"Such a beautiful day…" said a happy looking young girl with above-shoulder length brown hair, average height, slim, wearing a Japanese seifuku uniform with green collar and skirt with the school bag in her hands.

The young girl was strolling blissfully down the street in what seems to be a small rural town. On the way, she took a deep inhale as she passes by the local bakery before she yelped "Aieeee! The breads sure smells guuddd!"

The young girl then arrived in front of a large entrance to an very,very large high school with the name being written on the gate's "Ooarai Prefectual Girls High", there is also a an Insignia representing the school on the wall of the main building that can be clearly seen from afar. She took a deep breath and exhale with a bright smile before proceed into the school's ground and continue inside of the main building.

…

Lunchtime…

The girl with short brown hair was sitting alone in her classroom,staring at her notebook,ruler and pens being neatly placed on her desk silently, it wasn't long before that slience was broken.

"Hi there, I'm Saori, Saori Takebe" said a cheerful girl with below shoulder-length ginger hair as she approached the Short brown hair girl who seems to be a new student.

Then another girl approaches the New girl, with long black hair, a warm gentle smile ever resting on her angelic face, she's quite tall. She smiled at the New girl and said with a warm, soothing voice "I'm Hana Isuzu, nice to meet you"

The new girl seems somewhat shy and flusttered by the two girl's friendliness, but it didn't stop her to smiled back at them and said "uh..Hi, I'm Miho, Miho Nishizumi, nice to meet you two aswell"

Saori leaned toward Miho and grinned "Oh c'mon, no need to be so shy,So.. do you have a boyyyfriendd~~~?"

This instantly started Miho as she jumped with her face crimson red. Saori laughed playfully as she said "I take that as a no"

Hana awkwardly said to Saori "Please Saori, I don't think you should ask that kind of question on to anyone on their first day at school… Anyway, you want to have lunch with us?" and gave Miho yet another smile radiated with warmth.

Miho seems shocked as she asked "m-me?"

…

At the cafeteria…

"Told ya she'll took the bait…" said Saori with a playful tone as she,Miho and Hana were lining up to received their lunches.

Hana,who was standing next to Miho said "Actuall… we're really wanted to talk to you for a while now.."

Saori added in "yea, you're just sitting there…spacing out and everything, it gave you a very…interesting aura"

Miho suddenly look at Saori and said "You was born on the 22 of June"

She then turns to Hana and continue "And you were born on the 16 of December"

Hana seems impressed as she nodded "why..yes I was"

Saori was the same as she said "Wowee, you actually remembered our birth date?"

Miho nodded "Yes, I've memorized everyone's information from the school's resume archive..so It'll be esier for me to make friends"

Saori then said "I KNEW you were an interesting person…hey, can we call you by your name?"

Miho then blushes and wiggle her head in joy as she said "You mean like… "Miho"? Eeeekk, it's great!"

As she said so, the lunch lady handed her a delisciously looking Tuna dish.

…

At the lunch tables…

"So as it's already too obvious, I've just moved here to Ooarai" said Miho with a excited tone.

Saori, who was enjoying her lunch said "Is that so? I'm telling you, life is full of unexpected turns and diddly dang pits… like love triangles… getting rejected even BEFORE you even confessed…finding out that yer' boyfriend is a womenizer that currently dating like.. 8 girls at the same time … going out with a ultra-handsome guy JUST~~~~ to find out he's gay after 8 months… you know.. those kind of stuffs…"

Hana then asked "So how come you have to move here? Is it… family related issues? Like you parents have to work far from home? Or… You know… battling over the Will?"

Miho seems sad as she slightly lowered her head and said "N-no…that's not it…"

Hana seems to understand that Miho doesn't want to talk about it, so she quickly said "Oh, we better eat before they got cold.."

Miho quickly acknowledge and speed up her chewing.

Saori asked her two friends "Hey, wanna' get something to drink after school?"

Miho seems excited as she said "Oooooo~~~, just like we're the 3rd years"

Saori then rest her chin on the desk as she said "Actually I have something to say… I think I've might attracted too many boys.."

Hana seems to know where this is going as she said "Oh not this again…"

Saori ignored her comment as she continue "I mean loads of boys have been approached me lately.."

Miho asked "ap-approach?"

Saori replied "Yea, the boys in the neighborhood near my house… They'd be like "Good mornin' or… "How're you doing?" and stuffs.."

Hana cut Saori off "I told you that was just normal friendly gestures…"

Saori pouted "But..they all like me I just know it"

Hana rolled her eyes "ok, ok, they like you…"

Miho smiled "Think about it Saori, your friendliness …well,that alone is enough to attracts just about anyone…"

Saori slightly blushes as she look away for a bit.

Miho gave her another smile "I was so happy when you called me by name… You're a truly wonderful friend"

Saori whispered to herself "Omg that was so~~~~ cheesy…" but obviously was was really flattered by Miho compliment.

Hana said to Miho "You're a great person too"

Miho blushes as said "Wha? No no no… You're great too.. You're always so calm and strong…not to mention… super mature… I-I'm jealous"

Hana shook her head with a smile "I doubt it, people call me "stiff" lot's of times"

Miho seems surprised as she said "No way"

Hana nodded "Yes way, it might because I do a lot of Ikebana when I was a child..it's my family tradition"

Miho sounds excited "Wowiee! I wanna try it too, sooo~~~ graceful and feminine, I mean…"

The girls's little chat was interrupted when the classroom door slide open. And 3 girls walks into the room.

The first girl who stood on the far left have above-shoulder length off black hair, a stern expression, wearing the same uniform as everyone with an addition of a black neck ribbon with the knot being presented in the front. One of her more noticible feature is that she have one sighted left eye which she have to wear a one-sided glass.

The second girl on the far right have chocolate brown hair and being tied up in a rollcake style other than that nothing about her really stands out, except for her large chest.

The last girl stood in the middle, she's pretty short, small build, have dark orange,near brown twin pony tail hair, and seems like she was eating a pickled cucumber.

The girls in the class seems to recognized the three, especially the short girl as they silently mutter "The student council president? What is she doing here?"

The girl with the neck ribbon pointed at someone in the class, prompting the girl in the middle to raised her hand and waved as she said out loud "Heyyyy~~~! Nishizumi-chan!"

This started Miho as she fidgeting "Wah… Uh.. m-me?"

Saori leaned toward Miho's ear and said "That's the student council president, deputy president and the Propaganda president.. just releax ok?"

The Student councilmen quickly surrounded Miho as the black neck ribbon girl said with a stern voice "We need to talk…"

Before Miho can said anything, the twin pony tail girl said "About the extra curricular activities… Could you be so kind and… pick Sensha-do?" as she quickly wraps her arms around Miho's shoulder.

Miho seems nervous about this request as she replied "Wel uh…but…w-we don't have Sensha-do here…"

The neck ribbon girl leaned next to Miho and said "It have just been reactivated this year.."

Miho then said "But.. I transferred all the way here because I heard there is no Sensha-do in this school…"

The twin pony tail girl taps Miho's shoulder and grinned "Welp, I guess it's must be fate then"

Miho shyly objected "But… I though I have the right to choose whichever activities…"

Before she could finish the sentence, the twin pony tail girl gave Miho a big slap on her back and said "Motion carried, no further discussions" before the three of them walk away, leaving Miho standing there motionless.

The sad yet blank look in her eyes remains the same as the background switches to various places in the school she remain like that in class, the bathroom, recess, the blackboard when she was called up to solve an equation, instead she wrote the word "だけど" (pronounce in Romanji: dakedo, means But) repeatedly which creeps the teacher and her two new friends out.

The teacher then awkwardly said "Miho? A-are you ok?"

Miho seems responsive as she said "Oh.. yes" but her eyes stays the same

The teacher then said "Listen, if you're not feeling well, you should head to the nurses office"

Miho didn't say a word as she turns away from the board and walks out of the classroom, looking like a zombie, with the chalk still in her hand.

Seeing Miho in such a state prompted Saori and Hana to raised their hands with Saori said "Teacher, I have a stomach ache"

While Hana said "I have terminal cancer"

…

The nurses office…

The girls was lying next to each other on three separate beds. Saori said to Miho who was still had her face under the blanket "Uh… Miho, are you… alright?"

Hana didn't even wait for a repsond from Miho quickly asked "If you want to go home early, I'll get your bag for ya'"

Miho slowly pull the blanket down as she sighs "No.. I was just.. thanks"

Saori then asked "Say what did the council president talk to you about anyway?"

Miho was reluctant for a bit before she said "we-well, it's bout reactivating the school's Sensha-do activity…"

Hana tilted her head "Sensha-do, that P.E activity for girls? What's that got to do with you?"

Miho sighs "They want me to sign up for it"

Saori said "Wait, wh-why?"

Miho pull the blanker over her face again as she muttered "It's …"

Saori said "maybe it's something horrible from the past… like… you got into a love triangle or with one of the student councilmen..something like that perharps?"

Miho quickly objected "No, that's not it"

Hana smiled "To be asked by the student council president herself, you must be an experienced war hero…who rides into battles and just… blew everything away with all your might?"

Miho said "It's…nothing like that"

Saori then asked "Then, why?"

Miho then said took a deep breath before she said "It's… just that my family have a very long time tradition with Tanks"

Hana and Saori's eyes lit up as she heard it.

Miho then continue "But… let's just say, I have some unpleasant memories about it… so.. I just can't"

Saori said "I see… Look, nowaday Sensha-do is no longer a mandatory activity so you don't have to worry"

Hana nodded "Yea, we'll go with you to their office and decline together"

Before Miho can even say thanks, the school P.A system began boardcasting a very familiar voice,seems to be the neck ribbon girl. She said "Attention all students, reports to the School P.E building immedietaly, I repeat, all students reports to the school P.E building immedietaly"

…

The P.E building…

The room has been filled with every single students with their attention directed toward the councilmen standing on the stage, with a security line formed by other members of the council.

Miho look around as she asked "I wonder what it is…"

Saori answered "Beats me" with her eyes still looking at the stage.

Hana said "If the prez calls, you better be there…"

Miho then said "Wow… you guys are pretty… obidient…"

The neck ribbon girl then spoke "Everyone be quite, here is the presentation video about the new school activity and our new exhange program"

As the lights darken, some students can be heard chattering "wait, exchange program?"

Then the video starts, with a big title that reads "Sensha-do"

The first image show a British Mark V WWI Tank, seems to be in tip-top conditions followed with a female narrator's voice "Sensha-do…"

Then an image of a WWI German's Mephisto tank was being shown, followed by the narrating "… It's a tradition, culture..a way for female all around the world to train and better themselves…"

Miho sighs as she saw various images of Tanks and numerous crews rush to their vehicle as the narrator continues "… A way to hone in to your grace,humility and pride…In other words, Sensha-do is a way to help us became true women, as hard as steel, as agile as the caterpiller tracks,as accurate and powerful as the main cannon…"

The tank from the video fires a shot that startled the students, but there is one girl, with long black hair and a white headband doesn't seems to be interested as she was dozing off as the video went on and one girl with short, dark brown and kind of poofy hair was actually weeping during the video. In the crowd there seems to be a group of students dressed in Nazi Germany Afrika Corps uniform silently watching the video.

The students was chattering louder as they heard it. The council president then continued "If any of you want to sign up, do not hesistate, hey It'll make you more popular with the boyss~~~"

Saori have her eye lit up and her jaw dropped as she heard it while Hana touches her cheek with one hand and said "It sounds… so awesome~~"

The neck ribbon girl then spokes "In the coming years there will be a National Sensha-do Tournament being held, so the Ministry of Education have urges that we should increase the teaching of this paticular activity from now on"

The council president then said "So, I'll say it again, we will reactivate our Sensha-do program along with taking part in the experimental exchange program, there will be lot's of benefits for those who do~~~, Deputy President, if you'd please?"

The large chest girl nodded as she said "Whoever got the best results will receive 100 free lunch coupon, 200 excuse notes for tardiness… and all of their other subjects marks will be tripled!"

This news instantly woke the girl with the white headband.

…

"I'm in" said Saori as she walks along the hallway with Hana and Miho.

Miho seems surprised to hear this. Saori continues "I mean… boys these days love girls with an attitute and strong right? If I join, I'll be loved by every boys in the country… heck.. the world even…"

Saori then put one hand on Miho's shoulder and said "You should sign up too, I mean it's your family tradition right?"

Miho still doesn't seems to be willing to sign up as she lowered her heads.

Notices this, Hana comfort her "It's ok, I understand, Ikebana is my family tradition but I've always wanted to do something more… Interesting…"

Hana then proudly declared "I'll sign up for Sensha-do"

This surprised Miho as well. Saori then said "Relax, just give it some thoughs ok?"

And with that the three says their goodbyes and went home.

The next day…

"I'm sorry…I-I ju-I just can't" Miho said with her head lowered, looking down on her extra activity paper, there's a circular check mark at the box for some other activiy.

As Hana and Saori look at Miho, some memories fragments of her past began to flashes through her mind.

Miho was brought back to reality when she heard Hana said "It's ok Miho.."

Miho look up to see Hana and Saori switches their choices away from Sensha-do, which she quickly protest "No! You guys shouldn't do this because of me"

Saori comforts her "Oh c'mon, it wouldn't be fun without you"

Hana nodded "Beside if you do this with us, it'll just bring back your traumatic memories right?"

Miho was touches by her friends consideration, she gave them a big bright smile and a blush on her face.

…

Lunchtime…

As the girls was having lunch in the cafeteria, they heard the neck ribbon girl's voice on the P.A system "Nishizumi Miho, class 2-A, report to the student council office immedietaly,that is all"

This worries Miho as she gulped and starts trembling, but Saori and Hana quickly comfort her with Hana saying "It's ok Miho, we'll go with you"

Saori added "yea, I'm sure it's nothing dire"

…

Student council office…

"What is the meaning of this?" said the neck ribbon girl as she showed the girls Miho's activity choice paper.

There was no answers from Miho.

The council president sighs with disappointment as she said "so you really are not going to sign up for Sensha-do?"

The large chested girl drop her head in disappointment aswell and sighs "It's over then… it's the end for our school…"

Saori quickly protested "What's wrong with you?"

Hana frowned as she said "Why would you force her to sign up when she have already declined?"

Saori nodded "Miho said she don't want to drive a Tank, and you can't make her"

The council president then smirked "One more protest from any of you and you're all expelled.."

This shocked the girls as Hana quickly said "You're threatening us now? How petty"

The neck ribbon girl calmly replied "She's not bluffing… you better believe it"

Saori snapped back "You can't do that! That's a Dictatorship move"

The council president replied "It is one of our rights"

Miho is staring at her feet, biting her lips as she think to herself "They're here…because of me… because of me… because of me…No… Not again…"

Miho suddenly shouted "I'm sorry everyone!"

Her apology started everyone. Miho then took another deep breath and look straight into the council president's eyes and declared "I will join the Sensha-do club with them"

Both Saori and Hana turns back at Miho and said in unison "say wha~~~~~?"

The large chested girl seems to be overwhelmed by this decision as her eyes began to water before she said "Oh..oh thank god…"

The neck ribbon girl gave the three a sastisfying smirk while the council president did the same.