Author Thought:

Hey there dear readers, back with another exciting chapter, this a long one so do take your time with it and enjoy the read.


1 Week till Match Day

The car came to a soft stop against the sidewalk, its door was open by valet for its honor guest to step out. That honor guest was Shiho Nishizumi, wearing her usual black business blazer, matching black jodhpurs pants, and short heels. Shiho was also wearing sunglasses to block the bright sun from her eyes, with a bandage right hand, still bruised from the punch she threw at Tsueno with such ferocity a few nights ago.

After leaving the car, she began to make her way to the doorway of the Sensha-do Federation Headquarters. She had been invited to a meeting with the board over some exciting news, yet Shiho felt no excitement in her heart at the moment for the meeting, mostly because of what Tsueno had told her that night he broke into her family's estate.

Tsuneo had warned her about Konomi, a girl Shiho had destroyed in Panzer Kettō when they were both in their teenage years. She had thought Konomi had just faded into the background after her family outcasted her, never to be heard from again. Yet now knowing that she was back, and more importantly involve in some way with this secret Sensha-do Academy in America, had given Shiho a couple of sleepless nights.

Using what resources were available to her, she had scoured for any information about this secret academy. Yet she could dig up nothing, not even a whisper that there was some Academy being set up in America, which meant they were doing a good job to cover it up. Making Shiho inwardly curse that her past was coming back to haunt her.

Once this meeting was over, Shiho would have to get back to work on figuring this mystery out, since it could harm her family's future, or more to the point hurt Maho's future if this bastard daughter began to challenge the Nishizumi name. Even if there was no way to take the family name like in the old ways, Shiho still fear this bastard daughter out-performing Maho, making people wonder if this American Nishizumi family was of a better class than Shiho's family, which could spell her downfall.

The worse part was that there was only one heiress to Shiho since Miho had left her family and joined Chi-Ha-Tan Academy.

Maybe I should just drag her back to our family, especially with this storm from the east rising up against us now. Miho might fight back, and I might have to do something like my mother did to me to make her see my side of things….yet could I find it in my heart to raise a hand to my own daughter?

Shiho thought, wondering if she should resort to such brutal means to bring Miho back. Yet part of herself could never stoop to beating her child, like her mother Nayoko did to her growing up, just to make her fall in line with the Nishizumi style, because she once show mercy in a Panzer Kettō. Shiho would have to find another way, but that would have to happen later.

As she walk up to the glass doors of the Federation building, two doormen open the doors to her with a bow of respect to her. Shiho walk through the open doors to the large reception area that was bustling with business men and women going about their days. Though some saw the great Shiho Nishizumi walk through the doors and bow to her out of respect for her family's prowess in Sensha-do.

Shiho bow back to every one of them, even if she didn't know them, she would honor their show of respect to her. She had appearances to keep for the honor of her family. As Shiho continue to walk through the reception area to the elevators to take her to the top floor, she was greeted by a welcome sight.

This welcome sight was none other than Ami Chono, wearing her green JSDF female officer's uniform. This was once a great pupil for Shiho back in the day, though Ami went on to fight for Saunders University High School after leaving the youth academy, which suit her since Ami was a bit of a wild child at times. In the years that follow, Ami always came to Shiho for advice and always made sure to credit Shiho for becoming the woman she is today.

"Miss Chono, you are a welcome sight," Shiho said with a neutral face.

Ami bow to her former mentor. "As you are a most welcome sight for me."

"You been keeping well I hope? Pulling double duty for the JSDF and refereeing for the tournament is a tall task."

After rising from her bow, Ami spoke with a warm smile. "It has been a trial for sure. Yet you drill me to handle multiple targets at once, know I took those lessons to heart in tankery and in life."

"I'm am very proud to have mentored you and for your constant support over the years. I can assume you are heading to this meeting as well?"

Ami nodded at that. "Yes, may I escort you to the meeting? Most of those who were invited are already here."

"I will have to apologize for being late, I've been busy with other things that I overslept," Shiho admitted.

"It happens to the best of us, please follow me Miss Nishizumi. The ride up to the top is long and I hope to talk to you about some things that are best discussed in private," Ami said.

Shiho nodded at the seriousness in Ami's voice. Then the two made their way to the elevators and made sure to get on one just for them, since the two needed to discuss something before the meeting got underway. They were soon riding the elevator up to the meeting on the top floor, both of them feeling tense about what they were going to discuss.

They were both silent for the moment, till Ami, who had been leaning against the wall of the elevator, suddenly made her way over to the button panel and press the emergency stop button. The elevator came to a grinding halt, though there was no emergency to be had.

Ami turn to Shiho now. "Miss Nishizumi, I hope this wasn't too bold of me."

Shiho shook her head, leaning her back against the wall of the elevator with her arms crossed staring at her former pupil. "Not at all Miss Chono, what is it you want to discuss?"

"It's about this meeting. Some days ago, I was in the office with Mister Kodama, when we handed out the punishment for Chi-Ha-Tan Academy. Your daughter and her sub commander were present as you would expect."

"Yes," Shiho said with a nod. "I heard about the punishment, though you're keeping its information a secret for now. May I ask what it was?"

Ami gave the short version of the punishment to Shiho.

"That's quite severe, they will have to rely on first-years to take on this Oarai team, who have proven to be a rather competent bunch. Though I've heard you offer them some tutelage, so their sudden rise should really be no surprise," Shiho said, praising her pupil.

"Oh," Ami started to say, as a blush came over her. "Thank you for your kind words. Yes, I offer some instructing to them, but they were quite a unique team, to begin with. They really fight with no fear of their enemy, and are really out to just have fun."

"That seems like quite a causal approach to Sensha-do."

Ami nodded. "Yes, but for a rookie team like them, it fits perfectly into their team spirit. Though getting back on track, after your daughter left, this woman came in afterward. Mister Kodama ask me to give them privacy, and as I left I got a good look at this woman."

Something in Shiho's mind began to ring the warning bells as she spoke. "Go on."

"This woman had a striking resemblance to you is most I can say. She also had a large folder with her, but what was in it, I can't say," Ami said, sounding disappointed she couldn't offer more detailed information.

"This woman must have been Konomi Nishizumi, a cousin of mine from back in the day," Shiho said, trusting to give this information to Ami.

"A Nishizumi…I had thought you and your daughters were the only Nishzumi's left in Japan. Well not including your former husband as well," Ami said with a shocked face.

"Yes, that is mostly true. I learn from someone that she has been secretly involved with some Sensha-do Academy in America," Shiho said in a grim tone.

Now Ami's face became more befuddled. "That can't be right, America doesn't approve of Sensha-do. Thiers no wa-."

Shiho cut into her former pupil's frantic voice. "I thought the same. However it seems my cousin has started one up, and most likely that is the reason for this meeting today."

"If that's the case, she will most likely be here today as well," Ami stated.

Shiho nodded at that. "Yes, that means I will be on guard. Thank you for sharing this with me."

"I wish I could do more," Ami said sadly.

"No, you've done more than you should feel obligated to do for me. Know you have my trust," Shiho said, giving her former pupil a small smile.

"Know I trust you as well Miss Nishizumi. Now with that out of the way, I have to say, both of your daughters are turning heads in this year's tournament with their wins."

Shiho tense a bit as she spoke. "Yes, Maho is performing as I expected of her. Though she seems to be following her own style of Sensha-do."

"Yes, though it hasn't lowered any of the effectiveness of her team, if anything, it has enhanced their fighting prowess. Bellwall was more than a match for them, but Maho's strategy and trusting of her subordinate's opinions allows her team to be more flexible than before and completely destroy Bellwall."

"Yet she can't forget our style completely. Especially when she faces St. Gloriana, or Pravda, or…."

"Or Chi-Ha-Tan?" Ami finish.

Shiho said nothing back.

"Your daughter Miho has done a lot for a team that was once nothing but a running joke for the last decade. They never change either, yet in a few short months, she has them fighting with deadly efficiency. A lot of people are talking very highly about her as a commander," Ami said, knowing she was testing her former mentor, to gauge how she felt about her youngest.

A sigh escape Shiho, knowing what Ami wanted of her, it was the same that Hidemichi wanted of her, to just talk about Miho. They wanted her to acknowledge her skills as a commander, which at this point Shiho could no longer ignore facts.

"She has a skill I always knew she had. If anything, Chi-Ha-Tan Academy fits her command style, as she is not someone for a standup fight. Miho prefers to ambushes, to take advantage of sniping positions, and throw her opponents off balance when she makes her move to attack."

Ami nodded to hear Shiho talk about Miho in a positive light. "Yes, it has made two opponents balk at her style. Even with the controversy of the Saunders match, I still hold her in high regard. Though, if I might be a bit bold to say, I believe my girls of Ooarai will be their match."

Shiho didn't take an angry stance at the comment. If it had been anyone else who made this remark, she might have put them in their place with her sharp tongue. Yet Ami said this with friendly competitiveness in mind, something Shiho hadn't had since her once good friend Chiyo Shimada, when the two had been rivals in high school, college, and some years after that. Now their relationship had sour, because of Shiho's breaking off of relations with her, because she needed the Nishizumi style to rule Japan after the cheating scandal came to light and there couldn't be both families styles at the top.

"Miss Chono allow me to say this," Shiho began.

Ami intently lean back, now wondering if she had gone too far with the friendly jab earlier.

Shiho, to Ami's surprise, smile at her as she spoke. "I believe my daughter will make you eat those words."

Ami began to chuckle. "We shall see, now shall we get to the meeting?"

"Yes, let's," Shiho agree, to which Ami press the release on the emergency button, and the elevator continue up to the fated meeting.

XxxxX

The meeting room was quite large, with one side dominated by the large window looking out to the metropolis of Tokyo that was bustling even in the morning. The sunshine coming in from the outside, illuminated the room greatly, shining off the large oak oval table that had seats for eight people in total around it.

Shiho came into the room, with Ami Chono at her side. The two made introductions and small talk with various Federation board members. Director Kodama and The head of MEXT Renta Tsuji came to speak some words with them, yet the meeting was still waiting for one more member to present themselves before starting. That other late member was someone Shiho was not looking forward to seeing this day.

"Oh, do please excuse my lateness. I had been overseeing a practice match my daughter and her University All Star team were fighting," Chiyo Shimada, head of the Shimada family and rival to Shiho's own family.

Shiho turn to take in the sight of the woman she once consider friend and rival but was nothing more than the latter now. Chiyo wore the same long red business dress that slightly hug her supple frame, her pale skin seeming to glow on her adding to her beauty, while hazel eyes seem to bore right into Shiho as she came into the room.

As Chiyo made her way into the room, she was graceful with meeting everyone. Her inviting personality garner all the board members attention. Shiho knew that was just who Chiyo was, her personality was like a magnet for people to gravitate towards, while Shiho had respect because of her fearsome reputation, but people kept a distance from her severe nature.

After talking quickly with the board members, Director Kodama, and then Renta. Chiyo made her way over to Shiho and Ami, her steps precise and her face had that smile that said, I know everything. It made Shiho grimace at her approach, knowing she had to play nice.

"Miss Chono, looking strong and radiant as ever. The very look a prominent member of tankery should have," Chiyo said, with a small smile on her face.

Ami bow with respect to the head of the Shimada family. "You grace me with your words, Miss Shimada."

Chiyo nodded at that, then turn to Shiho. "And Shiporin is well, looking like usual Shiporin."

The nickname that was once something that made Shiho laugh, now made her internally rage, also knowing that Chiyo was taking a secret jab at her too by continuing to use it after the friendship had sour. As always, the women was cunning with her words, causing Shiho to calm herself and not to rise to her former friend's silent joke.

"While you been looking well, like usual Chiyokichi," Shiho said, tossing the nickname she use for her back in the day.

The small jab only made Chiyo small smile, grow wider as she spoke. "Well, you don't ever change. Though I can't say I do either. Miss Chono, would you mind if I have a moment alone with my old friend?"

"Uh, oh, yes Miss Shimada, certainly," Ami said, then quietly walk away. Though she felt a little peeve that again she was being cut out of something she thought might be an important conversation.

Chiyo watch the JSDF Captain walk off, then turn back to Shiho. "Well now that verbal jabbing is out of the way. How are you really?"

"Fine," Shiho monotone out.

"A poet as always with your words," Chiyo started, sighing at her former friend. "You could add some emotion to that statement, though I know that's hard for you Nishzumi's."

"As it is hard to obtain the top of the Sensha-do Mountain for Shimada's," Shiho shot back.

That made Chiyo chuckle, then decided to jab back. "You know, they say the climb is quite loud, full of exertion of your drive to reach the top, others surround you trying to out climb your drive adding their own voices, though reaching the top is the scariest part."

Shiho decided to play Chiyo's game. "Why is that?"

"Because when you slip from the top, the fall is faster than the climb and the scariest part…." Chiyo stop talking, as she lean close to Shiho with her face so close to hers, Shiho thought she might kiss her, but stop just before their faces touch with their eyes lock on one other. "Is how quiet the fall is, it's more suffocating than the climb, you can't breathe, you can't yell for help, it's just you and the deafening silence for company."

A shiver ran up Shiho's back as her rival finished the sentence, but remain her compose self on the outside. "Only a fool whose neck has been looking up so long would believe that."

Chiyo now back away, pointing at Shiho with a finger. "Now there is the Shiho I know and love. Never one to back down, never to waver, always resolute in the face of the enemy. Ah, how I've missed this, it feels like I can let my hair down around you."

"While it feels like I can never turn my back to you," Shiho said dispassionately.

"The feeling is quite mutual. Oh, it looks like Mister Kodama wants to get the meeting underway, come sit next to me will you," Chiyo said in a voice that brokered no argument.

"Alright," was all Shiho responded with.

Soon all the board members were sitting around the oval table, looking to Director Kodama who was standing near one end of the table, with Renta next to him looking as shady as he ever was. Making sure first that all eyes were on him, Kodama then spoke to the members of the meeting.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the board, allow me to thank you for being here today for the exciting news were bringing to you. While I also want to thank our special guests Miss Nishizumi, Miss Shimada, and Miss Chono for gracing us with their presence."

The three women bow in their seats to the director, then the meeting got back underway.

"Now," Kodama began again. "I know all of you are wondering why I've called all of you here today. Well, the special news we're bringing is first to some changes that are being made to this year's tournament and also to the future of Sensha-do."

"Excuse me Director, but the tournament is already underway. We can't possibly make changes at this stage, right?" A board member ask.

Kodama nodded at that. "Your question is valid. Though I had these new rules implemented with my proposal for these new perks to the sport. As you know this year was an experimental test for how Sensha-do would evolve with the new changes. There were possibilities that these new perks might have unsettled the nature of our long treasured sport, but as you seen, it has only enhanced it."

"With the success in the qualifier and the first round of matches, we wish to move on to the second experimental phase," Renta spoke up now, pushing his glasses back up his nose.

"I didn't know about this second phase," Ami said silently next to Shiho.

"Neither did I," Shiho said in a questioning tone.

Chiyo chuckle softly at the two women, who turn to them. "You know, it pays to be informed."

Before they could reply to the teasing statement, Kodama spoke up once more.

"Yes, the second phase we plan to implement won't be too disruptive to the ongoing tournament. So let me get on to what will be changed, first the Semifinals are going to be turned around this year."

"How so?" Another board member ask.

"Were purposing a change, that matches from A and B bracket will cross over to play one another to get into the final," Kodama said.

There was some silence in the room for a bit, before a board member spoke up. "Sir, isn't that a bit too dramatic of a change?"

"I understand your worry, really I do. Yet there has been a need to spice up our sport with the populace, who have seen the same thing for the last twenty years. That's why I have worked hard to bring in these new perks that have taken years to make safe enough for use. This switch-up will just be another thing to make our sport even better, while adding some drama for our team's competing in it."

All the board members seem a bit hesitant at first, as they weren't for the last minute changes. For Shiho, she felt more dread at the change in the sport of Sensha-do, again not being a fan. Yet as much as it pain her to say, she understood the need to add more things to Sensha-do that had become somewhat stagnant over the last couple years with the fans, so adding some new dynamics could only help it for the future. However, this proposal seem to far fetch for her liking, and as well was against the idea.

Ami raise her hand to speak. "Mister Kodama, what will this new proposal look like?"

"Ah, yes Miss Chono, allow me to give the details about it. So we will have bracket A block 1 winner play block 2 winner of bracket B, with Bracket A block 2 winner play Bracket B Block 1 winner," Kodama explain.

Chiyo now added her voice to the meeting. "Ah, Mister Kodama, I hate to drag this on. Yet could you please give a more detail explanation of the possible matchups of this new semifinal dynamic, so that will all be on the same page."

"Certainly, I have no qualms about going into more detail. First, the winner of the Oarai versus Chi-Ha-Tan from Bracket A Block 1 will play the winner of St. Gloriana versus Viking Fisheries Bracket B Block 2."

Everyone absorb the information, then Kodama spoke again.

"Then the winner of Pravda versus Maginot of Bracket A Block 2 will play the winner of BC Freedom versus Kuromorimine of Bracket B Block 1."

"Ah, I see. Yet I'm sorry Mister Kodama, I'm not on board for this sudden change to our tournament" A board member.

"Mm, I'm as well not on board for this dramatic change so late into the tournament going, Director Kodama."

"Yes, though it makes for a great idea, I prefer to keep our tournament the same for this year."

"Maybe a hold on this would be better and maybe discuss doing something like this for next year."

The board members began to all agree to the opposition about this new changeup. Shiho herself was against the idea as well, adding her voice to the board members. Though Chiyo watch all this with a ghost of a smile on her face knowing there was still more news to come.

"Alright," Kodama began again, getting everyone's attention. "I understand your opposition, this isn't a dictatorship, so well postpone the cross play idea to discuss for next year instead and keep our current tournament format going. Now let's get on to the second half of the topics, Mister Tsuji will explain it, since he was the one with the proposal."

Renta Tsuji now move to the front to speak. "First part, there have been some complaints by some minor teams who played in the qualifier and in the national tournament by Viggen in the first round, who couldn't field a full set of tanks to fight the enemy. Though Ooarai is in the same boat as well, with fans complaining on their part that need help to field a full set of tanks so things can at least be fair."

"Well that is true, though this is a problem that has been hard to address over the years, you of all people should know this Mister Tsuji, since you handle the financial aspects of our school carrier program," a board member said.

"True, I know better than most of the struggle of these minor schools who can't field proper numbers due to their low budgets. It's something that has plagued our sport for a while, which has led to some hard choices that must be made," Renta said in a business-like tone that he always use.

"What hard choices must be made?" Ami ask, though she had an inkling of what was going to be said.

"That we must close some school carriers for good, so that we can finally get funding to schools that need the help," Renta nonchalantly said.

The board members frown at the statement. Mostly because they were of the same mind of Renta, though they didn't want to say the need out loud. Every one of them understood closing down a school carrier could save millions of yen that could be use on other minor team's carriers to help them, but the human factor was what made them hesitate. As who could be cold enough to want to take not just a school or academy from these students, but also what some of their families call home aboard the carriers.

Yet there was a man in that very room, who spoke in calculations, not feelings.

Renta spoke up once more. "I understand everyone's feelings on the subject. Yet for what were are planning for next year, we need to make this tough choice now more than ever."

"Certainly, I understand Mister Tsuji, please continue," Ami said, though she felt bitterness take over, knowing one of those schools would be Oarai being closed down.

"We plan to close down schools who's Sensha-do's teams are underperforming or who's schools are seeing less and less student applicants. These schools are to be Count High school, Tategoto High School, Tatenashi High School, and Oarai Girls Academy."

A board member spoke up. "Mister Tsuji, how can we close down a school that is qualified for next year's tournament? They are as well quite popular with the fans."

"I understand that, but their school carrier was soaking up huge funds for over twenty years, while it didn't even have a Sensha-do team till now. Add on the abysmal amount of students they can barely conjure up that is well below the requirement, we're only delaying the inevitable keeping them open, so I thin-."

Ami cut into the statement. "If we give them till next year, and with the great showing from their team. I believe they can bring in more applicants to their school."

"Miss Chono," Renta said, pushing his glasses up his nose now. "I understand you train this team personally, so I will give the credit of their rise to most likely your tutelage. However, aren't you making that statement with a personal attachment, instead of logically?"

"Well, that can be construed to lo-," Ami try to explain.

"Their win against West Kureoji and Koala Forest were nothing more than flukes I assure you, luck has carry this team to this point nothing more," Renta shot in, making Ami shut down.

A sudden slap on the table grab everyone's attention to turn to Shiho, who was now staring at Renta with a deadly look, "Mister Tsuji, there is no such thing as luck in Sensha-do, there is only skill. How can the Federation ignore this, especially when many of these talented girls would do well for potential World Cup members, yet were simply ok with tossing them aside."

Renta, who had been compose mostly, now balk and fidgeted having Shiho's wrath on him as he spoke. "I understand that Miss Nishizumi. Yet I can't possibly reverse the decision now, and it's not like I'm being heartless here. Many of these girls will have free transfers to other carriers to join other Sensha-do teams."

"That's not good enough. Oarai has gotten to where they are because they fight with odd, yet effective tactics. Splitting them up would only hurt their individual performance trying to conform to another school's already establish team that probably wouldn't even make them apart of their starting lineup," Shiho fought back.

Chiyo smirk at her rival, then spoke in low tone for only Shiho to hear. "My dear Shiporin, you do have a heart after all."

Shiho ignore her and spoke once more to the room. "You accuse Miss Chono of personal attachment, yet I have no such personal feelings for them, so you know that I speak for them, its with a mindset that these talented crews could be good for the future of our sport, nothing more."

"Miss Nishizumi, I respect your view. However, we can't simply keep them open without them sucking up a large amount of our budget that is needed for other schools," Renta try to explain.

"That sounds like an excuse. I understand finances better than anyone, I also have an understanding that money can't be just produce without something needing to be given back. So I ask you Mister Tsuji, what is it that we need to do to keep this school open?"

Renta sigh, knowing he was going to say something that Shiho was going to like to hear, "if this team somehow won the final, I would have no choice but to keep them open. As the winning school, we would have a major backlash for closing them as the national champions."

"I understand that, however, there are no other means you have tried to look into?" Shiho said, ignoring the sly way Renta was telling her that basically, her daughter Miho had to lose for Ooarai to continue to keep their dream alive of keeping their school open.

Kodama knowing the meeting was getting off track, decided to jump in now. "I understand this business with Oarai is very controversial. Let's leave it for another day to find some means to discover a solution if there is one. Let's get back on track to what Renta is trying to explain to us, please."

"Certainly Mister Kodama, please continue Mister Tsuji," Shiho said, then she notice Ami looking at her with a silent thanks for basically standing up for her. Shiho nodded back, as she had made the fuss earlier for Ami's sake, a show of the great care she had for her former pupil.

"Alright back on track, these schools I mention, along with Viggen show us a fundamental problem with the need to help minor schools be able to field the amount of tanks needed to fight evenly with other schools. So I am proposing a reinforcement perk to be use," Renta explain.

"A reinforcement perk?" A board member question.

"Yes, as you know, certain teams have strong ties to one another. Whether that is based on the closeness of prefectures or just long-standing friendships. I plan to use this to add ability for schools that can't match the set number of tanks require, to be able to call in other teams to reinforce them for the fight. Obviously, the call upon team can decline if they want."

Renta let the information sink in, waiting to see how the other board members and their special guest would respond to the new perk he was suggesting.

Chiyo out of all people spoke up. "I do love the idea. Too many minor teams are always struggling to field the number of tanks required of our sport. Yet this is a simple solution that will also add a new spice to our sport, imagine Saunders coming to aid of Viggen that might have help out. While in the semifinals and finals, a team like Oarai can call upon an ally to help them match their opponent's tanks. Though the team that helps them, might just be aiding another to the top, they can feel a part of the journey. This will only help keep the true spirit of Sensha-do alive, as we must look after one another."

The other board members began to nod their heads at Chiyo's explanation. Seeing the merits to the reinforcement perks would add some more variety to their sport. Fans would be in awe to see two schools fight together to take on bigger teams, while bigger teams that were knocked out might join in to help a small team achieve their goals.

"I agree with this new perk to be added," a board member said.

"Me too."

"I as well."

"I'm for this new perk."

These voices along with others in the room spoke their agreement to the new added perk. To which Renta nodded gratefully to their agreement, then spoke once more.

"Thank you for your show of support. This reinforcement feature will be experimented with for the next round, in the match between Oarai versus Chi-Ha-Tan only."

"Why now?" Shiho question.

"We need to get a feel for how this will work, while also making use of an opportunity to bring forth the next topic of discussion for us, to which I will allow Mister Kodama to finish this meeting with," Renta said, then back off so his boss could take center stage.

"Alright, the last part of this meeting, is to inform you of the new international school carrier system were bringing in," Kodama said proudly.

"International school carriers?" Ami question.

"Yes, next year we will bring in carriers that will be funded by their own affiliate nations, which will save us untold millions next year. While also bringing along national teams that will compete at the high school level with our current schools."

The board room broke out in silent chatters with one another over the news, all offering their own opinions on the situation. Most agree that this new system would help save their budget for other schools, while at the same time building for the World Cup that was to be held in a couple of years that would need veteran national Sensha-do members for it.

"Now, the following countries have pledged to join this system is as follow Great Britain, France, and United States of America for now, we plan to get other nations on board later on."

"What of the United States, I had thought their government was opposed to Sensha-do?"

Kodama nodded at that. "That is true, though there has been a change of heart. Mostly because they wish to see if their experimental academy they raise can stand tall in Sensha-do. Which with Mister Tsuji's experimental reinforcement perk, I think we can give their academy a shot."

Shiho felt instant dread over the news.

"This American Academy goes by the name of Wolverton Girls Academy, that is going to be kind enough to provide four of their top tanks and crews to Oarai Girls Academy since Oarai has recently registered eleven tanks, these four will give them the fifteen they will need," Kodama explain.

A board member immediately spoke up. "I don't mean to question you director, but haven't we just handed down a stern punishment to Chi-Ha-Tan Academy? This might seem unfair to them if we allow these last-minute foreign reinforcements."

"Your question is warranted, as this would feel unfair to Chi-Ha-Tan. Yet at the same time, Chi-Ha-Tan can still fill out a full fifteen for the next match. While at the same time these newer additions will be complete rookies who never competed in a match. Furthermore, we're going to inform Chi-Ha-Tan of this, as well as the tanks that will be use in a couple of days, once we have everything settle."

Shiho wanted to argue hearing this. Yet she held her tongue, for one point being it would look like she was getting too emotional over this because her daughter was Chi-Ha-Tan's commander, while second she felt this was already set in stone, with Kodama mostly likely having met Konomi and knew about the whole Nishizumi business especially since he was the one to ban Panzer Kettō from any Sensha-do family doing it.

She also wasn't feeling any anger at Kodama, as she knew he was a neutral man who didn't play sides. He care deeply for the sport of Sensha-do, and would only agree with it for the betterment of the future of the sport. Yet there was still some bitterness that he has said nothing to her when she came into the meeting, knowing how this was going to go down.

"Alright now that is out of the way, with only the cross play tournament idea being rejected, is there any opposition to the other ideas? Again, this isn't a dictatorship, as I wish to have the consent of the board. Also, if Miss Nishizumi, Miss Chono, or Miss Chiyo have anything to say, I'm more than willing to hear your concerns as well."

The voices of the board members began to ring one after the other. Besides still rejecting the cross tournament play, they all agree to the other additions to the tournament, since it wasn't a major overhaul while benefiting their sport for the future. Though there were worries about some backlash from the fan base, they could see that they're most likely being a small majority that wouldn't derail the High school Sensha-do Tournament.

"I'm fine with this, actually quite excited to see how this plays out," Chiyo said with a wide smile.

"I have no opposition to this besides the cross tournament play," Ami said.

Shiho was silent for a moment. Her hesitation was mostly because Miho was going to be paying for her past, with this American team joining the fray. This was her past coming back to haunt her, but the one who might have to pay for it was Miho….

"Shiporin, are you alright?" Chiyo lean close to her in her seat, whispering so only she could hear. "I know this is all a bit much to take in. Yet you know if you argue, you will look a bit too emotional over this because it's your daughter."

Shiho turn to say something snarky to her rival, but Chiyo cut her off.

"How about you just agree, and then I will show you to your cousin. She really wants to have a small chat with you," Chiyo said, with a ghost of a smile on her face.

Begrudgingly, Shiho turn back to Kodama, and spoke in a composed tone. "I have no issues with these changes, while still rejecting the cross tournament play."

Kodama nodded, "good if there is nothing else, this meeting is adjourn, good day everyone."

XxxxxX

"And here we are," Chiyo said with a bright grin on her face.

The two had left the meeting together. Ami understood the two powerful ladies were going to discuss something in private and bid them a good day. Then the two had taken an elevator to another level, where they exited and made their way to a private meeting room that they were now standing outside of.

"Well," Chiyo began, "I'm not going to intrude on this family reunion. This is where we part ways my dear Shiporin, till we meet somewhere down this road of life."

As Chiyo began to walk away, Shiho spoke up. "Chiyo, are you working to destroy me and my family? Are you responsible for my cousin coming back?"

The head of the Shimada family, after hearing the question stop in her tracks, then turn to look a Shiho. What Shiho thought was going to be a look of hatred or that sly smile she always used. Instead, Chiyo look at her rival with a quiet sadness, a look that for some reason made Shiho feel like she had been gut punch.

"My dear Shiho. During high school and college, we had a friendly rivalry even as stoic as you were back then, it was fun. Then when you found love, you smile and laugh, from then on we were friends. However, the day your husband left, that all sour, and now all you care for is your family name," Shiho stated.

Shiho gave her a hard look. "You would have done the same, would you not, if our roles were reverse?"

"You fool, did you not hear the word friend in that statement," Chiyo said sadly. "If I was truly your friend, then you would have reach a hand to me, instead you let the darkness swallow you thinking you had no one to say its ok, I'm here for you."

"You can't poss-," Shiho now try to fight back.

"You are again a fool, who let the darkness warp her view on things. Wanting to raise your name to the top so you can hide the shame of that scandal forgetting those you broke on the way up, I watch all this with tears, till I no longer had any left to shed for you. If you want to believe your power is untouchable, that you were safe in your belief you couldn't be broken, you have no further to look than your daughter Miho," Shiho continue to rip into her former friend.

"She has no-," Shiho again try argue.

"She has everything to do with this, she has shown the world what the Nishizumi style should have been. One that looks after its tankery family, instead of being ok with sacrificing them for trivial prizes, when the real prize is those who you hold near your heart, as I once held you."

Now Shiho said nothing back to this, there was nothing to she could conjure up. In one instance her former rival had broken her with words more savagely than any amount of shells she fire at her in their tank commander days.

Chiyo shook her head again, then walk away while uttering some final words to her former friend. "Remember my dear Shiporin, the fall is quieter than the climb, and is over before you can ever try to save yourself."

Watching her until she was out of sight, Shiho steel her heart and open the door without knocking to enter the small meeting room. In the room, sitting on the edge of the table was a beautiful woman, with large brown eyes, coupled with her long black hair tied into a long ponytail. She wore a tight-fitting business suit, as she was playing with her nails, but upon seeing Shiho she smile.

"Cousin, so good to see you," Konomi said, her voice calm.

"Konomi, you look about the same as I remember…." Shiho began to say, but trail off.

"As you remember that day you humiliated me, don't be shy now, you can say it out loud," Konomi said, with a calm tone.

"I had thought you might be a bit more confrontational," Shiho said.

Konomi shrug at that. "Maybe ten years ago, I might have wanted to strangle you if I ever saw you."

"Should I be worry being in this small room with you," Shiho said defensively, her hands at the ready to defend herself.

"Are you scared of me cousin?" Konomi said, her teasing eyes seeming to analyze Shiho now.

"Don't be ridiculous," Shiho said, then decide to change the subject, "You've been busy cousin I hear."

"Oh yes, being outcasted from your family can do that, though I had spent some time in a dark state you know," Konomi said, pushing off the table she had been sitting on to stand.

"Are you expecting me to apologize?" Shiho said coldly.

Konomi chuckle, then spoke when she calm down. "Oh heavens no, I don't want your apology. I don't want anything from you, but to stand here and hear me."

Shiho eye her cousin, then spoke. "Go on."

"I was naive to think we become close after that duel, after all these years that is something I can admit to now. I didn't understand the severity of what we were fighting for, I just saw it as taking on someone I admire, respected for her strength, and wish we become close like sisters. That wasn't meant to be, a foolish girl with delusions I was."

Shiho said nothing back, letting her cousin keep talking.

"After I was thrown out on the street like trash, I was a walking husk for some months afterward. Till some man took me off the street, though not to save me, but to have his wa-."

"Thiers no point to this retelling of your life to me, you suffer and now you're here to exact your revenge, that's all there is to this," Shiho snarl, just ready to be done with all this, though she knew the more she heard, the more her fragile heart would break and she didn't know if there was any more pieces left to break, as she was the one responsible for this.

"Cousin, I had thought you would have had some more patience, I know I had to have a great deal to reach this point. You see, why you were living a happy life with your daughters, I was suffering even when I carve a decent life for myself in America. That duel and the shame that follow stay with me, sometimes I stare at a gun in my bedroom wondering if I should put it against my head."

Shiho glower. "We were a product of our time. If you had beaten me, I would have been tossed out on the street like garbage, it was killed or be killed mentality in those days for our family."

"Really?" Konomi said, her causal tone now becoming hard. "Say I did win, and that did happen. Could you imagine it? Walking the streets with your clothes coming apart, people avoiding you like you are the plague, and worse some strange man grunting all over you as he has his way. Could you imagine that life?"

"I took no pleasure in what I did," Shiho said, though her voice became somewhat meek.

"And you made no effort to look after your cousin, don't try to justify your actions, not when you got to have a family afterwords. You play the happy mom for a while, Chiyo told me. While I had to build myself up slowly. Yet fate toss me a bone when my brother help me move to America, I was able to find my way back to Sensha-do and it has brought me back so much happiness I thought was lost to me."

"Did that happiness come in the form of Tsueno's child you took in," Shiho question.

"Don't make it sound like I stole her, she was the one to run from her old man. Even better I save her from some thugs who try to have the poor girl," Konomi said with amusement.

"Aren't you the knight in shining armor," Shiho said dispassionately.

Konomi chuckle a bit, then spoke. "You seem to have found some humor under all that severe attitude you got. Yet now Fukushu sees me as her mother, and unlike you, even if she fails in this battle, I won't want to chase her off like you did with your daughter Miho."

"You leave her out of this," Shiho said, her voice low in a growl.

"You know if I hadn't heard about Fukushu, I would have taken Miho under my wing with the help of Miss Shimada of course," Konomi said with a teasing grin, knowing she was pressing her cousin's buttons. "Wouldn't it be ironic to be undone by your own daughter, by your own cousin and with her own form of the Nishizumi style."

"You have no right to the Nishizumi style," Shiho shot back.

"No your right, I would need a true Nishizumi. Maybe after Fukushu beats your daughter Miho into the dirt, and then goes on to win the national tournament, then will know if we have the right to the style or better yet take it for our own," Konomi said with a sly grin.

"If you think Miho will go down so easily, you might be in for a rude surprise cousin," Shiho said, knowing with this sentence, she was openly accepting Miho once more.

Konomi seem to grow excited by the statement. "Good, that's the fire I want to see burning, it will be that much sweeter when Fukushu snuffs it out. Yet you should know something cousin."

"What's that?" Shiho ask warily.

"At this point, don't think me to be solely obsessed with defeating you. It would be icing on the cake to see you fall, but as long as my girls perform well in this match, we will be granted our academy fully. Seeing what you are now, I almost feel bad for you, like our situations our reverse," Konomi said in a disappointed tone.

"You're babbling nonsense."

Konomi shook her head, then spoke. "Shiho, do you even see it?"

"See what?"

"How pathetic and lonely you become. Your own daughters keep you at arm's length, your husband is gone, and there are few you trust. Your alone, like I was, but I have risen above it, while you seem to allow yourself to be swallowed by it, thinking all that success would keep it at bay," Konomi said.

Shiho, hearing almost the same speech Chiyo had given her earlier, coupled with everything else, felt like something snap within her at that moment, like a thin piece of thread that had been holding the web together had finally cracked under the pressure of expectations and duty. In a rush, Shiho charge forward and grabbed Konomi by her collar with both hands, while Konomi was too surprised by her cousin's strength to break free, and just grab Shiho's forearms to try and defend herself.

"You think I was born this way! That I just came out cold and merciless! You grew up loving Sensha-do, while I hated it!" Shiho scream, no longer caring for appearances and letting her emotions free, while saying a deep secret that not even Hidemichi knew about.

"You…hated it?" Konomi question.

"Yes! How could I love a sport that felt like it was just my duty? The very sport that made me follow a path I didn't even choose for myself, that made me break our cousins one after the other!" Shiho scream in rage, needing to let it all out.

"You think tha-," Konomi try to say.

Though Shiho began to speak, her voice sounding tired now. "I once show mercy in a Panzer Kettō."

That made Konomi clamp up and listen.

"It was to our cousin Yori, and it almost cost me the match. After I got home, my mother Nayoko, displeased with my show of mercy drag me by the hair into a dark room and beat me. She beat me, yelling the ideals of Nishizumi till I couldn't even dream without hearing them over and over in my head, at some point in the beating I lost consciousness and when I awoke I vow to never show mercy again. From then on I was nothing but a tool."

Konomi was shocked, even with a part of her wanting to call out Shiho for lying about that. Part of her could tell by her cousin's body language that she was speaking the truth. There was also Nayoko, Konomi still remember her, a woman that was rigid and remorseless, though she never thought she beat her own daughter, yet with Konomi's own dark past with her own family, she knew that was something that was plausible.

"From then on, I never show mercy, because I knew if I did that the next beating would be worse. It got to the point where I just saw it as my duty and nothing else," Shiho said sadly, then release Konomi now.

Konomi fix her collar, then stare at her cousin as she spoke. "Even knowing this, I don't find it in my heart to forgive you. We all have a choice Shiho, you chose to bow and cower to your mother when you knew what you were doing was wrong."

"Yes, I bow and cowered, because I didn't know what else I could do with my life. Even to this day, I don't know what I really want to do with my life, I guess I'm still just following the script," Shiho said in a defeated tone, not knowing why she was spilling her guts to someone who had every right to hate her.

"Well that again was your choice, you ignore the fact because of all the success Kuromorimine had, burying it under all those Victory Flags and prestige. Now you must come face to face with your past, and when my daughter is done with both of yours, maybe you should step down and find a life away from Sensha-do," Konomi stated.

Shiho said nothing.

"My, this conversation turn out to be as exciting as I thought it was, but I have other business to attend to. Good day cousin, I'll see you on match day," Konomi said, then without waiting for a response, she walk past Shiho.

Yet when she reached the door, Konomi stop and turn to look a Shiho's back, then spoke in a quiet voice. "I wish things could have turned out better for us cousin, but fate is a cruel mistress."

Shiho didn't respond as Konomi left the room.

After some time, Shiho finally pull a chair over to sit in it, as she bury her head into her hands, as she began to softly cry. After her talk with Tsueno, she had been feeling more emotional lately and could no longer hold back tears like she had done over the years, almost as if they had been saved up for just these moments.

Speaking in a quivering tone, with tears leaking through her hands, Shiho spoke, "what have I done."

XxxxxX

"Load AP! Traverse right! 1 o'clock, 500 yards, fire when ready!"

"Up!"

"On the way!"

The M4A3E8 of Wolverton Academy let loose a furious shell across the grassy plain at a plywood target that had popped up, that was punctured by the AP shell, sending splinters of wood everywhere. Even better the shot was deadly accurate, hitting dead center in the target square.

Looking through her binoculars, while sitting cross-legged on top of the turret of the tank next to the commanders cupola, dress in the Wolverton's tankery uniform, was Linda Sickle who was smiling now. "Well guess you can hit dead center, only took you a hundred tries though."

"You are never pleased, are you? Besides we only had one miss shot today" Fukushu huff out in annoyance, wearing her 1938 US tankery helmet with the tanker goggles around her neck along with her Wolverton tankery uniform, consisting of a gray tanker jacket with the school's logo of a wolf baring its fangs in defiance on the shoulders, along with the dark green shorts, gray long socks, and lastly dark green high boots.

"You did say not to take it easy, don't go crying to Jasmine because you can't handle what you requested," Linda said with a smug tone.

Fukushu scowl at the thought of Linda being right, she had requested that the tough instructor to do that to help her become better after that mock battle they had that day, as well as the fistfight the two had. Linda had broken Fukushu down, making her against her will, see that Fukushu wasn't acting like a tank commander, but nothing more than a brat who whine that she didn't get her way.

Yet afterword's, things had improved steadily for Fukushu, as she and Nicole share a dorm room together. They at first hadn't gotten along, sometimes fighting over the simplest things until morning, with neither getting any sleep. Yet the drive to succeed and prove to the other students that they had the right the fight with the school's only M4A3E8, only made them do away with their difference and find their common ground to become this young academy's aces.

As much as it pain Fukushu to admit even now, Linda had been a great help to her. She had come to respect Linda's teaching formula that was like a mentor who never gave out praise even when you were successful but when she did praise her, Fukushu felt real pride in herself. Though she had to admit that Linda's teaching of looking up and being merciless to those on the bottom was taking to her now, especially since she wanted the Nishizumi Family of Japan to be looking up at her when she rose to the top and beat that family out of existence, with the American Nishizumi style being all that was left.

"Alright! Time to take off the kid gloves," Linda said excitedly.

"Orders, ma'am?!" Fukushu said, quick with responding to orders, an effect of Linda's discipline training taking root.

"We're going for a moving shot! Full speed and show me how effective of a setter you are!" Linda order.

Fukushu nodded. "Yes ma'am!" She then brought her wired communicator up to her mouth, switching over to internal crew net for her tank. "Holly! Give me full speed forward!"

"Roger!" Holly shouted back excitedly.

The Easy 8 surge forward from its position, over the grass target practice field. Fukushu lean against the commanders cupola to keep steady in the tank. She look over to Linda who was sitting cross-legged on the tank, yet seem at complete ease on it, even with it pushing forward at max speed with her black hair flowing in the wind.

God, all that beauty is wasted on her

Fukushu thought, even though she had come to respect Linda, she still hated her at most times, since she was so strict. Though she seem to be a bit lighter on Fukushu than on the rest of her friends lately, which her friends didn't quite like. Jasmine had been the most vocal to Fukushu, about not taking to Linda's teaching, but so far Fukushu had just tuned her out since she needed Linda to make her into an effective tank commander.

"Alright show me what you got brat," Linda smugly said, knowing that calling Fukushu that, only made her focus the annoyance into making her eat her words, a weird way to get the best out of her charge, but she has seen how effective it had been over the past week.

Ignoring the chance to comment back to Linda, Fukushu instead began to scan left to right. She was looking for the practice target to pop up. The practice target field had a course set up for plywood tank cutouts to pop up, as a way to make the tankery girls of Wolverton first identify, then get their call out's right so their gunner could put it down. This stressful training was made to get the tank commanders' minds working fast since that was what was going to be needed in a real Sensha-do match.

Suddenly a plywood cut-out pop up to Fukushu's left. Upon seeing the cutout shape, her teeth clench with anger, hands squeeze so tight they turn white, and her mind becoming solely focused on the target. That plywood target was in the form of a Tiger 1, the same model both Nishzumi's sisters use that only made Fukushu's anger grow, as she hated the Tiger 1 more than any other German tank.

Yet through Linda's tutelage, Fukushu channel her anger to help clear her mind, and in this moment she did just that, as her orders came out clip, precise, and with no hesitation. "Alice load AP, Nicole 100 yards, traverse left, 10 o'clock, I'll call the shot, make sure our Gyro is on for stabilization."

"Up!" Alice confirm back.

Nicole use the power traverse, as her left leg bounce up and down excitedly, ready to step on the firing pedal on her commanders order. Once she was set in the right clock direction, while angling her gun trusting her tank commander, she spoke over the crew net. "On your order."

Fukushu eye the barrel of her gun, letting instincts take over, just like Linda taught her to do. To not worry about all the little things about tankery, and let her gut feeling take over.

Feeling her moment was right, Fukushu call for the shot. "Now!"

"On the way!" Nicole yell.

The Easy 8 76mm gun let loose another furious shell, with the call and aim that were perfect. As the shell found its way into the cutout, and with impressive velocity as it tore a large hole into the plywood tank.

Linda grin. "Good, you didn't just aim like a chicken with its head cut off. You got it right in the turret ring, which is a kill shot in Sensha-do."

"Glad to shove it in your face, ma'am," Fukushu said with a wide grin.

"Why you little…" Linda began to say, then reach over to rustle the young girl's helmet to irritate her.

"Hey, quit it!" Fukushu shouted back, as the older girl ignore the plea to continue to mess with her charge.

After Linda had had her fun, she spoke. "Also remember, your 76mm gun can kill a Tiger from the front armor, don't put so much emphasis on a ring shot like that. Even with its 101mm frontal armor, it's flat as a board, and at this range won't stand up to your gun's velocity."

"Roger that, but since the shells are made to be less lethal, will that work just firing right into its frontal armor," Fukushu ask, though annoyed that she had to fix her helmet

Linda nodded. "Yes, those sensors aboard are more accurate to what counts as a kill shots nowadays. The real menace is slope armor, something those damn Russian tanks of Pravda love, since it's made to practically redirect shells which lead to a high chance of bouncing."

"Is that why you struggle so much with them in that match last year?" Fukushu ask, but with a gentle tone, not wanting to rub the loss in Linda's face anymore."

"Yea," Linda said in an annoy tone, but not at Fukushu, but at herself for being such a fool then. "Yet that experience I can pass on to you, so remember that. Don't fear that Tiger 1's frontal armor, because it can't hold up to your gun unless it starts to angle its tank, then that's when you're in trouble."

"Angle its tank?" Fukushu question.

"I'm sure those damn Nishzumi's sisters use this technique, so I'll let you in on it. Like I said, your gun can penetrate the frontal armor no problem because it's flat, but if they angle the corner of their tank towards you, your rounds won't be able to find the sweet spot. It's one of the Tiger 1's impressive features you need to understand to beat," Linda tutor.

"How do I beat it?" Fukushu ask, eager to learn.

"Well for one, don't be a fool and charge the tank directly. Also unlike in real World War Two warfare, Sensha-do matches have tanks fighting at almost all times no more than 100 to 300 yards. Very few tankers in our sport actually engage at extreme ranges like 1000 yards, though I had a gunner by the name Naomi on my Saunders team last year who could fire at the range with no problem."

"So with such short ranges, I just need to be the first one that fires to win, as you told me before."

Linda nodded at that. "Yes, the first to fire usually wins the engagements. Yet remember if you're caught out, don't forget to use smoke shells to blind them, then reposition for a better shot. Alright enough with the training for today, let's get back to the garage."

"Roger that," Fukushu said, then switch to her internal crew net. "Holly let's head back to the tank garage."

The hatch over the driver area popped open, as Holly brought herself up to poke her head up, then turn to salute Fukushu as she kept one hand on the driving sticks. "You got it, commander."

As they drove off the practice target field and back to the road leading to Wolverton's tank garage, Fukushu turn to talk with Linda. "How's everyone else coming along with the training?"

"Well if you're asking about your friends Jasmine, Ellie, and Morena. Their performing like usual as you know, top grades for them. While the rest of our girls are coming along slowly but surely. Be nice to get some better US tanks to use though."

Fukushu nodded. "Do you think our club will upgrade before we get put into a Sensha-do match?"

Leaning on her arms in thought, Linda spoke. "Beats me, I'm just an instructor. I don't know how anything about the finances of a club work."

"Huh! You commanded Saunders though, you would have had to manage the club's finances when it came to handling your tanks," Fukushu accused.

"Ha!" Linda stared then turn to her annoying charge. "With as much wealth as we had, money was never a real issue, could practically just spend as much as you want."

Fukushu look on with awe, then spoke in an irritated tone. "You're too casual."

"Ah, you're just too uptight," Linda said with a teasing grin.

"Am not!" Fukushu fought back with a growl.

"Sure, sure," Linda said leaning back on her right arm.

The Easy 8 soon pull into the Wolverton tank garage, to the applause of the girl mechanics and some tankery members who had been watching the target practice by Fukushu. Staring down from her commanders cupola, the young Nishizumi smile, as there had been a sudden turnaround in the attitudes of the other students towards her. Where before they saw her as nothing but an upstart daughter of the head instructor Konomi, now they saw her as a rising star in their club, with her crew that was becoming quite deadly.

Fukushu climb down her tank while taking her tanker's helmet off, with her crew right behind her, wearing proud faces for their hard work that was paying off. Linda was the last to climb down and was saluted by Fukushu and her crew, since she was the one who had helped them improve greatly in such a short time.

"Alright ladies, you may have shown me you're worthy to at least sit in this M4A3E8, but the road of improvement never ceases, is that understood?" Linda said with a sharp look for her charges.

Speaking as one, Fukushu and her crew reply back. "Ma'am!"

"Remember the pack is stronger together!" Linda yell, loud enough for the whole hanger to hear her.

This time everyone, tankery members and mechanics howl back to their hated and respected instructor. "The pack is stronger together!"

With a smirk, Linda nodded to them then left the hangar to report on the results of today's practice.

Fukushu felt a hand on her shoulder, and turn to Nicole. "Nice job commander, sorry I ever doubted you like before."

A feeling of gratefulness took over Fukushu, as she was beginning to feel more and more like a Sensha-do tank commander as she reply back to her gunner, "nice spike."

"Better set," Nicole said with a grin, this being their secret code of respect to one another.

"Hey I want a secret phrase of respect," Holly intervene now.

"Sorry Holly, you need to fight with Fukushu some more for that to happen," Alice said, a small smile on her face coming on, though she still look awkward since she wasn't used to doing it.

"Hey!" Fukushu said with embarrassment. "You don't need to fight with me for that to happen."

"Really, I thought the same thing," Rebecca added to the younger girl's torment.

"You all are the worst," Fukushu said, causing her crew to chuckle at her getting teased.

Alice look on with approval, that finally, their crew had a close-knit bond, even this quiet girl for the first time felt like she belong to this crew. She was an introvert for most of her life, but something about Sensha-do made her take a chance to belong to a group and do away with being shy, and the crew under Fukushu's command was the best thing to happen in her life.

"Nice work girls!" A voice call out to the group.

All eyes turn to see Fukushu's friends and also the top three tankery members of Wolverton Academy, though Fukushu was catching up to them steadily. Jasmine, Ellie, and Morena came walking up to the group saying their congratulations for their great target drilling of the day, as they were proud of the crew's sudden rise up the ranks.

"Well come on girls, let's leave Fukushu to her friends. Catch you later," Nicole said with a wave goodbye, followed by the rest of Fukushu's crew.

Fukushu nodded after them grateful for their support and the friendship that came with it. There was a unity built between the five girls that was slowly, yet surely taking Wolverton by storm, making them more than worthy to crew the M4A3E8 and now one can argue against it.

"Nice job hermanita," Morena said excitedly, as she wrap her arms around Fukushu's waist to pick her up and twirl her around, making both girls laugh.

"Easy Morena, she just got through a tough training session. You might make her sick and cause her to hurl her breakfast on you," Ellie tease.

Morena put her friend down, then turn to Ellie with a scolding look. "Estas enojada, ella es casi mejor que tu."

"She is not better than me," Ellie shot back.

"I am so," Fukushu jump in, wanting to toot her own horn.

Jasmine rub her head as a headache was coming on. "Alright enough girls."

The bickering didn't stop though between Ellie and Morena, so Fukushu turn to Jasmine with an excited smile. "Are you proud of me? I improve so much this past week."

A smile cross Jasmine's face. "You don't need to ask me that, I was always proud of you. Though I have my reservation about how close you're getting with Linda."

"She isn't so bad once you get to know her," Fukushu said with a shrug.

Ellie, who put her bickering on hold with Morena after hearing what Fukushu said, spoke now. "You can't be serious. Remember she punch you in the stomach after that practice match."

"Well yea, but I challenge her to a fight," Fukushu timidly said.

Jasmine didn't like the response one bit as she spoke. "She had no right to do that. I still can't believe my dad didn't do anything but talk to her about it."

"Well, maybe it was because Miss Konomi pick her, is why he didn't do more? He has a lot of respect for Miss Konomi's decision," Ellie said.

Fukushu now added her voice in. "Look, it isn't like we're best friends or anything. I still hate her, just a little less now. Plus she is the one to get me on track and realize my potential."

"Fine, but I still don't like her beating on you as a form of motivation," Jasmine said.

Morena nodded to her platoon leader's statement. "Yea, hopefully the next mock battle with her, will get the upper hand on her and make sure she feels our punches in the form of shells."

"Yea," Ellie said excitedly, "will make sure to knock her down a peg for sure."

"Well ladies, that won't be needed," A voice call out to the four girls.

The four girls turn to see their school's head director coming towards them, Johnson Fitzgerald. He was an imposing figure for sure, standing well over the girls, wearing a rich green and gray business suit. Like his daughter Jasmine Fitzgerald, he was of African American descent, with large brown eyes, a clean shave head, and a long neatly trim black beard.

In quick succession, Jasmine order her three friends to line up and snap salutes off to the academy director. Johnson for his part, gave them a smart salute back, reminding him a bit of his army days and to his time he fought in the Gulf War as an Officer in the US Armor Corps commanding a M1 Abrams platoon. He had covered himself in medals during that conflict, though was glad when the war came to an end since he lost some good friends over there.

"Good afternoon ladies," Johnson said, after dropping the salute.

"Good afternoon Director," The four girls said back in unison.

"Good job today as well, especially you Fukushu, you improve quite a bit in such a short time. Hard to believe you were struggling in the earlier parts of training," Johnson said with an approving tone.

Fukushu blush a bit in embarrassment. "Thank you Mister Johnson, I owe that mostly to Linda getting me sorted."

"Even though she was out of line to doing it," Jasmine said, again wanting to make it know her displeasure about what happened after the mock battle.

Johnson nodded in understanding to his daughter. Hearing of Linda's use of force against Fukushu after the initial mock battle had caused a stir around the academy. Yet Johnson also understood that the reason for the use of force was because Konomi knew that Fukushu needed a way to improve in a short time, so Konomi had told him to look the other way when Linda handed down the initial brutal treatment.

It was a shock for sure when Konomi told Johnson that before she left for Japan, him knowing how much she love the girl. Yet was ok with putting her through such rough treatment, but Johnson relented but said he only let it happen once and that was it. Yet for all his reservations about this little scheme, it seem to be paying off as Fukushu had been climbing the ranks of the academy in less than a week.

"Oh, Mister Johnson, if I might ask, what did you mean when you said that won't be needed earlier?" Morena question.

"I mean that our time to show the might of Wolverton has come," Johnson said.

"What do you mean by that dad?" Jasmine ask, her heart for some reason beating with excitement.

"How about we talk in the waiting room?" Johnson said, not wanting the news to get out just yet to every one, since there were mechanics and other tankery members meddling about.

The five soon made their way to a private room inside the hanger, where tank commanders and their crews could wait for their turn out on the practice field, since the mechanics needed to insure their tanks were fully operational before they took them out.

Closing the door behind the girls, Johnson waited till they brought some chairs up to sit in a neat row in front of him, then he spoke. "Alright ladies, what I meant earlier is our club is are going to compete in an actual Sensha-do match."

Even though they just sat down, the four girls jump out of their seats in excitement, the very thought that they would be thrust into a live match was so exhilarating, they couldn't contain themselves. Who could fault them, when they have been training for months for just that, and now the chance to show all they learn would be on display.

Jasmine spoke of first. "Who's going to be commander for our team?"

"It should be you silly!" Ellie said, touching her friend's shoulder in approval.

"Eres una verdadera líder seguiré!" Morena said touching her other friends shoulder.

"Can I be a platoon leader!?" Fukushu excitedly said, while joining her group of friends and pulling them in a group hug, her delight uncontrollable.

Johnson just watch the girls with a warm smile, they had been studying and training with little to no complaint all these months. Konomi was tough in her training, alongside Linda, yet the two had molded this team of rookies into something respectable. Johnson also understood they and they alone carry the American name into Sensha-do, since they were the only academy for it to be open, so making sure they represent with pride was paramount, and he believe these four could do just that.

"Ok," Johnson said, to get the attention of the excited girls. "I should have phrased that better, I mean you four are going to compete in a match."

"Just us four?" Ellie question.

Fukushu's shoulders now droop in sadness. "But I want the whole team to fight together."

"Me too," Morena said, with an arm around Fukushu to cheer her up.

"This isn't going to be some mock battle again with the instructors?" Jasmine said, now a bit disappointed in her dad for setting them up.

For his part, Johnson just shook his head with a smile at his students. "No, no, I wouldn't be that cruel to you, knowing how much work you been putting into this."

"Then what do you mean will be competing in a live match then? We four can't take on some team alone," Morena question.

"No you need a whole team, and your four will make someone else into a full team," Johnson said, doing his best to be vague as possible, just to aggravate his students.

"Dad," Jasmine moan, hating her dad at the moment something fierce. "Just spill please, I know you love doing this when you got some big present for me."

"It's a present for all of you though, as I have just got off the phone earlier with Miss Konomi, about the approval by the Japanese Sensha-do Federation board. So hear me out girls, you're going to compete in the currently going on Japan National Tournament," Johnson said with a wide grin, knowing they were about to go wild.

And wild they went.

"You can't be serious!"

"How?!"

"We're going to take on the best of Japan!"

"Is it against a Nishizumi?"

Johnson began to wave his hands to calm them down. "Easy girls, I will explain everything soon. Now go and gather your crews and pack several days' worth of clothes up for the trip across seas, though we won't be leaving for a couple of days, I want everything square away before that."

No sooner did he finish his sentence, did the girls begin to make a break for the door, in a rush to get to their dorm rooms first. Shoving and pulling were the name of the game to be the first to tell their crews the good news. Yet Fukushu just stay where she was, her mind racing over and over of the golden opportunity in front of her, now understanding what her mother meant by surprise she told her about before she left.

"Oh sorry Mister Johnson, may I please stay here to think on this," Fukushu said quietly.

The Wolverton Director just nodded at her. "Certainly, take your time. Know I believe you will show you belong to the Sensha-do world, and make Miss Konomi very proud of you."

Fukushu nodded in appreciation to her academy's director. "Yes, thank you for your belief, know I will make you and our academy proud."

Johnson smile, then left the room. Fukushu took a seat at a table, as a smile played across her face. She was being given a chance to see justice done for her adoptive mother and raise the very name Nishizumi of America to the skies, while bringing the damn Shiho and her daughters low, and when they were left broken and batter, like their family had done to others, they will understand the suffering they brought on.

A sudden knock on the door grabbed Fukushu's attention, she turn to see Linda leaning against the door with a wicked smile on her face, then she spoke. "Heard the good news from the director."

Linda came in and took a seat next to the Fukushu, once she was settled in her seat, Linda spoke once more. "You ready for this?"

"I'm ready for this," Fukushu said, looking Linda in her eyes with fire.

Linda's smirk grew wider with approval. "Good, this is your chance to become the great tank commander I know you can be."

Fukushu grin back. "You're not going to try to take the credit if I become famous for taking down a Nishizumi."

"Why the heck would I want to take credit for a brat like you," Linda shot back, yet the playful tone meant she wasn't serious.

"Well you are going to be looking up at me, when I'm at the top of the Sensha-do mountain, thought you want your piece of the fame," Fukushu said smugly.

"I didn't think arrogance is part of your repertoire."

Fukushu just shrug at Linda's comment. "Maybe you rub off on me, since you're less of a thorn in my side."

"That's my line," Linda joke, causing both girls to chuckle.

Once the chuckling die down, Fukushu spoke up seriously now, "I will make you proud of me too, to honor all you've done for me."

Linda lean across the table, taking one of Fukushu's hands, making her meet Linda's eyes as the drillmaster spoke. "Fukushu, you don't need to worry about what I think. Follow what you think will make you proud of yourself, however when it comes to the enemy…well you know what to do."

Fukushu look back at Linda with intensity. "Don't look at them as equals, have no mercy, no remorse, and put them down to make sure they know I'm on top."

A devilish smile play across Linda's mouth. "Exactly right my little wolf pup, exactly right. Now go and bring down the Nishizumi banners and raise Wolverton's in their place."

Fukushu stood up and saluted her drill master. "Yes, ma'am."

Then Linda watch her leave the room, as a thought passed through the mind of black hair girl.

The howls of an angry pack are going to be heard all across Japan, and there will be no dawn for the Nishzumi's when my pack is done hunting them


Author Thought:

Ok dear readers, this chapter has been the most stressful to write so far, since this is the big one to upend everything in this series. As I just made Miho's life way tougher, and their still some more twist and turns for this book.

Again, I know this has been such a slow buildup, but were getting to the fated battle which will now be more intense with the Wolverton girls joining the fray, that now makes Oarai an even deadlier opponent. Can Miho win? Who knows?

Thank you so much for giving this a read, and hope you enjoy!