Chapter 7
The Big Fight
Miho, Ano, Yukari, and Hana sat there, all mini tanks devoid of dish or food. Ano's mom giggled as she took away the empty plates and bowls.
"Check, please.", Yukari said.
"Nope, I got it.", Ano said.
"Please, there are three of us. We'd at least like to help.", Hana said.
"Nope. Dibs.", Ano said. His phone rang, and he answered.
"Huh? Uh huh...yeah...I see. Bye.", Ano said, as he hung up and slapped some yen on the check.
"Kuromorimine is requesting another match with us. They're going all out, another Tiger.", Ano said.
Yukari perked up. "Oh, really?", she asked.
"Yeah. All they said was that it's not a regular Tiger.", Ano said, shrugging. "Come on, let's go."
Later, they bid farewell to Ano's mom, and Ano and Miho walked back, while Yukari and Hana went their separate ways.
Ano walked Miho back to her apartment. The two stood awkwardly outside.
"So...this is good night?", Miho asked.
Ano nodded. "I had a great time.", he said. "I hope we can do this again."
Miho smiled. "Me too.", she said. Then she grabbed Ano's collar and planted her lips against his lips.
Ano's eyes widened, before they closed. He quickly and generously returned the kiss, the two tank commanders kissing in front of the building.
They broke off less than twenty seconds later, before Miho squeaked in embarrassment.
"Good night!", she squealed, hurrying inside.
Ano just smiled and strolled away. He didn't notice the Porsche Tiger drifting around the intersection a few moments later.
Miho walked into her apartment, and sat down. She had a goofy grin on her face, and she grabbed her Boko doll.
"I kissed him.", Miho said. "Wow...I actually did."
Ano walked home, the kiss still lingering on his mind. The taste of her lips, the sound of her moans, the gentleness of her grip.
"I kissed her.", Ano said. "I-ow, what the-"
He had turned the corner to bump into a roadblock, and he'd tripped over it. He looked up, and gasped.
Kuromorimine's tanks were rolling out towards Ooarai school. Maho's Tiger I, Erika's Tiger II, three Panthers, the Jagdtiger, the Elefant, two Langs, two Jagdpanthers, two Nashorns, a Panzer III, and another tank that Ano didn't see in their arsenal before.
"Is that...a Stürmtiger?", Ano muttered. He whipped out his phone. He quickly dialed the number of Kenn, who answered immediately.
"Hey, what's up?", Kenn asked.
"Hey, Kuromorimine's tanks are here. They got a new tank. Codeword: 380.", Ano said.
There was a second of silence, before Kenn replied back. "Got it. I got our new weapon in the garage, so we'll use that.", Kenn said.
"Yeah, got it.", Ano said, before hanging up. He dialed a number, and someone picked up.
"Hello?"
"We're using the big tank. Contact the others.", Ano said.
The next day, the eight main tanks of Ooarai were ready to roll out, with three BT-5s and three BT-7s.
Miho noticed Ano's tank was nowhere to be seen, as none of the BT-7 tanks were blue.
"Where's Ano?", she asked.
Kenn sat on his tank, a smug grin on his face. "Oh, he's just getting something real quick.", he said.
The rumble of a strange vehicle filled the air, and everyone, except Kenn, looked around.
"Look!", someone said. Miho turned, and her eyes widened.
"The...T-35?", Yukari said.
The multi-turreted heavy tank rolled in, with Ano sitting on the 76mm gun. Along with the main turret, were two smaller turrets with the BT 45mm fun, and two DT machine gun turrets.
"Eeehhh! I always wanted to see one in real action!", Yukari cried.
Then the German tanks rolled in. The Stürmtiger was in the middle, the Jagdtiger and Maho's Tiger on either side.
Maho stepped out of her Tiger, as did all the tank crew members.
"Hello, sister.", Maho said.
"Hello.", Miho said, some cheeriness in her voice.
Maho simply snorted. As annoying as her cheerful personality was, it did bring a certain light to any conversation.
"I see you've got a new tank.", Maho said.
"So do you.", Miho said.
They turned to look at their new machines of war.
The 380mm barrel of the Stürmtiger glared at the 76mm turret of the T-35, and an awkward and uncomfortable silence filled the air. It were as if the new tanks were foreign enemies.
"Let's hope for a good match.", Maho said, holding out a hand. Miho shook her sister's hand and they walked back to their tanks.
The boys strapped on their tanker helmets and walked to their tanks.
Soon, the thirty tanks were in their own starting positions.
"Go!", Maho said, and all German tanks rolled out.
"Panzer Vor!", Miho ordered, and the tanks went to moving.
The T-35, the BT tanks, and the StuG III rolled one direction, while the rest moved forward.
The blue flag fluttered atop a BT-5, and its commander waved at Miho, who waved back.
Ano stood atop the T-35. Since it was now the tallest tank in their platoon, he could see a lot farther with binoculars.
He could see the Kuromorimine tanks moving out towards them, at least seven kilometers away.
The Tiger I, the Tiger II, a Nashorn, the Elefant, the two Jagdpanthers, and the Stürmtiger were in formation, the Tiger in the front and the Elefant and the Stürmtiger in the back.
The other tanks were not there, but the thing Ano noticed was the lack of something. Something important.
"Miho, there's no flag.", Ano said.
"Huh?", Miho said. "What do you mean?"
"Half the tanks, including the Stürmtiger, are moving up. The flag isn't there.", Ano said.
"They're protecting it. Please keep providing reconnaissance. We'll provide firing support.", Miho said. Anglerfish Team, with the rest of the tanks, reached the top of the hill.
From there, they could see the seven tanks Maho commanded, reaching them slowly.
"Fire!", Miho said.
At that moment, the seven tanks with Miho opened fire, shots ricocheting off the hulls.
"Rocket!", Maho ordered. The massive blast of the 380mm gun fired, and the huge rocket powered projectile shot towards the Ooarai tanks at an alarming speed.
"Scatter!", Miho yelped. All the tanks immediately broke formation, and the rocket shot by, as it grazed the Hetzer.
"Whoa, that was a close one!", Anzu said, as Momo accidentally fell against the 75mm gun chamber from the blast.
The rocket exploded against a tree, decimating it and the other trees nearby.
The shockwave blew everywhere, fire and smoke rising in a big radius. Ano looked to see the big cloud of smoke far away.
"Miho...", he said.
"Don't worry!"
Ano turned to see Erwin and Caesar sticking out of their StuG.
"The Stürmtiger is powerful, but completely inaccurate!", Erwin said. "Rockets back then had no fins for control!"
"In the Battle Of The Bulge, a group of those things were tasked with cutting off bridge lines by blowing them up!", Caesar explained.
"But due to their inaccuracy, one of the Stürmtigers accidentally blew up a company of Sherman tanks instead!", Erwin said.
Ano sweat dropped. "How is that supposed to make me worry less?!", he yelled over the roar of the T-35's loud engines.
Another rocket fired, and the large explosive munition knocked out the Char B1.
"Fire!", Nekota ordered. The 75mm Chi-Nu gun fired, knocking out a Jagdpanther.
"Fire!", Maho said. Her Tiger's 88mm blazed, as it almost knocked out the Lee.
"We need to back them up!", Ano said. "Firing line!"
The StuG pushed on, as the BT-5 and BT-7 tanks lined up against a hill. All 45mm guns aimed, with the 76mm gun overlooking the rest.
"Fire!", Ano ordered. All the guns fired, and the brief barrage immediately knocked out the Nashorn. The 76mm gun fired, and it took out the Schürzen on the Stürmtiger, exposing its overlapping bogies.
"Cover the Stürmtiger!", Maho yelled. Erika's Tiger II backed up to cover up the Stürmtiger's exposed side, before firing its 88mm.
The shot knocked out one of the BT-5 tanks, and the rest scattered.
"Get back!", Ano ordered. The remaining BT tanks fell back, as did the T-35. But not before firing its main gun, blasting four of the Tiger II's bogies away, busting up the track as well.
"Oh, come on!", Erika cried. The Jagdpanther and the Elefant fired again, both shots grazing the Soviet heavy tank.
Then the T-35 sputtered and clanked, before stopping. Ano looked back to see a cloud of smoke being expelled by the tank's massive vents.
"Dammit. Alright, guys! Let's get moving!", Ano yelled. Ano and four more guys, which were his tank crew, jumped out and climbed on the back.
The five boys grabbed their tools and instantly started working on repair, opening vents and pulling open pipes.
"Cover fire!", Ano yelled. He could see the Elefant advancing, Maho's Tiger behind it. The Stürmtiger and the Jagdpanther were still pinning down Miho and her tanks.
The crew of a T-26 manning the 45mm guns opened fire. The crew of a BT-5 tank opened fire with the DT gun turrets.
Maho ducked in her hatch as the bullets pinged past. The Elefant was easily taking all the hits so far.
The Tiger may be strong, but the Elefant easily overpowered the heavy tank with both armor and guns.
The Elefant fired its Pak 43, the round deflecting off the T-35. The 76mm fired, and struck the track of the casemate hulled tank destroyer, instantly immobilizing it.
The Tiger struck the Elefant's rear, accidentally running into it.
"We're good! Go!", Ano yelled.
The T-35 driver, who drove a BT-5 before that, drove backwards, slow at first, but picking up speed.
"Fire!", Maho yelled. The 88mm guns of both the Tiger and the Elefant fired, and struck one of the 45mm turrets.
The turret went up in smoke, and the two crew members manning it jumped out, coughing and choking.
"Fire!", Ano ordered. The remaining four turrets in the tank fired, the overlapping recoil speeding up their retreat.
Maho sighed as she held up a hand. The commander atop the Elefant nodded and ordered her crew to cease fire and get to repair.
Erika's Tiger II finally finished repairs and caught up to Maho, as did the remaining tanks. The Nashorn and a Jagdpanther was reported knocked out.
"Miho Nishizumi's platoon has fallen back. The french tank is out, and so's one of the light tanks with the T-35.", Erika reported.
"Two casualties on both sides. At least we can group them in.", Maho said.
Somewhere else, the remaining tanks had split up altogether. The Panzer IV and the Porsche Tiger were in one area. The M3 Lee and the Type 89b were hiding in the forest. The Type 3 Chi-Nu and a BT-7 were moving towards a hill. Two BT-7 tanks rolled by, as the StuG and Hetzer waited on the hill.
Two BT-5 tanks, one of them the flag tank, were waiting at the bottom of the hill, while the T-35 was nowhere to be seen.
Momo stared from the hill with a telescope, which she was looking into with her left eye, without her monocle.
She scouted the area, holding her breathing as to keep her telescope still. She spied on the hill nearby, and what she saw made her gasp.
Ano was back in his T-35, waiting, when the radio crackled to life.
"I found the flag tank!", Momo said. Ano went to the radio, switching it on.
"Who's got the flag? We'll snipe him out!", a BT-7 commander over the radio said.
"It's the Jagdtiger.", Momo said. This shut up everyone on the radio. Ano scrambled out and took out his binoculars.
Sure enough, the massive 128mm tank destroyer had the red flag standing proudly atop its hull, surrounded by Panthers, the Panzer III, and the Stürmtiger.
"This isn't good.", Ano said, before switching the frequency on the radio. "Lee, how'd you beat the Jagdtiger last time?"
"Uhh, we lured it down a riverbed.", Yuuki said, sheepishly.
"OK...", Ano said. "Miho, any ideas?"
"Hmm...I have a plan, but it risks us the whole match. I'm not sure what other option we have.", Miho said.
"Alright, let's hear it.", Kenn said.
Somewhere else...
Maho sat in her Tiger, looking around. The other Nashorn was waiting in the forest nearby, as was the other Jagdpanther.
"Where are they?", Maho muttered, before a rattling caught her attention.
She turned around, to see two BT-5s rushing past her. The one thing she noticed was the blue flag shaking violently on one of the tanks.
Maho's eyes immediately widened. "After It, now!", she ordered. The Nashorn and the Jagdpanther chased after it, the Tiger I giving chase as well.
The Lang tank destroyers, the Elefant, and Erika's Tiger II broke out of the forest, chasing as well.
"Panthers! Stay where you are, protect the flag tank!", Maho ordered. "Keep your eyes on a swivel!"
The three Panthers and Stürmtiger immediately set up in a defensive position around the Jagdtiger. The Panzer III stayed where it was.
Miho watched as the seven medium and heavy tanks chased the two light tanks, explosions rippling around them, before nodding behind her.
The StuG and the Hetzer took aim, before firing down on the German tanks.
The shots knocked out a Lang by hitting the rear, and the Elefant by hitting the top. The other tanks turned around and opened fire, before fire from the BT-7s took out the Lang and the Jagdpanther.
"Erika, you and I stay here! You, make sure that flag tank goes down!", Maho said, looking at the Nashorn.
The Nashorn commander nodded and she ordered the tank destroyer to keep pursuit.
Miho's Panzer IV, the Hetzer, and the StuG rolled out from over the hill, firing. The two Tiger tanks rolled up the hill, exchanging fire.
The Nishizumi sisters exchanged glares, as their main guns fired again.
The Nashorn kept up the chase against the two Soviet light tanks. The Pak 43 fired, missing, but making them stumble.
"Reload!", the tank destroyer commander yelled.
"Ano, they're catching up!", the flag tank commander said over the radio.
"You're almost there!", Ano said. "And...now!"
The two BT-5 tanks split, and the T-35 opened fire, coming from the opposite direction.
The Nashorn was immediately knocked out, flipping and severely damaging it. The pop of a white flag only confirmed its fate.
"Good work. Let's move!", Ano said. The other BT-7, the two BT-5 tanks, and Leopon Team started charging the next hill, where Duck Team, Rabbit Team and Anteater Team were already heading.
A Panther rolled up to the top of the hill for a view of what was going on, until a 75mm tank shell destroyed its front, knocking it out.
"Tank 11 is down! I repeat, Tank 11 is-", the Panzer III said, before a barrage of tank shells took out the Panzer III and the other two Panthers. It was just the Jagdtiger and the Stürmtiger.
The Stürmtiger turned around and saw the T-35 coming right for them.
"Fire!", the Stürmtiger commander yelled. The rocket shot out, and barely missed the T-35, a blast of draft hitting the tank.
"Shit, that was close!", Ano said. "Fire!"
All five turrets, fully repaired, fired on the Stürmtiger. They all deflected due to its sloped armor.
The small crane on the top of the tank carried the 380mm rocket towards the tall hatch on the back, slipping it in, before firing again a few moments later.
The rocket passed the T-35 and Ano could hear the explosion a few meters behind the tank.
"Shit!", Ano muttered, before he peeked out the turret. The Stürmtiger was practically at point blank range and backing away.
"Fire!", Ano said. The 76mm gun turret fired, and the shell struck the crane carrying the rocket to the main gun, cutting off its ammo.
"Ha ha!", Kenn yelled. His tank swerved behind the Stürmtiger and delivered the killing blow.
Maho and Miho were dueling, as Erika's Tiger II, the StuG, and the Hetzer were knocked out.
"Miss Nishizumi! The escorts are down! We're on our own and surrounded! Help us!", the Jagdtiger commander cried.
Maho's eyes widened. At once, she fired a shot that destroyed the Panzer IV's tracks and sped off towards the flag tank.
"Should I get out and repair the tracks?", Mako asked.
"No. We'll leave the rest to Ano.", Miho said.
The T-35, the remaining five BT tanks, the M3 Lee, the Porsche Tiger, the Type 89b, and the Type 3 Chi-Nu were pounding Jagdtiger with everything they had, the heavy tank destroyer rocking and jumping with every hit.
"If we can't hit one spot, we'll hit them all!", Taeko said.
"We've got them!", Aya said.
"Knock then down!", Hoshino said.
"They're ours!", the gunner of the T-35's turret said, as he let loose another shell.
The Jagdtiger's 128mm gun was completely destroyed, and all its tracks were in pieces. The smooth sloped armor was now covered in craters and dents.
In the Jagdtiger, the whole crew was cowering under whatever cover they could find in there.
"Commander, where are you?", the Jagdtiger gunner whimpered.
Then a shot decimated a BT-7, knocking it out. All the tanks turned to see Maho's Tiger.
"Orders?", Nekota asked.
"The Jagdtiger can't move. We can spare the time!", Momoga said.
"No...just let her watch.", Ano said. "Keep firing at the Jagdtiger."
Soon, the barrage commenced again, and the heavy tank destroyer's armor was weakening.
"Commander! You're here, help us!", a voice over the radio begged.
"Please!"
"Commander!"
"Commander..."
"Don't!"
"Help us!"
"Medic!"
"Oh my god!"
"How could you?!"
Maho could only watch in horror as the Jagdtiger was pounded by dozens of shells by tanks all around it. Images of what she'd done to the boys before flashed in her head. The screaming, the gunfire, the burning tanks...
"I'm a monster!", Maho thought. Before she could move, the Type 89b delivered the final hit.
A loud explosion ripped through, and destroyed the last of the Jagdtiger's rear armor, finally knocking it out.
All was silent, and soon, the white flag was visible from the Jagdtiger.
A half hour later, the school medics had checked up on all the participants. The Jagdtiger crew was reported with no injuries, so they were fine.
They were all severely shaken up by the bombardment, however, and told Maho they never wanted to be the flag tank again.
Maho stared in sorrow at the looks of defeat on the girls' faces, and looked at Ooarai.
They were all chatting normally with each other, except for Ano and Miho, who were making their way towards her.
"Hey, are you OK?", Ano asked. It wasn't even a mock voice, he was genuinely concerned.
"Y-yes...", Maho said, as she looked up at Ano with teary eyes. This surprised Ano and Miho.
"Sis, are you OK?", Miho asked.
"...I'm sorry..."
Ano tilted his head, as Maho clutched her arm, looking away.
"...I'm a monster...I hurt all of you...it's all my fault.", Maho said.
Miho cringed as she remembered the yelling contest between her sister and her boyfriend.
"It's not important now. They're not mad anymore to be honest.", Ano said, surprising Maho. "You say you're a monster?"
Maho looked away again, this time out of guilt rather than shame.
"A monster wouldn't think herself as a monster. I know you feel bad about it, and that's what makes you a good person.", Ano said. "I can't forgive you, and neither can the others."
He put a hand on Maho's shoulder. "But I'm willing to trust you. And I'm sure the others are willing to do so too.", Ano said.
Maho sniffled, before she broke apart into tears, running up and hugging Ano. The boy simply returned the hug, and soon, Miho joined in.
The three were embraced for a while, before Ano broke the hug.
"So...about that Stürmtiger.", Ano said.
Yukari popped up in front of Maho. "Yes, How'd you get it? Can I drive it?", she said, excitedly.
Maho looked helplessly at the others, who sighed smirked and giggled, as she was left to deal with the overexcited tank girl.
AN: Dear, readers. Don't worry, I'm not pausing the story. I'm just gonna take a bit longer to post because there's a ton of research to take on tanks and other stuff. Thanks for understanding.
Shoutout to SeekerMeeker for helping with the inspiration of a lot of my chapters. Read his stories, they're great!