Author's Note

Ya I know I am incredibly late with this update but...uh...eh what the heck...I can't really come up with a good excuse so I think I will just say it straight. I was actually at a loss at how to continue from the last chapter and procrastinated for quite some time. don't get me wrong, I actually have an idea of the story as a whole its just that I don't know how to continue immediately after the last chapter. It even got to the point that Maho drove into my house with her Tiger and force me to write at cannon point. Haha..ha...Not funny? I am terrible at telling jokes? Okay then...I'll stop...FOR NOW~~ 'insert maniacal laugh'. Still not funny? Okay I'll stop this nonsense...

Joke aside, I am really sorry for the late update and hope you guys don't kill me for it. so like the usual, any comment and review of the chapter and the story as a whole would be greatly welcomed and received so don't be shy. Now, on with the story!

Chapter 7

"That was something else." Kyouko said as she joined me at the entrance the garage allocated to me and my team. It was after the match and I was overseeing the maintenance done on the vehicles loaned to us. "Can't say that I've seen anyone win via ramming before."

"Uh...thanks I think." I said hesitating in my response. "Any of your crew injured?"

"Everyone is fine. A bit shaken and confused but otherwise fine." Kyouko answered as she looked at me inquisitively.

"Is there something you like to ask?"

"I can't help but felt like my team was following your rhythm during the match. Even though we were the ones with the initiative I felt as if we were being led on. It felt as if you knew we were planning to attack you there."

"Well, I had a rough idea of what you were thinking of all along and planned accordingly." I answered casually and Kyouko gave me a puzzled look. "If you recall, you paid this place a visit last night and took some information with you."

"Yes...recon is allowed after all." Kyouko explained. "So I took a peek at your plans."

"You took a peek at a plan." I corrected her. Seeing her look even more confused I elaborated. "I knew that recon was allowed and that you would do it when you saw how fast we progressed in a week. So I had a fake plan in here. It was a simple ambush plan so I can guess with some accuracy what you plan to do and actually plan accordingly. In other words I gave you a suggestion on what you should do and plan accordingly."

"That sounds convoluted." Kyouko commented letting out a sigh. "Well, you beat us with it so I cannot really say anything about it."

"To be honest with you, a few of the guys here actually thought the same way up until you guys start doing exactly as he described." Kyoji said as he put his left arm on my shoulder and leaned on me. "I remember him saying something Operation Fortitude and counter-intelligence but I think it's more on the line of us planning around you planning around our plan. Quite the mindfuck right? But that's our Keiji here! Haha!"

"Thank you for that Kyoji. Are you here just to annoy me?"

"That and to tell you that Mr Kenshin would like to see you in the staff office." Kyoji answered before going back to what he was doing earlier.

"I'll be heading off now. We will make sure to have all the vehicles in working order before we go back to our school so you don't have to worry about maintenance."

"Thanks. And uh...congratulations on the win, it was an exciting match. Though I can't say that I agree with the trouble you guys caused back in your school but by how you conduct yourselves here you have me and my team's respect." Kyouko said as she extended her hand.

"Thanks but I rather we congratulate each other on a well played match. Good game." I said before extending my hand to hers and shaking it and leaving.

Reaching the staff office I was directed to a meeting room where Sparta high's council would hopefully approve the funding for a Senshado club and team. Probably a quick discussion on the club's operations and it's future finances but nothing major that I can think of. Should be simple enough. If I am lucky maybe I can settle it without a fuss. However, my hopes were dashed when I opened the door and was greeted an old man standing on the meeting room table arguing with his student who was also on that table. On one end of the table I noticed a Sparta High council member repeatedly giving ninety degree bows and apologising to Headmistress Kuribayashi while the other council members sat at the other side of the table with their heads lowered in shame and Mrs Nishizumi sitting in a corner rubbing her temple as if having a headache while her daughter looked on quietly.

The headmaster of Sparta High and the captain of Sparta High's respected SurCom team ladies and gentlemen. What a time to be a Sparta High student.

Making a point to avoid the commotion at the centre of the room, I approached Mrs Kuribayashi to thank her for all she has done and apologise for the mess unfurling in the room. I then approach the council members.

"After seeing your performance today the council has decided to finance your proposal for a Senshado club." A middle aged lady spoke. "However, as we would be using the emergency fund to start the club, so the budget for the club activity cannot be completely funded. We are already stretching the school's budget as it is so we cannot entirely fund the club's activity for sometime and that long term funding may put a strain on the school's financial resource as a whole."

"It's better than no funding. Thank you for your approval on the subject. My group would find ways to secure additional funding to be at least partially self-sufficient. With the approval of the school of course." I replied with a nod. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes...can you please deal with those two disgrace before the school's reputation drop any further." Another council member, this time a man nearly in tears said as he pointed at the two arguing on the table.

"I rather not touch that landmine but even I start to feel embarrassed at this point." I said as I turned to the commotion. "Sir, Suzaku, can the two of you show some semblance of good behaviour and get down from the table?"

"Keiji you're here! Perfect!" Mr Kenshin said not moving from the table. Evidently he wants me to do something before he and Suzaku would comply. "Help us settle an argument here. Suzaku said that you plan to conduct hit and run tactics. I think that is rubbish since you settled the match early. He then told me that it just so happens that the flag tank was the one that gave chase and that is why you ended the match early."

"And you disagree?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"Yeah. Mr Kenshin says that you planned to set up a defensive line and react to the enemy after the initial contact. But I say that it's wrong because there is little chance that you would actually make contact and if we follow his theory this match is a one in a million lottery win and that it's not like you to take that chance." Suzaku said.

My god are you guys looked like a pair of five year olds trying to explain the cause of your fight to your parents.

"So who is right?" the two of them asked in unison.

I take that back you guys ARE a bunch of five year olds.

"First, can you guys get down from the table?" I said after a moment of pause to process the ridiculousness of this situation. Seeing them complied I let out a sigh. "Neither of you are right. I planted false information to the other team and plan according to what I think they would do. Are you guys happy now?" I said and got disappointed sigh as a response.

With the meeting done, Mr Kenshin arranged for me and my team to get back to Sparta High with the headmistress of Hera High while the rest, me included, excused ourselves. Just as I was about to head back to the garage, Maho greeted me and the two of us exchange our thoughts on the match.

"Your tactics are good but a word of advice." Maho said with a serious tone. "Your team needs to perform better. As they are now, they can only be considered as a lower average team."

"We have time until the actual matches start. Today was more of a showcase of the team's potential. Plus if you considered that we only started learning a week ago this is good progress."I answered with a shrug. "Are you planning to take part?"

"I have to bring it up with my school for discussion but I am interested." Maho said. "The last match with my sister showed some deficiencies in the Nishizumi style and I am hoping to correct those issues."

"And my team would be the perfect guinea pigs to test on?" I asked jokingly and the two of us share a short laugh together. "You are welcome to participate anytime. Just send e-mail a request to my school once you've cleared things on your side."

Two days after the match me and my team are back on our school carrier waiting eagerly for the club's garage to finish construction and the delivery of five tanks. While waiting I discussed the club's financial problem with rest of the team and we decided to brainstorm for ways to get additional income to finance the club. We eventually come to an agreement on some activities and that we would put Ryoji in charge on the finance since he was able to set up several money making activities for him and his group in his days as a school prefect before he was caught. The most famous or infamous, depending on who you ask, of his activities is the betting pool. Hopefully this time round he keeps things on the appropriate side.

While in the process of concluding our meeting I received a call from Mr Kenshin. Apparently the tanks that I asked for has arrived at the port we are docked in and everyone rushed out to look at our new toys. Lined up side by side at the drop off point unpainted and slightly worn by usage from their previous owners but still awe inspiring. Parked in front of us are two T34-85 medium tanks, a KV-1 heavy tank, a Jagdpanzer 4/70 tank destroyer and a BT-7 light tank.

"Now I understand you guys were hoping for some brand new tanks but our budget is limited so the school bought these second hand." I explained to my team. "I know they may be less reliable than first hand tanks but like I said before, if we take care of the tank the tank will take care of us."

"Yeah you did. And by the looks of those three I'd say the tanks will be well taken care of." Soujiro commented as he motioned to the team's three beloved gear head who are going over each individual vehicles and fanboying over each nut and bolt and fantasizing what they would have to do to maintain each vehicle. "They even did a good job in teaching us how to conduct our own maintenance so I can't really say that it is bad for them to be this enthusiastic."

"Hey guys! Are you going to stand there or are we going to get these tanks into the school?"Tetsuo yelled out excitedly popping out of the driver's hatch of the BT-7. His two friends called out in agreement

"We have to discuss on which crew would get which tank. Calm yourselves down and let's talk it out." I replied with a chuckle. The rest of the team smile first at the enthusiasm Tetsuo and his friends shows and then at my reply.

"You don't have to make it sound so ominous you know?" Soujiro said with a wry smile as Tetsuo and his friends joined the rest of the team.

"So how do you guys want to decide on the vehicle?" I asked looking at my teammates.

"We talked it over like you asked and we thought that we would let you decide" Ryoji answered for the whole group. "Barring you none of us have any prior experience with tank so we thought that you may have an idea of what each group is good at."

It is true enough that none of them have any prior experience and that by pairing each group to the right tank would generate better performance. Some pairings are easier than others. Like Tetsuo for example. Since he has some experience in driving at high speed, although it landed him in hot waters a while ago, he and his crew can take the BT-7. He even likes the vehicle so it would be a match made in heaven. And on the other end is group like Ryoji and his group who are average in most things. Perhaps a T34 would suit them.

After giving the it some thought, I announced which group would take which vehicle. Tetsuo and his group would take the BT-7 as I have been thinking of earlier. The same goes to Ryoji and his group would take a T34 while me and my group would take the other T34. As for the Jagdpanzer 4, it would be taken by Fukuda and his crew as they have experience in shooting, although it was archery. The science behind archery and shooting is similar so there would be little problem in giving them the gun that pack the most punch. Besides, there is always Kyoji to ask when Fukuda needs advice on long range shooting. Lastly, Satou and his crew would take the KV-1. During the match with Hera High, he and his crew shows that they are not shy when it comes to the idea of point-blank combat or even the idea of ramming so giving them the tank with the thickest armour would make sense.

Everyone agreed to the arrangement and drove our tanks into the carrier school. Though they may be second hand tanks, we were very excited to receive them. They would now be part of the club and part of the school. And they would be the instruments that would bring back the school spirit to the students here and all of us understood the significance of driving these magnificent machines into the school. This would be where our journey begin. Like a certain former prime minister once said, 'This is only the end of the beginning'.

Elsewhere in the Pacific Ocean~~~

A blonde girl took a bite from her burger as she watches a video footage with her two friends with great interest. The plasma tv in front of them shows a Panzer 3 in the middle of a Senshado match. As she washes down her food with some Coke, the commander hatch of the Panzer 3 opened and a boy came out and waved at the pursuing tank. She raise one of her eyebrow in interest.

"Hey do you guys think we can have a match with those...what school were they from again?" She asked out loud. "Ah yes...Hercules High…"

"They are from Sparta High. I heard they are trying to open up Senshado to boys and that they are looking for schools who would have a match with them. We can probably get a match with them if we ask for it. That school is rumoured to be focused solely on winning though." One of them replied.

"Hm...sounds interesting." The blonde girl said. She then suddenly got up and stood in front of the television. "I've decided! We will have a match with them and see if that rumour is true or not!"

"Kay is it okay to decide on a whim like this?" Alisa asked already knowing what her commander would do.

"It will be fine! I'll go get permission now!" Kay said as she rushed out of the room.