Harue 5: A New Path
"After the defeat, I was left at a loss for what to do," Harue said. "For my next break, I returned to my hometown, and relatively few people were there to greet me. Now, this wasn't a bad thing, since I felt as though it would seem odd to celebrate my defeat."
"There are ways to welcome back your community's defeated team that don't involve contempt or pity," Masae said. "Pravda was relatively understanding and supportive of the team after the close defeat against Black Forest, both last year and in my last year of high school. The majority of them planned to cheer on Pravda next time."
"And that's exactly what one little girl, named Sagimori Arata, did for me," Harue said. "In lieu of giving her an autograph, I took off my uniform's necktie, and gave it to her, a gift for a loyal fan."
"That was quite nice of you, Akado-san," Ami said. "When I last saw Sagimori-san, she was wearing the necktie. Clearly, that simple act had a large impact on her."
"It wasn't really anything special on my part," Harue said, "but that, in and of itself, helped me to realize something; what sort of influence I could be on children. After I met Arata, I talked with Nozomi, and learned that our old elementary school needed someone to teach a tankery class. Apparently, there was widespread demand for a tankery club by some students."
10 years ago
Harue sat at a school board meeting for Achiga's elementary school. The board was up to the point at which they were inviting members of the public to speak.
A man in a suit and tie spoke. Harue recognized him as the proprietor of the local inn, which was run by the Matsumi family.
"Thank you, everyone," the man said. "My name is Matsumi Shirou, and I have two daughters in the school. My older daughter, Yuu, is in second grade, and my younger daughter, Kuro, is in kindergarten. I have spoke with some other parents and members of the community, so I understand why they would be unwilling to simply put a tankery club in at the elementary school level. On the other hand, we should be careful to not be too hasty or too forceful in telling children what they can't do. As for what we should do, I'm not sure yet, but I would like the board and the community to consider this."
Shirou glanced over at his daughters, who were seated next to the seat he had left.
"Thank you, Matsumi-san," the principal of the elementary school said. "As always, we are willing to hear proposals for new clubs, and will seriously consider approving your proposal you have the necessary support."
Shirou sat down.
"Would anyone else like to speak?" the superintendent said.
Harue stood up.
"Thank you everyone," Harue said. "My name is Akado Harue, an alumna of this school. Matsumi-san described the root of the problem earlier, so all I will say about that is I agree with him, and know from experience. Throughout much of my childhood, tankery seemed intimidating, complex and the domain of older students. Once I did become old enough, there were those who were ruthlessly competitive, and who did not suffer enthusiastic newcomers. "
Harue cleared her throat.
"Perhaps we could do something that fosters our students' interests in tankery rather than discouraging them from it," Harue said. "After all, kids, before they're old enough to learn how to drive, like playing with toy cars, and even pretend to drive them somtimes. While we can't let the kids drive just yet, we also don't fault them for thinking about the future, and the same goes for tankery. I'd like to propose the creation of a group that enables kids to play with tanks, join together with like-minded children, and help them one day get involved in tankery, a junior tank club, if you will."
The rest of the audience looked on with polite approval.
"Thank you for your proposal, Akado-san," the principal said. "We are running low on time, but if you would like, I can speak with you at a later date regarding this proposal."
"Thank you, Principal," Harue said, "I will speak with others in the community about this. Perhaps it may not quite be what the kids dream about, but for now, it will be a way for them to share their interest with others."
The meeting eventually concluded, and Harue met with the principal to set up a time when they could meet to talk about it. After stepping away, Harue noticed Shirou, whom she had noticed standing around, walk up to her, his daughters in tow.
"Akado Harue-san?" Shirou said.
"Would you like to speak with me, Matsumi-san?" Harue said.
Shirou nodded, having been spared the necessity of introducing hiself.
"I'd like to thank you for your proposal," Shirou said. "I'm glad there are others who share my perspective."
"I appreciate your kind words, Matsumi-san," Harue said. "But, may I ask, what is your interest in tankery?"
"It's not my interest," Shirou said, "but rather, that of my daughters." He gestured at them. "This is Yuu, and this is her younger sister, Kuro."
"Pleased to meet you," Kuro and Yuu said, bowing.
"My name is Akado Harue," Harue said. "It's nice to meet you, too, girls."
"Akado-san?" Kuro said, surprised at the name. "My friend, Sagimori Arata-chan, met you once, and you gave her your necktie."
"Ah, her," Harue said. She was hesitant to tell Arata about her retirement from tankery, worried about how the girl would take it.
"Arata-chan was the one who introduced my sister and I to tankery," Kuro said. "But I was disappointed to learn that there's no club at our school."
"My wife recently passed away," Shirou said. "Her health was not the best, and she had to try harder than most to do many of the things we take for granted; the doctors, at one point, believed she would never be able to have children. But she had two daughters, and lived a fulfilling, albeit somewhat short, life. Because she'd overcome the limitations on herself, she believed her daughters should broaden their horizons."
Harue nodded.
Shirou glanced at his watch and let out a slightly tired yawn.
"It's getting late," he said. "The girls are out past their bedtime, so I have to get back soon."
Harue nodded solemnly. She imagined that being a single father and running a business at the same time was no easy task. Perhaps this was the reason why Shirou did not spearhead the efforts to establish a junior tankery club, but Harue decided not to ask him.
"I understand," Harue said. "I'd like to talk again soon."
"Here's my contact information," Shirou said, handing her a business card for the Matsumi Inn. "The extension will take you to my business phone."
"Thank you," Harue said. "Matsumi-san, Yuu, Kuro, I hope to see you all again soon."
"Say good night to Akado-san, girls," Shirou said, causing Harue to wonder if the command was more for the shy Yuu.
"Good night, Akado-san," Kuro and Yuu said.
Harue left the meeting in high spirits. There were people in the community who wanted the tankery program. Not only did it mean that her task would be easier, but it also meant she was filling a need.
Present day
"Over the next few weeks, I met with the principal and others in the community," Harue said. "The children were eager for anything tank-related, and many of those who had wanted the tankery club signed up for mine, as did some who had heard of it and got interested."
The other women looked at each other, wondering how they might have been affected if their first exposure to tankery was through that.
"At the next school board meeting, my proposal was put up for a vote, and was approved," Harue said. "Achiga had its first tankery club, and I was hired as its advisor."
9 years ago
Harue walked up to the Achiga school, wearing a white shirt along with a navy blazer and trousers. It was somewhat nicer than her everyday attire, and was one of the outfits that she wore to the school board meetings.
"How do I look?" Harue said.
"Pretty good," Nozomi said. "You look nice enough, but not too formal; the school doesn't have a uniform, and the dress code for teachers is pretty casual. Most teachers can get away with not wearing a suit and tie."
"Thanks," Harue said. "Speaking of expectations, what should I expect to be called? Akado-san? Akado-sensei? I'm really more of a supervisor than a teacher."
"Are you at all particular about that?" Nozomi said.
"Not especially, as long as they're being reasonably polite," Harue said. "Of course, your little sister calls me by my first name, just like you do. And Kuro and Yuu, much like their father, are used to calling me 'Akado-san, mainly out of respect for my being older.'"
"Well, you are the adult and the authority figure," Nozomi said, "so I think that, within reason, the kids will call you what you want and do what you say. And I, as someone whose little sister's getting involved in this, trust you to do it."
Harue nodded. It was a small step, but it was a good feeling to once again be in a position of authority and to feel confident n her own decisions.
"Thanks, Nozomi," Harue said.
Harue then walked into the classroom and looked around, seeing a few familiar faces among the others. She saw a girl wearing a jersey, and recognized her as Takakamo Shizuno, whom Nozomi said was one of Ako's friends from school. Harue also recognized Ako herself; as a friend of Ako's sister, Harue saw enough of Ako that the two of them were on a first-name basis.
Harue noticed Kuro, but was surprised to see her by herself. Having visited the Matsumi home a few times to meet with their father, she noticed that the sisters were quite close. Why had Yuu not followed her younger sister into the club?
"Hello, Akado-san," Kuro said.
"Hello again, Kuro," Harue said. "I'm glad you're joining us, but where's your sister?"
"I'm sorry, Akado-san," Kuro said. "My sister isn't used to hanging out with large groups of children. She's gotten used to Ako-chan and Arata-chan, but doesn't function well with people she doesn't know."
Harue let off a soft sigh, having realized, both from personal observations and Shirou's accounts, that Yuu was not especially sociable. Kuro seemed to be one of the few people Yuu was consistently comfortable interacting with, as Shirou had noted that some children bullied Yuu for dressing oddly.
Harue had hoped that Yuu could overcome her shyness and reach out to those who would warmly accept her, but realized it was not always possible. There were some children who wanted to get involved in tankery, but could not because of their parents, their inability to overcome their own shyness, or other circumstances. Harue hoped to help those children somehow, but for now, could only teach the children in the club.
Harue then sat the children down, and began a discussion of how the club would work, what the rules were, and what else they could expect. Harue realized that this was the boring but necessary part, but to their credit, the young girls there listened attentively.
But for these girls, Harue realized that she was making a difference. They came in with enthusiasm but without skill. Harue hoped to help them enjoy tankery, and ensure that they would not be deterred by those who dismissed them as nothing more than amateurs.
Present day
"The club was pretty casual compared to most schools of tankery," Harue said. "There were a few reasons for that. The first was that it wasn't really practical to impose the same expectations on lementary school kids that tankery teams impose on middle and high school students."
"You may be surprise to hear this, Akado-san," Ami said, "but I actually agree. Your approach seems like the right one for children of that age."
"I also agree, Akado-sensei," Masae said. "I'm somewhat stricter than you; I have my students wear a uniform, address me as 'Instructor Atago' or 'ma'am,' and work hard to meet my expectations. Of course, my students are significantly older than your elementary school students or those of the Nishizumi school, typically joining in middle or high school."
"Perhaps my students might ultimately go on to join your school, Instructor Atago," Harue said. "My club doesn't teach much, but it does instill an interest in tankery into them. Where they go and what they do with it is up to them, but the goal is for it to be accessible to them, so they can take the next steps."
"So what was your next step, Akado-sensei?" Masae said.
"A few years after starting the club, I was recruited for a professional tankery team," Harue said. "It was a difficult decision to leave the club, but many of the original members were graduating, and I was confident that the club would manage well in my absence. The children had helped me to see that tankery could be fun, and I was eager to do it again."
The others silently concurred. As they graduated from high school, they left their teams in the hands of their kouhais, and realized that the schools that they studied at- or, in Masae's case, ran- would one day have to be passed down to the next generation.
"Once there, I felt somewhat conflicted, though," Harue said. "I was able to do tankery again, but thoughts of my previous failure held me back. We did decently, considering that we weren't on a very large budget, but weren't a prize-winning team. As such, when times got tough for the corporation sponsoring us, our tankery team was one of many things to get cut."
A bit more than a year ago
After work, Harue stopped by the mail room for the company where she worked. While the company had an e-mail system for employees some notices were delivered to the mailboxes, including the one informing her of the tankery team's dissolution.
Stapled to each employee's copy of the memo was a letter discussing their individual fate.
The letter thanked Harue for her service, and offered to keep her on as an employee.
Harue turned to Ishitobi Kanna, who was Harue's immediate supervisor for work, and vice-captain for the team while at tankey. But from this moment onward, Kanna would be neither of those things, as a result of a restructuring that merged Harue's department with another. Kanna's supervisory position was no longer needed, and neither was she.
"This sucks..." Kanna said, clenching her hands and crinkling the letter. "They cut the tankery team and my position. What about you, Akado?"
Harue let off a sigh, hesitant to admit that she still had her job, or how little she wanted to keep it. She honestly wished that she had been laid off and Kanna had been kept around.
"I... I still have my job," Harue said, trying to force some enthusiasm.
"Shouldn't you be a little happier?" Kanna said. "Or a little concerned about the company?"
"I'm sorry that the company is facing these troubles, ma'am, and I am grateful that they're keeping me around in spite of that," Harue said. "In that regard, I'm luckier than some of us, but the company wasn't exactly a good fit for me."
"I get what you're saying," Kanna said. "I'm just a little peeved that you have your job, and I don't. The job has it's ups and downs, but I've always been grateful to have one. So it does bug me a little that you only seem to care about tankery."
"Only tankery?" Harue said. "To be honest, if that's the only thing I care about, then I must not seem like a very decisive individual. I feel like I haven't been able to do much for the team, and have been half-hearted ever since the loss to Black Forest nine years ago."
Kanna let off a sigh.
"Don't even get me started on Black Forest..." Kanna said. "I've never been good at losing, but now that I think about it, unbroken winning streaks are even worse, making the entire pursuit come off as empty. It wasn't until I graduated from Black Forest and lost for the first time in a tournament match on the university level tournament that I started finding tankery fulfilling."
Harue nodded, agreeing with Kanna, and starting to consider Black Forest's perspective. Defeat could be frustrating, but was victory the be-all and end-all? It was somewhat refreshing to hear someone say that it was not, and that losing was not necessarily a bad thing.
"Well, whatever you do, you two can call me for a reference," Hayari said.
"Thank you, Commander," Harue said.
As Harue left the building, she pondered all the turns her life had taken. She had been a variety of places, had successes and failures, each of which had taught her their respective lessons. But did she necessarily have to learn those lessons the hard way? And might others benefit from her experience?
Perhaps it might be good to teach students again, and help them avoid making her mistakes. Doing so would be her way of rising above her failures, and ensuring that all her experiences in tankery- the good and the bad- had meaning.
Present day
"Before long, I submitted a letter of resignation to the company, then heard about the opening for a coach at Saunders," Harue said. "And that brings me to my present position."
"Interesting," Takako said. "It seems you learned different lessons from your tankery team than I did from mine."
"Professional tankery teams vary quite a bit, Coach Kubo," Harue said. "My team was more informally put together and had a lower budget, even in the best of times. I'm curious as to what lessons you would have learned on it."
"One can only imagine," Takako said. "But in any case, you're in many ways more lenient than I am, and in a more laid-back school."
Harue noticed that Takako's tone was less judgmental, and realized that Takako was starting to come to terms with the fact that where Harue was different from her, she was not necessarily inferior in those regards.
"I believe so," Harue said. "We pride ourselves on being fairly laid back, but also quite effective, and being able to do things seriously when the situation calls for it. My job interview for this position was one such situation, but I was grateful that Saunders had not changed much from when I was there."
Before the last academic year
Harue sat in the headmistress' office during her job interview, wearing the same suit she would wear to the convention as Saunders' representative. She was expected to put her best foot forward to impress her employers. For the first time in many years, Harue felt confident that her best would be enough, and adequately prepared for the interview and her responsibilities.
Most of the questions were what Harue expected, and she kept the answers simple, honest and respectful. The question she remembered most, however, was the one that essentially required her to summarize her life experience, and tell her prospective employers the lessons she had learned since she first arrived as a student.
"Akado-san, we understand that you were a Saunders student a decade ago, were you not?" the headmistress said.
"Yes, ma'am," Harue said. "I also commanded the team back in its humbler days, even if I was unable to win the tournament."
"I see," the headmistress said. "You may be pleased to know that while Saunders' tankery team has become more successful than it was at its inception, it has not lost sight of where it came from. We continue to reach for success- even if no one here has won the tournament- but also encourage our students to have fun. So how do you think you can contribute to that goal?"
Harue took a moment to compose her response, but only a moment, as she already knew the answer.
"When I was a student at Saunders, I had a wonderful time doing tankery," Harue said. "But when I felt the urge to succeed, and was unable to do so, the fun went out of tankery. I want my students to be able to learn from the wisdom I gained from these mistakes. I want my students to be successful at and happy doing tankery. I want my students to be able to respect me, but also relate to me. That's why I am applying for the position of tankery coach."
The headmistress smiled, and the athletics director nodded approvingly, before resuming the interview. Harue did not know whether she would be hired, but she felt confident in the answers that she had given. Perhaps there would be times when she would need to perform well and prove herself, but she felt confident that she could do so. She had her reasons for wanting to succeed, but also things she valued more, and felt that was enough.
Present day
"Within a few weeks of the interview, I got a call offering me the job, and I eagerly accepted," Harue said. "I must say, I'm glad to be coaching for Saunders."
"That's good to hear," Masae said. "I believe in the importance of change, but also in staying true to oneself."
"Saunders has grown a great deal, but it still remains the same in many important ways," Harue said. "And I've regained sight of my original goals, and work to inspire others to do tankery well, but also enjoy it. All of my experiences- as a girl who liked watching tanks, as a prospective tanker looking for a team, as a student of tankery, as a tankery club teacher, as a professional tanker, and finally as a coach- helped make me the person I am today, and I hope to share the lessons I learned over the years with others."
The others at the table nodded in approval, and Harue smiled. It was the final proof she needed that in spite of her humbler beginnings and more laid-back demeanor, she was able to come before the others as a colleague and as an equal.
The meal had concluded, the bill had been paid, and the fellow tankery professionals were preparing to get up and leave, when Masae spoke.
"Thank you for including me, and telling me about yourselves," Masae said. "I do have one final question for the Nishizumi School students, though- how did you react when Miho was threatened with being disowned?"
Harue gasped in shock. While not a mother, she understood the feelings of many parents. Shirou once said that, after his wife died, there had been some times when caring for the daughters his wife had brought into the world and helped him raise was all that kept him going. Harue had always been close to Nozomi and Ako's mother, both as her elder daughter's friend and her younger daughter's teacher. She also knew Shizuno's mother and Arata's grandmother, both owners of small businesses in the Achiga community who nevertheless made time for the young girls in their families. Even Nodoka's relatively strict parents would never seriously contemplate disowning her over tankery. If none of the parents Harue knew could do such a thing, how could Shiho?
"Is this a joke?" Yoshiko said in English, before switching back to Japanese. "If so, it's in poor taste, Instructor Atago. One of my subordinates got disowned by his pacifist parents when he enlisted, but this is the first time I've heard of someone getting threatened with being disowned over a game."
"Unfortunately, Instructor Atago is telling the truth, Yoshiko," Ami said. "Kikuyo, who told me, can attest to that, but I'm not sure about Takako."
Yoshiko frowned, displeased at what she had heard. She had never been especially fond of obsessive approaches to tankery, but this was something she had never heard of before. Her older sister had married into a branch family of the Jindai family and Haru, who was Yoshiko's niece, never had to deal with any expectations of that sort. While Yoshiko was surprised when Haru told her that she callled her third cousin Komaki "Princess" out of the utmost respect, by all accounts, Komaki and her parents were good, if somewhat traditional, people.
"Unbelievable," Yoshiko said in English.
Kikuyo solemnly nodded to confirm that, as hard it was to believe and as unpleasant as it was, it was the truth.
"I am not at liberty to discuss this, but if you know this much, I can confirm that what you heard is true," Kikuyo said. "I suspect Maho-sama told you?"
"She did," Masae said. "But Coach Kubo, it seems as though you weren't expecting to hear this."
Takako, having remained silent for a few moments, shook her head, confirming Masae's suspicions.
"Instructor Nishizumi never confided in me when it came to her plans any more than she did with anyone else outside her family," Takako said. "As I said before, the greatest difference between us was when and whether to write off a student as a lost cause. I honestly saw Miho as a promising tanker who was nevertheless unwilling to go as far as she needed for victory. As such, I viewed disowning her as the ultimate way of writing her off, and the ultimate disservice to her."
Masae fixed Takako with an inquisitive look. Was that really all she had to say?
"But now, I do have to wonder," Takako said. "Perhaps Miho's victory wasn't a fluke. Perhaps it's time for me to rethink the way I do things, as I said before. Perhaps it's worse than naive to blame Miho for the Nishizumi school's problems, or think that disowning her will solve all of them. Perhaps Instructor Nishizumi may has realized this as well."
Masae nodded. She disagreed with much of what Takako had said throughout lunch, but if Takako was reconsidering her views, now would not be the time to pass a final judgment on her, if there ever was such a time.
Ami could not help but think back to her last argument with Takak. Around that time, she had regarded Miho as a talented, if reluctant, tanker. She wondered if Miho might be happier doing something else with her life, and if Miho should abandon tankery and start searching as soon as possible. But she had come to realize that Miho always enjoyed and was good at tankery, if not the Nishizumi style. Perhaps neither she nor Takako had the ideal solution for Miho back then.
"I wonder if Miho-san's case proves that the Nishizumi style isn't infallible," Ami thought, but she chose to keep this unorthodox thought to herself.
"Going back to what we said earlier, both Ami-san and I found it quite difficult to hear," Kikuyo said. "Neither of us wanted that to happen to Miho-sama, but both of us were loyal to the mistress. As such, openly opposing her was a breach of our obligations to her, as well as going against our very personalities."
"I understand what you're saying, Kagurazaki-san," Masae said. "But even so, I find it difficult to understand how you would support Instructor Nishizumi in the face of that."
Kikuyo nodded, unfazed by Masae's question
"What would you do if you admired someone, only to see them make a mistake, Instructor Atago?" Kikuyo said. "Do the people you love and respect not have flaws of their own? And if you owe someone a debt of gratitude, do you not owe that person your loyalty while repaying it, even if the person has done something that you find morally questionable?"
Masae paused to consider the question. The people she respected were not perfect, but did not do anything comparable to what Shiho was contemplating, so it was hard for her to say how she would have acted in such a situation without going into mere speculation. Masae remembered that there was a time in the relatively recent past when she had misjudged the character of Shiho's daughters, so she was hesitant to make any assumptions about what she would do as one of Shiho's students or servants.
"You do not have to answer that question, Instructor Atago," Kikuyo said, "because I think that is enough that you are considering it. In fact, I am less than certain of my answers, which is why I sometimes feel conflicted, and which is why I will not judge whatever you say in response."
"I know," Masae said. "To be honest, I haven't experienced anything that's quite like what you experienced. And yet, I came to an important realization-I had been under the impression that the Nishizumis had no room for doubt, but it appears I was wrong. I may yet be wrong about a great deal concerning Instructor Nishizumi, since there are things I do not know about her."
"This is a matter of perspective, Instructor Atago," Kikuyo said. "You may have been the mistress' former teammate and her subordinate at one point, but there are some things about the mistress you will not learn about her without serving her every day or sleeping under the same roof every night- partly because of the time you spend around her, and partly as a result of seeing her outside of her work. And there are some parts of the mistress that she will not show to anyone."
Masae nodded.
"I know what you mean, Kagurazaki-san," Masae said. "In seeing more of Instructor Nishizumi than most people do, as well as many parts that I did not see befor, I find it difficult to view her the same way I did when she was merely a tankery instructor I disagreed with."
"These are some interesting times, with Black Forest failing to take the championship two years in a row," Ami said. "And it may be possible that your perspective on Instructor Nishizumi is changing because Instructor Nishizumi herself is changing."
"I will keep that in mind," Masae said. "It was nice meeting all of you, and I would like to offer you my business card."
Masae took a few business cards out of her pocket, and handed to each of the other women in turn, who, except for Kikuyo responded in kind. Networking was a significant part of the convention, so the tankery professionals had come prepared with business cards.
As she filed away the cards, noticing their different styles and the different employers shown on them, Masae realized that while their values regarding tankery and other matters were, in many ways, different from her own, they were also different from those of the Nishizumi School. She had learned a great deal from them, and while she would always keep certain ideals dear to her, she always believed in learning from others and changing with the times.
Ami, Takako, and Kikuyo stepped aside. Yoshiko followed at a distance, hoping to rejoin Ami after they were done, but not intending to eavesdrop.
"You know, Takako," Ami said, "Yoshiko and I were going to go out for dinner later. Do you want to come along?"
"Certainly," Takako said. "But what about Kikuyo?"
"I can come, but I can't stay long," Kikuyo said. "The mistress wants me back at the hotel relatively early."
"I know," Takako said. "Still, it's really been too long."
As the three old friends discussed their plans, Harue stayed behind to chat with Masae.
"You know, Akado-sensei," Masae said, "it was nice to get to know you. I hadn't originally anticipated meeting you, but of everyone here, you and I had the most in common."
Harue nodded.
"That's true, Instructor Atago," Harue said. "But I really think this gave me a better understanding of many of my rivals, and how much tankers of various ideologies have in common with each other."
"I understand," Masae said. "This convention brings people with different perspectives together, and I hope to see more of them."
"One more thing," Harue said as Masae started to leave, causing her to stop and turn around. "Remember how I said that I allowed people to address me more informally with my permission?" Harue paused and extended her hand. "Consider that permission granted. I'd like to talk with you more, and outside of a professional setting."
Masae, with a smile and a nod, shook Harue's hand.
"Let's meet again soon, Harue," Masae said.
As Masae left for the afternoon sessions, she pondered what Harue had justtold her, what Ami and Yoshiko had told her before they departed, and what she had heard from Shiho the previous evening. Perhaps the Nishizumi School was demanding, but it did not always produce people like Shiho. And Shiho's heiress, the one in whom she had the most invested, and the one most subject to her influence, turned out very differently.
Shiho wanted to ensure the Nishizumi school would continue on into the future. So how far was she willing to go for that? And how did she react to her children turning out differently than expected. Masae hoped to find the answers at dinner.
End Of Act II
Author's Notes
Kanna and Shino were originally planned to have a larger role, but they were cut for a few reasons- difficulty implementing them, as well as not knowing more about their canon backstory. Only recently has there been a development of some sort in the plotline about the search for Shino's mother; she realizes that it won't be a matter of getting in the papers, and her uncle has a possible lead.
Incidentally, in Saki Shinohayu: Dawn of Age, it appears that many of my guesses about Harue were incorrect. She was talented since she was young, and first met the Matsumi sisters when they were infants, and their mother was still alive.
Arata calls Harue "Haru-chan" as a fan. Ako simply calls Harue by her first name without honorifics, presumably because she's the younger sister of Harue's close friend Nozomi. The Matsumi sisters call her "Akado-san," and for this fic, I interpreted that as a result of showing her respect as an adult, which is what they knew her as before she was a teacher. Shizuno and Nodoka don't seem to have any special connection to her, so they sometimes call her "Akado-sensei."
On a side note, I always found Komaki's extended family an interesting concept for Saki that wasn't explored fully; a large and traditional clan, with the main family having status similar to royalty, and whose members not only know about special mahjong abilities, but actively train in them (although the latter obviously wouldn't work in Necessary to Win). I may write more about them in the future.
For the poll in the profile, you have until the 24th to vote in it before it closes and I introduce a new one; I'm glad that it got some more votes, though.
So ends Act II. After a brief intermission, the final act will rejoin Masae and Shiho.
Character Analysis: Yoshiko Kainou
Not much is known about Yoshiko in Saki, and much of what's related to her seems to be less than reliable urban legends. From what we can actually see, she dresses conservatively and professionally, and is calm and level-headed, but has a few minor quirks of her own.
Yoshiko has distaste for the Nishizumi School's methods regarding what is essentially a game, but largely keeps this opinion to herself given the nature of her company (albeit while also coming to understand a little about where the Nishizumis are coming from).
Yoshiko keeps her public and private lives separate. When she puts on her uniform, she fully embraces her role as a military officer. While she and Ami are friends, while on duty, they refer to each other by their rank, both out of practical requirements, and because they have a great deal of respect for each other. As such, when Ami briefly outranked Yoshiko, Yoshiko did not take it personally, but did her duty.
Because she tends to be less than open about her private life, and everyone except Ami is someone she has met for the first time, Yoshiko doesn't say much about herself when talking with Ami's colleagues, but does appreciate being allowed to hear Ami's story again, as well as that of her friends and her esteemed rival. Perhaps a day will come when Yoshiko will come to consider some of the others friends, and will share her story with them.
Incidentally, she's Haru's cousin in Saki, but I changed it to her aunt in this fic because she's older here (28, as opposed to 20, and Haru is 15).