asked.

"Well, for starters, do I get an office here, or do I only get a desk at the corner of the depot?" She asked playfully.

"Oh, you can use the office within the depot," He replied.

The depots were actually quite spacious with the ability to serve at least fifteen tanks. Not only that but there was a catwalk running along the walls five meters above the ground and an office space at one suspended at the same height. Kyoko and the Student Council immediately went to the office and the former was surprised again by what she saw.

The office space was quite spacious with a large desk for her, another smaller desk to the side for anyone else, two couches, a coffee table, shelves for anything, a counter for brewing coffee or tea, air-conditioning, heating, a spot to put a TV in, and windows that overlook the outside and the tank line below. And despite it looking like it's not very well maintained, it gave a very cozy feeling. It just showed that the team before the ones now had quite the reputation to own something like this.

"This day just keeps getting better and better," Kyoko said. "Now, let's get down to business."

"Of course, what would you like to talk about?" Kaede asked.

Kyoko then sat down on the couch, crossed her arms and legs, and took a deep breath.

"So, what's really going on here?" She asked, using a tone of pure seriousness.

"U-Um, excuse me, what?" Ishihara asked confusedly.

"You heard me. It's been a couple of months since classes began but only now did you request a Tankery instructor. You guys sent the office into quite a frenzy with your sudden request. Everyone found it weird, and to be honest, I wouldn't have taken this job if I didn't know my son was here in Hakodate. So, I'll ask again, what's really going on here?" She clarified.

The members looked at each other in silent conversation before each of them sighed and took a seat on the couch opposite her.

"I suppose there's no way to hide something that weird, huh?" Kaede chuckled. "Well, to put it bluntly, we're getting Oarai-ed."

Kyoko regarded them with a confused look for a moment since she had no idea what getting 'Oarai-ed' meant until she put all the dots together and realized what it really meant. She uncrossed her arms and legs before speaking again.

"O-Oh… I see…" She said quietly.

"Unless we win the tournament this year, we won't have a school anymore by Christmas. They really want us out," Ishihara stated.

"We know it's definitely impossible, but it's all we can do," Kaede said. "So, will you help us?"

It was meant to be an innocent question, but Kyoko's eyes immediately locked onto him in an annoyed glare.

"What the hell kind of absurd question is that? Of course, I'll help you!" She snapped and then sighed shortly after. "And it's not impossible. Oarai won while being at a major disadvantage in almost everything. You guys can do it."

"Thanks for that, but it still kind of feels like a lost cause," Terada said solemnly.

"Well, a lost cause is the only one worth fighting for. I know you guys can pull through, and I'll help you. But you all have to pull your own weight too, alright?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Good. So this is what's going to happen, so take note of it: for the next two to three weeks will be spent on strict training. And I mean strict, you're all going to receive a crash course in Tankery. Gunnery, maneuvering, other miscellaneous stuff, you'll learn it all. Training days will be throughout the whole week besides Sunday, but if you improve quickly, then we can ease it out. After that, we'll schedule a practice match with at least two schools. It will introduce you to real Tankery and it will hopefully reveal any more flaws that need to be corrected. Did you get all of that?" She asked.

Terada could be seen furiously writing in a small notebook before closing it and exhaling.

"I've got it. Is there anything else?" Terada asked.

"This will be my office, right?" She asked and they nodded. She then reached out and traced a finger along the coffee table. When she pulled it back, a thick layer of dust could be seen. She dusted her hands and spoke. "Clean this place up, please."

"We'll get to it, Instructor," Ishihara said.

She smiled. "Okay then, if that's all, I'll be taking my leave now. I still have to get settled down in town and cook dinner. I look forward to working with you all."

With those words, Kyoko left the Student Council to their devices and headed outside. It was starting to get late as seen by the sun now setting on the Yorktown. She inhaled a breath and slung her duffel over her shoulder and walked to the exit where she saw Kenji waiting at the gate.

"Hey, Kenji!" She waved. "Have you been waiting long?"

He shook his head. "No, we finished up a couple of minutes ago and the guys left ahead of me. Here, mom, I'll take that."

"Ah, thank you," She said as she handed him her duffel bag. "I've found a good place to settle down around here, so why don't you just live you just live with me?"

"Eh, are you sure, mom?" He asked as they started to walk away.

"Why is that even a question? The place I've found is only a few minutes on foot from the school. It's also got two bedrooms and is already furnished. Besides, it's cheaper if we both lived in the same place than two places individually, wouldn't you agree? Your father and I are still paying for everything, 'ya know," She told him.

"Right, that was a dumb question. I'll start clearing my apartment tomorrow," Kenji replied with a chuckle.

"Excellent! It'll be like we're back in Kumamoto!" She said before latching onto his arm.

"Mom, what are you doing?" He questioned.

"Forgive me that I haven't seen my son in months making me miss him so much! Besides, you can think of this as training of sorts. When you get a girlfriend, she'll do stuff like this," She told him while laying her head on his shoulder. Since he was a good inch taller than her, it was possible.

"Yeah, this isn't a good image for me to think about," Kenji said.

"Oh, shut up, it's not a big deal!" Kyoko said. "Now, how does Katsudon sound?"

They stopped by a nearby grocery store to buy some ingredients for food before heading to the place Kyoko got. It was not anything special, his family's house in Kumamoto is way bigger, but it was also definitely a huge improvement over the tiny apartment he'd been living in for some time now.

Kenji helped his mother with the food and setting the table. Once the food was ready, they ate while Kyoko interrogated his son.

"So, how are things here?" She asked.

"It's pretty nice, for the most part. Despite a lot of things being different, I feel just fine. And my friends, my crew, they're good people. A bit weird, but I guess it's the same for me to them," He explained.

Kyoko smiled. "Well, it's good that you're having fun, I'm happy for you. I'm also glad that you're in command of a tank again after everything."

Kenji stopped eating and just stared at his food. There he was, back in a tank again even after everything, even after he declared that he would never step in one again. But due to the cruel clutches of fate, he was thrown back into one. And, he doesn't know how to feel.

"I…" He trailed off. "U-Um, I… I-It's only temporary. I just need to guide these guys to victory. After that, I don't have to do this anymore… But it can all still change too."

Kyoko frowned. "I see."

Kenji swallowed nervously. "Look, Mom, I know that you and Dad have always been passionate about Tankery, especially with me and Kouji. But, I just don't know-"

"Are they forcing you?"

"Huh?"

"The Student Council, are they forcing you to take up Tankery to save the school?" She repeated.

"So, you know, huh? Of course," Kenji exhaled. "And, well, they tried to, but once I realized what was going on and when they explained how badly they needed help, I had to give them a hand. I felt like it was the right thing to do."

"Hmm, are you unhappy with where you are right now?" She asked again.

Kenji remained silent for a moment before shaking his head. "No, I don't mind it at all. I do kinda miss being in a tank."

"I see," Kyoko said before continuing with her meal. "If you were forced or unhappy about taking Sensha-do again, I would've had you removed from the team."

"Instructors can do that?" He wondered.

"Of course we can, we're basically staff. Our words are law, you students have no choice but to obey. If you're forced to do something you don't want to do then you can't possibly be able to give it your all, which is something that might be required of you on the battlefield. Besides, I would never want my son to be part of something he's not happy with," She explained.

"Ah, okay," He nodded.

"Kenji, it's true that Sensha-do is something our family has cherished for so long now. Your father and I were high-ranking members in our respective school's teams back in the day. So, it's safe to say that Sensha-do is important to us. However, you and Kouji are our flesh and blood, our family, and our sons. Both of you will always be the most important things to us. We love the both of you, Kenji, and nothing will ever change that," She told him with a smile.

He smiled back. "Thank you, mom. I love you too."

After that, they continued to talk about other things unrelated to Sensha-do. Once dinner was done and everything was cleaned up, Kenji left the house to get some stuff from his apartment so he could properly spend the night in the new house. Once he returned, he just did his nightly routine, said good night to his mother, and went to bed. The next day and the days that followed, would be rough for him and his team if they wanted to have any hope of winning.

Weeks passed and the Hakodate Tankery Team has come quite a long way. Just as what Kyoko told the Student Council, the whole team was put through rigorous training which turned them into capable fighting machines. They also had every lesson in Sensha-do drilled into their heads.

Shooting at moving targets, shooting on the move, shooting at moving targets while also on the move, these lessons combining gunnery and maneuvering sharpened their skills for a very maneuverable doctrine they will use against their opponents. It was the only path they had since they lacked numbers and overall firepower.

Maintenance, field repairs, and other classroom-level information came secondary but were not any less important. Sensha-do wasn't just driving and shooting, it was rather complex if you really think about it.

They even asked the school's Hohei-do/Infantry Arts team to train them in the usage of firearms. And that also had them being trained in physical fitness as well. Kenji thought that his mother would disapprove because of the time crunch but it was the complete opposite, she was all for it. Thus, they were trained to be soldiers as well, much to the annoyance of most.

It was difficult, but Kyoko was surprised to see how quickly they were improving. So, she allowed the whole team the whole weekend off to rest and do what they wanted. Next week will be their first real match against another school. Although it was not a tournament match, they still had to take it seriously.

Kenji and his crew sat above their Tiger which was parked outside of a McDonalds which was situated by a road that ran along the edge of the ship's deck. Looking at the turret, you could now see a drawing of a roaring tiger's head right next to the number 217. Four of them ate their food, which consisted of a Double Cheeseburger meal with large fries and a large drink, while staring at their gunner who was devouring his own food, which was four Big Macs, three large fries, two packs of fifteen-piece chicken nuggets with barbecue sauce, and a 1.5-liter bottle of ice-cold Coca-Cola.

"Uh, Yoshima, I think you should slow down. You might choke," Kenji told him.

"Hmm?" Goro turned to them while swallowing a giant chunk of a Big Mac. "I'm fine, don't worry?"

"What's happened to you, though? Why are you eating this much?" Kobe asked.

"What do you mean? I always eat this much, and this is a pretty light meal, in my opinion," He answered nonchalantly before inhaling a pack of fries.

Kobe opened his mouth to speak but Kenji stopped him. "If you say so, man. Just slow down or you'll choke."

They continued to eat in relative peace while talking about other things. A couple of minutes later, the sound of an engine was heard and five planes flew past them, flying parallel to the ship. Their loader who doubles as a military vehicles expert immediately identified them.

"Oh cool! An F4U Corsair, F6F Hellcat, A6M Zero, Supermarine Seafire, and an Me 155!" Akio enumerated before taking a sip from his cup.

"Looks like the Hikoki-do team are out on maneuvers too," Kobe said as he watched the five planes climb back up into the clouds.

"It's not just them, check it out," Goro said while pointing towards the horizon.

Three to four kilometers away were multiple silhouettes on the water. If you look closer, you'll identify them as ships, but if you look even closer…

"Hmm, it's hard to identify, but the three biggest ships are destroyers. More specifically, a Fletcher-class, a Fubuki-class, and a Type 1934 class. The rest are too small for me to identify, but they're most likely frigates, corvettes, and torpedo boats," Akio said.

"The Gunkan-do club is out too, huh?" Kobe said.

"I guess we're all busy this year. Tournament season has arrived, so it's understandable," Kenji remarked.

"Not to mention the National Combined Arms Games and the Tankery World Tournament are also pretty near," Akio added.

"Yeesh, that's a lot of stuff to do. I wonder how things are in the girls' side?" Kobe wondered.

"I heard that they have something called 'Tankathlon' going on. Basically, you slug it out with light tanks and the standard rules of Sensha-do don't apply, that's why the Federation doesn't sponsor it," Akio explained.

"Tankathlon was basically Sensha-do's version of illegal underground fighting until the Federation decided to give it a shot. It's going pretty well, according to what I've heard," Kenji added.

"Oh? That seems fun," Goro said.

"Yeah, maybe we should pretend to be a bunch of girls, enter a match, and then win! I bet it'll be really funny if it worked," Kobe said.

"Our lightest tank is the BT-7, but it's got a weight of a little over thirteen tons; the max weight in Tankathlon is ten tons, I think. I heard about it before, so I checked it out, but the cooler stuff always happens in real Sensha-do, so I stopped," Akio explained.

"Maybe we can borrow a Panzer II or 38(t) from someone. And as for having to dress up as girls, I'm pretty sure we don't have to. Since regular Sensha-do rules don't apply, then that also means it's a mixed-gender game. We can go in, and they can't do anything but try to beat us," Kenji explained.

"Okay, we trust your logic, commander," Kobe said.

A few minutes later, they finally finished their food and prepared to leave. Kenji glanced over at his driver, Ogino, who was moving sluggishly with a depressing aura around him. Waking up early each day, the training, and the yelling by the Public Morals Committee took a toll on the poor guy. It was like they took his soul and put it through a clothes wringer. Despite that, he pushed on, even at the cost of his spirit.

"Where do we go next?" He asked sluggishly.

"Let's go to Arma-Nation, I need to buy some ammo," He said.

The Tiger rolled out of the McDonalds parking lot and drove down the road. They drove for about ten minutes across town before ending up on the sidewalk parking lot of a familiar store. The sign above the front door read in big, bold letters: Arma-Nation. Walking inside, they saw all sorts of equipment used in the four Armed Arts. Guns, ammo, shells, vehicle parts, uniforms, and even some military-themed souvenirs lined the shelves of the store. Kenji went ahead and started grabbing boxes of ammo while the rest browsed the stock. Akio fought off the temptation to buy a tank model kit and glanced over at the boxes of ammo Kenji was taking and raised an eyebrow.

"556 rounds, what the hell? Why?" He asked.

"For my G36, I need to restock on ammo," Kenji said while taking one more box of 5.56x45mm NATO ammo before moving over to boxes of 9x19mm Luger.

"The G36 is not a WW2 gun, though. Won't you get in trouble?"

"If it was an Infantry match, then yeah. But it's a Tankery match, and the rules only say that 'you can use a gun to shoot at exposed crewmembers'. It doesn't really specify what kind of gun you can use, so you can bend it to some extent," He explained.

"Well, why not get an SMG then?" Kobe asked this time while showing him an MP40 he picked up from a rack.

Kenji shook his head. "It doesn't suit my style. I want something with a full-auto function but with more punch than an SMG. I used to have a Sturmgewehr 44, though. But I uh… lost it."

His friends raised an eyebrow at that last part, but Ogino spoke up before they could question it.

"The gist of Tankery is to fight with our tanks. Meaning, we're totally going to spend all our time in a tank for the duration of the match. Maybe there would be times when we do have to get out, but you get the point," He said.

"He's basically saying that the guns used are irrelevant and unnecessary. Right?" Goro asked.

"Katayama's both right and wrong. People don't really exit their tanks for anything besides taking piss most of the time. But they do come out, and when they do and you encounter them, your guns would be necessary. Especially now that handheld AT weapons have been authorized," Kenji explained while pointing at a Panzerfaust displayed on the rack.

"Oh, so it's just a matter of being prepared for the unexpected right?"

"Yup, exactly that."

"Well, then maybe I should get one for good measure then," Akio said while picking up a Panzerfaust and bringing it with him.

They lined up to pay for their purchases and just waited. And while they waited, they ended up listening to the broadcast on the TV hanging on the wall. It was displaying a news channel that was talking about the tournaments of the various Armed Arts. It was initially showing a P-51 Mustang with the emblem of Roosevelt University on it, talking about the upcoming National Hikoki-do Tournament before switching to news about Tankery, with the picture also changing to an image of an early production Tiger II with the 'Porsche' turret; a very familiar Tiger II with the number 300 on the side of the turret.

Kenji's eyes were already glued to the screen when the image changed again. It was the front of a building with two men in front of it. The building he recognized as one of the campuses of his former school. And the two guys were also familiar. Both wore the same black and red uniform that was similar to the uniforms of German Panzer crews in WW2 and both sported the same expressionless face. The guy further back had dark black hair and red, piercing eyes. Quite intimidating to most initially, but not as intimidating as the other one. He wore a black M43 field cap as opposed to the usual side cap. He had light brown hair with matching color eyes.

"Next up, we now move on to news on Tankery. We've managed to get an interview with Commander Kouji Kanagawa, the top-ranking commander of the boy's high school circuit last year who'll be getting a chance to train with the best in the nation," The Anchor reported.

Kenji continued to watch as his friends started to take notice of his gaze. The display now switched to a reporter in front of Kouji who was next to his Tiger II.

"So tell us, Mister Kanagawa, what is your secret in winning in Tankery?" The reporter asked.

"There is no secret, per se, we merely do what we are trained to do. But if I have to say something, it would be to never give up, to never run away, and…" He turned to the camera. "To keep moving forward, no matter what."

Kenji frowned at this and looked away. His friends immediately caught on to his apprehension and reacted whilst claiming their purchases.

"Yo, Kanagawa, since you moved in with your mom, can we hang out at your place, I heard it's bigger than your tiny ass apartment?" Kobe asked.

Taken aback by the sudden request but grateful for the distraction, Kenji forced himself to take on a livelier expression.

"Uh, yeah sure. What about the rest of you?" He asked and they all agreed.

After collecting the rest of their purchases, they exited the store and climbed back on board their Tiger. Kobe allowed himself to fall onto the radio operator's seat but immediately regretted it because of how uncomfortably hard the seat was. He cursed and spoke up.

"Hey, Kanagawa, what are the rules to tank modification?" He asked right before Ogino started the engine.

"Any modification done to a vehicle that will affect its performance must first be approved by the Federation. That means things like the armor, engine, and armaments," He answered. "Why?"

"Are there any rules on decorations and stuff?"

"No. It's common practice for Sensha-do tank crews to decorate their vehicles with all sorts of shit. And no, it doesn't require Federation approval because it doesn't affect performance."

"So, if I were to put a cushion on my seat, I could?"

"Yeah."

"Ah, good," He said before trying to get comfortable. "In that case, let's head to this store I know. We have to get some things."

The Tiger drove to another store which all entered as well. They ended up buying things like cushions, cup-holders, air fresheners, and small fans. They even bought a small icebox. And all of this was done despite Akio's protests.

"The point of Tankery is to experience the true feeling of what is to be a tanker. Doing this just makes it pointless," He argued but Kenji shook his head.

"That's wrong, Fujimoto. Yes, a lot of tanks were uncomfortable but I'm sure their crews tried to make it more comfortable by doing something about it. This is our way of doing something about it. Besides, crew comfort is an essential part of crew efficiency. If your ass hurts less, then you can work better," He told him.

Akio exhaled an annoyed sigh. He had always wanted to experience true Tankery but his friends were keen on turning it into someone else. He'd thought that his commander would object, but he didn't. However, everything that Kanagawa said was also correct, no matter how you put it. He had no right to be upset about something so stupid. So, he sucked it up and obeyed his commander.

"Well, if you say so, Commander," He replied.

The group drove back to the Tankery garage just in time as it was starting to get dark and the school was about to close. They parked their tank and stored their newly bought equipment before leaving. They all headed to Kenji's and his mother's house on the ship with the former leading them inside.

"Nice place you've got here, Kanagawa," Kobe remarked as he scanned the living room.

"You should tell that to my mom. She's the one that found this place," Kenji replied as he set his bag down.

"Well, it's really nice and homey. How'd your mom find this place on such short notice?" Goro asked.

"I don't know. She always had a way of doing things like this," He answered. "Anyway, you guys want coffee, tea perhaps?"

"Oh sure, thank you, Kanagawa-dono," Akio said as he shifted uncomfortably which Kenji sensed immediately.

"What are you guys still standing around there? Go on and crash on the couch. Make yourselves at home. I'll prepare tea, coffee, and some nachos if I still have any. I've got a PS4 too, let's play something," He told them.

The four of them sat down and got comfortable. Ogino almost immediately passed out because of how comfortable it was, only to slap himself awake because it was rude to just fall asleep in someone else's house. Kenji came a few minutes later with drinks and snacks and they spent the next hour and a half playing video games on his PS4.

And just when Kobe was about to spawn in a tank in a Battlefield 4 match, the front door opened. Kenji and his crew turned in that direction and saw one Kyoko Kanagawa who was in her black instructor uniform carrying paper bags full of groceries while entering.

"Oh crap! Mom!" Kenji exclaimed whilst jumping off the couch to approach her.

"Huh? Oh, hi, Kenji! How was your day?" She asked while using her foot to shut the door. Kenji took the paper bags from her and brought them to the dining table.

"It was good, we just drove around town. And, mom, I brought my friends over. I hope it's alright," He replied whilst gesturing to his friends who had also jumped from the couch and stood at attention.

Kyoko turned her attention to the four boys and smiled.

"Hi, boys! How have you been?" She asked.

"We're just fine, thank you for asking, Instructor," Goro answered respectfully, and she shook her head.

"There's no need to address me so formally in this setting. What we do in the training field and what we do outside of it should be two different. So relax, and feel free to call me Mrs. Kanagawa," She told them.

"Alright, Mrs. Kanagawa."

"Oh, and would you boys like to stay over for dinner? I may have bought too many ingredients," She said with a small gesture to

"Um, if it's alright with everyone. We don't want to impose," Ogino said and the rest agreed. While he was not opposed to free food, he still knew to mind his manners, especially in someone else's home.

"I'm cool with it," Kenji said.

"And I don't want to waste perfectly good food. So, I'll ask again, do you accept?" She repeated.

The boys smiled and nodded. "We'd love to have dinner with you," Kobe said.

Her smile widened and she clapped her hands.

"Prächtig! In that case, please make yourselves at home while I prepare dinner. Kenji, help me out," She ordered.

"Yes, mom," He obeyed and went over to the kitchen. Suddenly, the four other boys stood up and stood before her.

"We'd like to help out too, Mrs. Kanagawa," Akio said.

"What? No, that won't be necessary! You're our guests, and it's our job as hosts to make you as comfortable as possible," She told them.

"Well, ma'am, since we're a crew now, we agreed to do things as a team. Besides, I still haven't evaluated Kenji's cooking, and I can't bring myself to trust it," Kobe said.

"Yo, I heard that!" Kenji yelled from the kitchen but was ignored.

"Hmm, you've got a point," Kyoko said after a moment of thinking. She sighed and then smiled. "I guess it can't be helped then. Alright, come with me, and let's get dinner started."

The four boys followed to join their commander in helping with dinner. And due to their intervention, they finished cooking quicker than expected. Then they all sat down and ate with conversation accompanying the meal.

Kyoko got to learn more about his son's crew, and in turn, they learned more about his family. But since they knew that his family had a complicated situation happen some time ago which was still affecting them till now, they chose their words carefully and stayed clear of any controversial topics. Regardless of that, dinner went by splendidly with Kyoko asking them to come over again in the future.

They went their separate ways after that, the four heading back to their homes. Akio walked into his family's barbershop. He saw his father preparing to close down for the night and greeted him before the home proper through the back. Once inside, he saw his mother washing the dishes. She turned and smiled once she saw him.

"Hi, honey, welcome back! How was your day?" She asked.

He gave her mother a kiss on the cheek before replying. "It was awesome."

I was served curry for dinner by two Sensha-do aces. Today was a great day.

AN: In case you were wondering: Yes, the story tags have a romance in them. And no, I will obviously not ship my main OC with his own mother. Get that shit outta here. No yaoi/yuri pairings either.