Shiho 8: A United Front
As Shiho began to tell the story of how her marriage was arranged, some of the Atagos reacted in disbelief over what they were hearing.
"An arranged marriage?" Kinue said. "Why would your family do that, Instructor Nishizumi?"
Shiho's expression remained dispassionate. Kinue would soon have her answer, but Shiho did not hold out much hope for Kinue accepting it- or care whether she did.
"My parents had considered leaving the choice up to me, if I could find a man who met their expectations," Shiho said. "The process the man I chose would have gone through would probably not have been much unlike Instructor Atago's experience with her in-laws. He would have had to deal with extremely high standards, and be judged by how well he could serve our family."
"And so, because of that difficulty, you chose not to potentially attach yourself to a fiancé that your parents would have rejected?" Masae said.
Shiho shook her head.
"I believe it would have been unwise to do so, but that was beside the point," Shiho said. "The problem was that, I did not have a man to bring before my parents, whether a good one or a bad one, and our school needed an heiress. So therefore, we needed an alternative."
"What, like a sperm donor?" Hiroe thought. "If giving you a daughter was all your husband was good for, you might as well have gone with that."
"After talking with my parents, we learned that the family of one of our students had a son who was looking for a wife," Shiho said. "The entire family- our former student, her parents and her brother- was greatly devoted to the Nishizumi School's ideology, and wanted to do what they could to repay us. I was glad, because I hoped that my husband would be equally devoted to my endeavors.
"Our families spoke amongst, and with, each other," Shiho said, "and finally, after enough discussion, they decided to let my husband-to-be and I meet each other. Naturally, we were no more ready to marry each other than you and your husband were when you first met."
"I didn't think so," Masae said. "Masaru started out as a stranger, becoming a friend after a few weeks, my boyfriend after a year, my fiance after a few years, and my husband after an engagement of about a year, but I didn't have any idea what he would end up as when we first met."
21 years ago
Shiho and Homura sat across from each other, in the living room of the Nishizumi home, dressed in similar dark suits, with their family watching from across the room, close enough to hear them but far enough away to be unobtrusive.
After a few minutes of awkward introductions and agreeing on a first-name basis now that they knew they were going to marry, they reached the subject that brought them together; tankery.
"Have you ever heard of my younger sister, Koharu, Shiho?" Homura said.
"I have," Shiho said. "She performed well in her studies, and my mother agrees, which is not something she often says about her students."
"That is pleasing to hear," Homura said. "And I hope that you do not take it personally that she is settling down to have a family of her own."
"I do not," Shiho said, "because tankery is something that makes women out of girls. Even if she is retiring from tankery, I believe that she will carry the determination and strength with her, raising children who possess the same qualities as their mother. The only question is- do you have that resolve?"
Homura nodded, realizing that Shiho was getting to the heart of the matter.
"I do," Homura said. "I always admired how seriously my sister took tankery. Even if I couldn't follow in her footsteps, I always endeavored to approach my own pursuits with the same level of seriousness. Perhaps if I did, I would be able to achieve similar results."
Shiho smiled and nodded. Tankery was more than a sport, but a way of life, and this belief was held by even those who did not possess the Nishizumis' commitment.
"Your sister performed admirably, even by our standards," Shiho said. "But my commitment not only requires me to achieve without fail, but guide an entire generation of tankers, while raising up a girl who will grow up into a woman who guides the next generation. What I need is a husband who will support me on all my endeavors. need someone who will give me a daughter, and help me raise her into a strong tanker. I need someone who will put the Nishizumi School first."
"I understand and appreciate your responsibility," Homura said. "I intend to do what I can to support you in this.
"Good," Shiho said. "I look forward to seeing you show me the answer."
As the meeting concluded, Shiho noticed little of what might be considered romantic chemistry between her and her intended, but believed that was a non-issue. He had made a good show of his commitment and determination thus far. Shiho saw developing relationships as like building, and believed that while her relationship with Homura would take time to develop, it had a strong foundation, one on which a grand building could be built.
Present day
"In meeting my future husband, I found someone who fully shared my values and my determination," Shiho said, "something that I have hardly ever seen in anyone outside of those who study at my school, and often not even among my students."
Hiroe was once again tempted to remark about how few people agreed with Shiho. This time she held her tongue not because of caution, but out of pity. For her graduation from high school, Hiroe had gotten a large card thanking her for her services, signed by all the members on the team and a few alumna, and had a picture of herself taken with her sister, her cousin and her closest friends; Katyusha, Nonna, Kyouko, Suzu, Yuuko, Toki, Sera, Ryuuka and Izumi. So Hiroe had to wonder; did Shiho have no friends because of the person that she was, or was the opposite true?
"Of course, we weren't married right then and there," Shiho said. "There was a period of courtship, as it might be called, in which we became closer, and our families worked out the details, as well as confirmed that the match would work."
Masae pondered Shiho's husband's determination. She had finished founding her school after she had married and her children were born, although she had started to make her plans while engaged, and had some meetings with possible backers of the school while she was pregnant with Kinue.
"I'm curious about something, Instructor Nishizumi," Masae said. "Do you think this is the kind of support my mother-in-law would have expected me to give to my husband?"
Shiho's expression briefly became intrigued as the comparison between her and the woman who stood by as her husband cast their son out of the family was not lost on her.
"Touche, Instructor Atago," Shiho thought.
"Quite possibly, yes," Shiho said, "My husband is committed to the family above any single member of it, and approved all of my decisions- including the decision to threaten Miho with disinheritance. We did not start out loving each other, but that changed over time, and in my experience, love is a fragile way to tie a family together."
"Are you focusing on more quantifiable factors again, Instructor Nishizumi?" Masae said, before shaking her head. "It is true that love is not the only thing needed to keep a family together, but it should also be pointed out that love is often a misidentified emotion."
"So are many other things," Shiho said. "For example, people often make empty promises as a show of determination, only to be unable to follow through when the time comes. And while our marriage seemed all but set, no one in my husband's family or mine wanted to establish the marriage on a whim."
19 years ago
One evening, Shiho and Homura's families held a family dinner at the Nishizumi home, discussing many things about Shiho and Homura's relationship.
Shiho and Homura, sitting off at a small table for two, were talking about Nishizumi school business. The two were often seated together so that their families could observe them from a distance, while they were able to interact one-on-one.
Shiho was not privy to the conversation between her mother and his parents, and instead turned to her intended.
"I do hope I'm not boring you," Shiho said. "Most people don't like listening to me talk in such exhaustive detail about my school."
"Not at all," Homura said. "For one, it's beneficial for me to gain an understanding of how the school works from the perspective of the heiress. For another, it's always pleasant to hear someone talk about something they're passionate about, and no one is more passionate about tankery than the Nishizumis."
Shiho smiled, grateful for her husband's perspectives.
"There are those who would call me obsessed," Shiho said, "those who would claim my family and I push our students farther than they can be reasonably expected to go."
"Who do you mean, exactly?" Homura said, his tone carrying surprise that Shiho was openly discussing such a thing. Shiho realized, after a moment, that she had never admitted this to anyone else, and this was the first time she was discussing it with her intended.
Shiho knew that while Homura was aware that not everyone approved of the Nishizumi school's methods, and wondered if he was suggesting Shiho was vaguely referring to critics to hide the identity of a specific one or voice her inner doubts. Shiho almost laughed at that; the former was false and the latter could not be further from the truth.
"Critics of various sorts, with various motivations and complaints," Shiho said. "Some of them are parents whose children did not meet our standards- or perhaps they themselves failed or were turned away. Many of them come from other schools of tankery or different teams. I would hesitate to dismiss them as merely jealous of us, even if that is sometimes a possibility, but our success has made us more noticeable, and made some of our critics more vocal."
"So what of those people?" Homura said. "What would you say to them?"
"I would simply say that our path is not for them," Shiho said without hesitation. "I've met many such individuals over the years, and have given this answer, or variants thereof, to them each time. Our school does not compromise its values or relax its standards, least of all for people like them."
"I see," Homura said. "But while you have dealt with many critics over the years, Shiho, I believe that they are not the ones who truly matter. You should listen to those who look up to you, who respect you and above all else, understand what it means to be a Nishizumi."
Shiho nodded. She had often seen justifying herself to others as either futile or superfluous, believing that most were worthy to follow the Nishizumi way or they would never understand it. She had surrounded herself with her subordinates and supporters, while assailed by her critics, but there was no one she could consider an equal.
But that had changed now that she had met Homura. He had always listened to her, and demonstrated an understanding of the choices she had to make.
"Thank you, Homura," Shiho said with a slight smile.
At the end of the meal, Homura's parents walked over to him and got his attention, while Hotaru waited expectantly.
"I think it's about time, Homura," Homura's father said.
"Yes, Father," Homura said, then turned to Shiho. "Nishizumi Shiho. The time has come at last, to fulfill the promise we made two years ago, and unite our families. I was always prepared to fulfill this promise, but now that the day has come, there is nothing that would make me happier than doing it with you. Now... will you marry me?"
As Shiho looked at the ring, she had known all along that this was coming, but had never expected to feel so strongly.
Shiho was nearly overwhelmed with happiness. She had finally found someone who had shared her beliefs, and her commitment to tankery.
"Yes…" Shiho said.
Shiho, Homura and their families savored the moment. There would be a great deal of work to do in the future- first planning a wedding befitting the heiress of the most prestigious tankery school in the nation, then raising daughters worthy of inheriting the school- but for now, they celebrated the match between the two.
Present day
"My husband is perhaps the only person who both understands what I am trying to accomplish and relates to me as an equal," Shiho said. "The Nishizumi school disciples choose to support me on their own free will, but he is one of the few people who knows what it means to head the school, and who continues to support me unconditionally, year after year, in all my undertakings."
Masae could not help but smile, in spite of herself. She realized that both Shiho and Homura possessed ruthless determination regarding their children. But hearing about the happy memories and love the two shared touched her.
"To be honest, Instructor Nishizumi, I do not believe in the necessity of arranging marriages for one's children, or marrying for the sake of continuing a dynasty," Masae said. "But, as far as a marriage goes, you and your husband's relationship seems to work, and I cannot help but be glad for that."
"Fair enough," Shiho said. "I could say the same about you and your husband. Perhaps he did not fit in with his family, and they did what they must, but he seems to have found a new family suited to him."
Masae smiled for a moment, touched by Shiho's approval of her relationship with her husband.
But after a moment, the smile slipped from her face, as she was reminded of what family meant to Shiho, and what she considered acceptable treatment of one's family. Did her husband truly agree with her on those regards as well?
"But I do have to ask, Instructor Nishizumi," Masae said. "Did your husband share your willingness to disown Miho?"
"He did," Shiho said. "He and I had different responsibilities, but our two goals- raising children and supporting the Nishizumi school- were the same. As such, he felt some responsibility for things coming to this, but had considered the possibility of it becoming necessary to cast Miho out.'
Last year, after the semifinals
Shiho sat with Homura in the living room of their home, recounting the outcome of Black Forest's semifinals round.
"So Maho succeeded this time," Homura said. "How fares Miho at her new school?"
"She has succeeded thus far, but with a style entirely different from ours," Shiho said. "It seems she has still not learned the lessons I hoped she would from her defeat last year."
Homura sighed. Shiho recalled that her husband had stood together with her against Miho's decision to leave. He had told Miho that she could not simply expect to do as she pleased, but had to think of her obligations to her team and her family's school. He believed that parents, when making a decision for their children or trying to sway their children to make a certain one of their own, could not afford to show doubt or conflict among each other, much like the commander and vice-captain of a tankery team.
Miho, however, had remained undeterred, sadly saying that if that was what was expected of her, perhaps she should never have gotten involved in tankery in the first place, and suggesting that she was now rectifying that decision. At the time, there had seemed to be no doubt in her words, or any possibility of her choosing to do tankery again.
Homura had thus never expected his daughter to get involved in tankery at her new school. He had asked whether his younger daughter had chosen to leave to become commander of another school, but his elder daughter had told him that Miho had no desire to become commander of her old middle school, and had left Black Forest with the intention of leaving tankery behind as well. But regardless of whether he had anticipated Miho's return to tankery in an entirely non-Nishizumi style, it had happened, and he felt responsible.
"I'm sorry, dear," Homura said. "I made it clear to Miho that I, too, disapproved of her decision to sacrifice victory to save the tank, and her going to Oarai, but it appears that was not enough to deter her. Even after that, I should have anticipated Miho choosing this."
Shiho shook her head, as much of a reassuring gesture as could be expected from her. She understood what her husband was feeling, because that was how she had felt when she had heard of Miho's return, before coming to a decision.
"There is no need for you to feel regret, dear," Shiho said. "Miho should be old enough to understand what to do without us telling her. Perhaps, to her, the idea of winning all the time is too abstract a concept for her, so I will make things more concrete for her. If she loses, she will be disowned. She will have to understand that her actions have consequences."
Homura let off a soft sigh. He had often made it clear to his wife that he would, regardless of his personal feelings, stand behind her on any decisions she made. To him, it was common sense that whenever parents decided something that their children would not like, they would be best served by forming a united front so as to compel their children to accept it. But had his wife really decided on what he thought she had? Had she gone from considering disowning Miho to threatening to do it it, and would she eventually carry out that threat?
"So you're actually going to propose disowning Miho?" Homura said. "When we discussed it, we had considered it as a contingency plan for the worst-case scenario."
"Unfortunately, yes, dear," Shiho said, her tone solemn. "It has, in fact, reached that point. For too long, we've allowed Miho to do as she pleased, in the hopes that she would learn. With this making the consequences less abstract and more concrete for Miho, I hope that Miho will understand. And if she does not, her actions will no longer affect our reputation."
Homura found it difficult to fault his wife's goal or her reasoning. He shared his wife's desire to get Miho to adhere to the Nishizumi style, believing that it would be for her individual good as well as that of the school. Perhaps she would never become Nishizumi heiress, but she would become a daughter that the Nishizumis could be proud of, and proof of what practitioners could achieve. It was true that Miho had, even in the best of times, gone along with the Nishizumi style because her parents had wanted her to do so, rather than out of wholehearted belief in it. Homura believed that if his sister had simply gone with the flow, it would have led her to prematurely flunking out of the school, rather than graduating with honors.
But was his wife really prepared to go through with this? If she disowned Miho, Miho would completely forsake the family. Homura often discussed these things with his wife, but he knew that he could not change her mind. Shiho was aware of Miho's talent, just as he was, and saw this as a question of motivation.
Of course, Homura also knew that Shiho's decisions were difficult. He had always found it unfair when the needs of the few came before the needs of the many. He was thus critical of the flag tank for falling into the water, and of Miho for going to save them at the cost of the match. As such, he also believed that if Miho was expecting her mother to coddle her, or put up with her doing as she pleased, she was selfish and immature, and had to be disabused of her foolish notions. If the actions of any Nishizumi shamed the family name, there was no place for them in the family.
Perhaps, extreme as it was, an ultimatum would be enough to force Miho to decide her path and where her priorities lay- with her family or with herself. In spite of that, a part of Homura worried, hoping that his daughter would make the right decision.
"I understand what you're saying," Homura said. "At the same time, I do believe that it's best for all of us if Miho does what is expected of her."
Shiho nodded in agreement, sharing his hopes.
"Indeed," Shiho said. "This coming match will, in the end, be a test of where Miho's priorities lie and how far her determination goes."
Present day
The Atagos remained silent, not liking what they were hearing, but not surprised.
Hiroe clenched her teeth as indignation swelled over her. She did have some degree of pity for Shiho, but sympathized more with her children, whom Hiroe believed had done nothing to deserve this treatment.
Hiroe could not help but think back to one of Pravda's debate club's debate competitions, held publicly for the whole school, which was about whether soldiers should be held accountable for following the illegal orders of their superior. The person arguing that they were not, a friend of Hiroe's outside the tankery team, did a surprisingly good job, despite not having chosen that position, but in the end, the opposing side won the debate and convinced Hiroe.
Hiroe was proud and glad that all of her subordinates from Pravda and Troika followed her because they believed in her, rather than a sense of duty or obligation. As such, she believed that Shiho's husband supporting his wife's decisions at a time like this out of loyalty alone was unconscionable, to say nothing of the possibility of him actually agreeing with her. Given that her father had chosen to oppose his own parents, and felt comfortable discussing his disagreements with his wife, Hiroe found Homura's lack of opposition to his wife inexcusable.
"So this arrogant bitch and that spineless asshole gave birth to and raised a girl who would sacrifice victory to save her teammates, and a girl who would sacrifice her happiness for that of her sister?" Hiroe thought. "That's really unbelievable when I think about it that way."
Of course, Hiroe realized that there was no polite way to word these thoughts and so decided not to even try, leaving Shiho to continue speaking.
"My husband believed in the importance of responsibilities to one's family," Shiho said. "He was brought in to sire and raise children, so to him, membership in the family is dependent on the fulfillment of one's responsibilities. Naturally, it follows that there is no reason to keep those who cannot fulfill their duties around "
Masae, at a loss for words, glanced at Hiroe, who simply shrugged.
"'If you can't think of anything nice to say, don't say anything at all,' right, Mom?" Hiroe thought.
"I don't have the inclination to berate you for this mindset again or the ability to convince you that it is wrong, Instructor Nishizumi," Masae said. "But while your husband may have consented to this, your children did not choose to be raised in such an environment."
Miho nodded in agreement. Maho, while agreeing, decided to point out the thoughts on her mind that were befitting the Nishizumi heiress.
"Of course, neither did Mother," Maho said. "She and I grew up in the same circumstances, and vowed to further the Nishizumi tradition, for different reasons."
"That's an apt way of putting it, Maho," Shiho said. "My mother raised me with the intention of having me further the Nishizumi school, and by the time I had children, I was committed to doing the same with them, so that they could fulfill their responsibilities and lead the Nishizumi school in the next generation."
Author's Notes
There's a slight POV shift to Homura's POV in the scene discussing Miho being threatened with being disowned. It's to show that Homura doesn't accept it wholeheartedly, even if his main loyalties are with his wife and her school. Of course, Shiho does become aware of how he feels about this, even if her will does not falter.
I'd like to take the moment to recommend HereticalShinigami's "Girls und Panzer: Open Warfare." While it's not the first to incorporate boys into tankery, it does the concept significantly better than most, effectively developing its male OCs, while also using Erwin as a main character far better than most Girls und Panzer fanfics. I'd also like to recommend CaptainDavidBlake (aka Stalker117)'s Heimatfront series, a very realistic and emotionally deep piece of historical fiction that shows the Girls und Panzer cast in the final days of World War II.
Character Analysis: Homura Nishizumi
What kind of person would Shiho choose to marry? For one, it's hardly a traditional story of falling in love. Shiho and Homura do love each other, but they see it as more of a pleasant side benefit, than a necessary part of being together, as they think little of unions based solely on emotions. As such, while many portrayals of Miho's father (who may or may not still be Shiho's husband) tend to either portray him as either complicit in all of his wife's decisions or looking out for Miho in ways that she did not, the truth is more complicated. Like his wife, I seek to humanize him while not downplaying his loyalty to the Nishizumi school, or what he considers to be acceptable sacrifices.
Shiho would expect a certain number of things from her husband, but chief among them is standing by her decisions, even if he does not agree with them. Shiho does this not out of a belief that her followers should be mindless sycophants, but because she believes that no organization, especially not the Nishizumi school, can succeed without its leaders and followers working together, toward the same purpose. Homura, having always appreciated the Nishizumi school and believed in the importance of preserving its identity, does agree with her for the most part, so standing behind her is not an issue.
This is not to say that he does not have reservations with what his wife has decided, decisions that he himself supports. He is troubled by the idea of his wife disowning Miho, although he is also troubled by what he perceives as Miho's disobeying her mother and failing to grasp her mother's lessons. In the end, the Nishizumi school is most important to him, but also believes that Miho accepting the Nishizumi style is best both for her and the school as a whole, and is, in all ways, preferable to having to disown her for the sake of the family's name.
In short, Homura does not have the same unconditional love for Miho and desire for her happiness that Maho does, but, not unlike Shiho, he is human in spite of placing his loyalty to the school and the family as a whole above any of its individual members' desires, himself included.