Interlude 15: Touka
Touka gathered with her teammates in a room for entertaining guests inside her father's house on the Koala Forest school ship. He, the headmaster of the school, had a relatively larger house than might be expected for most on a school ship, if not as large as her family's home on land.
The four students wore their school uniforms. They typically preferred to wear casual clothing, but Touka had called them for a meeting immediately after school, so none of them had time to go to their apartments in the student residence district and change.
Hagiyoshi, a butler for the Ryuumonbuchi family who seemingly appeared in a flash whenever his master or young mistress requested his presence, set a pot of tea on a small table between two couches. On one, Jun and Tomoki sat, while on the other, Hajime and Touka sat across from them.
"So, why have you invited us over, Touka?" Tomoki said, once Hagiyoshi had departed.
"I would like to disclose to you more about the purpose for which I have recruited all of you," Touka said. "You have all proven yourselves in many ways, as tankers, as trustworthy individuals and as fellow misfits, so I believe you have earned my trust, and the right to hear this."
"Misfits?" Jun said. "I never thought that I'd be lumped in the same category as the girl who's Koala Forest's headmaster's daughter and its founder's granddaughter."
"You really don't know Touka all that well, do you, Jun-kun?" Hajime said, and Jun reluctantly nodded.
"Well, yeah, because I'm the most recent addition to the five of us," Jun said.
After dropping out of her previous club due to a personality conflict with the club head, Jun had been ordered by the administration of the school to enroll in a new club, lest she be involuntarily entered into the cleanup detail until she chose one. She chose tankery on a whim, but while she once saw it as the "least worst" way to satisfy the requirement, she was starting to see it as the best choice.
"To be honest, though, I don't really know all that much about Touka's family, particularly Koromo," Hajime said. The two were on a first-name basis, as Koromo's constantly referring to herself by her first name caused Hajime to inadvertently call her that, and Koromo was willing enough to accept.
"Then it is time that you were enlightened," Touka said, "for this is all done for her sake."
"Ok," Hajime said. "Starting off, how exactly is she related to you? I think you said she was your cousin, but I'm not sure how closely you're related."
"Koromo is my maternal cousin," Touka said, getting out a pad of paper and drawing on it to show her family tree. A square with "Ryuumonbuchi Tatsuya" and "Ryuumonbuchi Taiga," had a line between them that had a line to Touka's circle in the middle. Touka's mother's circle was connected to another circle, "Amae Akihko" and another square, "Amae Mitsuru."
Touka finished drawing, then picked up a pen.
"Uncle was a prominent literary scholar," Touka said. "Koromo regarded him as the quintessential gentleman, and aspired to emulate him in all ways."
10 years ago
A young Koromo found her father working in his office late at night. From what she could observe, it was clear she was typing on a computer, although his purpose was unclear.
"Father?" Koromo said, old enough to understand that grown-ups had to leave the home to work for a living, but not old enough to understand the adults who worked at home. "What are you doing?"
"Ah, Koromo," Akihiko said. "I am currently writing an article for a scholarly journal, about changing literary habits."
"Pardon?" Koromo said.
"In short, how and why the way people talk and write Japanese changes," Akihiko said. "And I've found that language has changed a great deal over the years."
"The way you and Mother talk, Father?" Koromo said.
"Yes," Akihiko said. "Back in older times, people often used a significantly more elegant means of speaking, which would be thought of as quaint at best nowadays. But there are some, like your mother and I, who have an appreciation for the literature and language of old, and the beauty associated with it."
Koromo stared blankly at her father, unable to understand, much less give a very informed reply. Her father chuckled softly, all too used to this reaction, and knowing that he should have expected it from a small child.
"Ah, I'm sorry, I suppose I should have said it in a way that's easier for you to understand," Akihiko said. "But in any case, we hope to share an appreciation for this kind of language, works that will be remembered many years from now while the bestsellers of today are forgotten."
"I see," Koromo said.
Akihiko looked at his computer's clock, and realized that it was later than he had thought.
"Speaking of which, it's bedtime, Koromo," Akihiko said. "You and your father both have a long day tomorrow, but we will be going to the family restaurant for dinner."
Koromo's eyes lit up. Her father had a certain appreciation for fine dining, but he knew that fancy restaurants were not the best for his young daughter, and believed a meal with his family was best of all.
"Splendid!" Koromo said, having found an appropriately eloquent and strong word to express her joy.
Perhaps Koromo could not yet see the day when she would fully understand what her father was saying, but for now, she understood that there were many things she looked forward to.
Present day
"Koromo has a most peculiar quirk," Touka said. "Whenever she feels emotions of the utmost intensity, she expresses them with the most formal and literary speech she can muster. " Touka glanced around at her friends. "I do not suppose any of you think of speaking the same way, do you not?"
"Nah," Jun said in her usual rough and informal manner of speech, which some said made her sound like a teenage boy.
"Can't say I do," Hajime said. While typically well-mannered and friendly, her language was less formal than Touka's.
"No," Tomoki said laconically, reminiscent of the messages she typed in games, in which brevity and clarity trumped everything else.
An awkward pause ensued for a moment, as the group pondered the hidden meaning in what Touka was saying. Hajime was the first to speak what was on her mind.
"That sounds quite nice, but you're describing this all in the past tense, Touka," Hajime said. "Koromo's reluctant to talk about your father, but she's never mentioned her parents."
Touka sighed. She had spoken of this multiple times over the past eight years, and had been prepared to discuss it since before she summoned the three to her house, but still found the subject difficult to talk about.
"Koromo's parents passed away eight years ago, when she and I were eight years old," Touka said. "Apparently, the cause was an illness, brought on by the yellow dust. My mother took Koromo in when her parents fell ill, desperately- and futilely- hoping it would prove temporary, for everyone's sake."
Eight years ago
At lunch, Touka tracked Koromo to the roof of the private elementary school that both attended. Touka had noticed that Koromo had been avoiding her all day after being called to the office in the morning, and was determined to find the cause.
"There you are, Koromo," Touka said. "Is something troubling you?"
"The main office summoned me for a message from the hospital," Koromo said. "The illness has claimed my parents."
Touka, while choleric in nature, was not so easily surprised by this revelation. For several days, her aunt and uncle's condition had been worsening, and with each passing day, the ordeal also took a toll on her mother. But while she had anticipated this outcome, she had never wished to see it come to pass. The only thing mitigating her grief over her aunt and uncle was the knowledge that Koromo had just lost her parents, and her
"Koromo, you have my condolences," Touka said. "But do you also remember the promise my mother made yours?"
"Yes," Koromo said. "Aunt Taiga promised Mother that if anything happened to her, she would look after Koromo."
Touka nodded to confirm that what Koromo said was true. Touka was as well aware of the arrangement as her cousin.
"You will be well cared for at my home, Koromo," Touka said. "We are family, after all."
Koromo nodded, but felt that the void within her heart was not filling at all. She was grateful for Touka's kindness, but was she to accept her aunt and uncle as substitutes for her parents? Was she to accept herself as much their daughter as Touka was? She had difficulty simply accepting this, and a part of her, based on the few interactions she had with her uncle, suggested that this was not simply due to grief over her parents' loss, and the knowledge that they would never see her to grow up to become like them, someone they could be proud of.
Still, for the moment, she managed a "Thank you, Touka," which was what she felt she owed Touka for this offer, one that was well-intentioned if nothing else. The one piece of advice that she had been given that she felt able to understand was that she would not be able to accept the loss immediately, so she could only hope that answers would come in time.
Present day
"By the end of the day, we set Koromo up in a guest room, and Koromo's parents' funeral was held a few days later," Touka said. 'The entire process transpired quickly back then, but for Koromo, fully accepting her parents' deaths is a process that remains incomplete, even eight years hence."
The rest of the group looked at each other in awkward silence.
"Going back to your question, Hajime," Touka began, "the reason why Koromo abstains from mentioning her deceased parents is simply because she does not desire our pity. Perhaps that was why she was avoiding us."
"I see," Hajime said. "But for the sake of argument, how many people would know that her parents had died?
"My uncle was famous enough that the local news media reported on his death," Touka said. "Since he mentioned Koromo before, they naturally knew of her existence, but only that he had a daughter. Enough people came forward to offer their sympathies as a last gesture of goodwill to the man they knew in various ways, rather than for her sake, that Koromo naturally assumes the worst of anyone who pays attention to her while acknowledging her parents' deaths."
"Including her own family?" Tomoki said, her stoic tone breaking slightly.
Touka's expression turned solemn and oddly resigned, befitting Touka's feelings about one of the few problems she desperately wanted to solve, but did not think herself able to do so.
"Yes and no," Touka said. "Touka sees us as worlds apart from the dross that sees her as a means to an end. At the same time, however, she does not have the same trust in us most have in their closest companions, and she fears that we are only taking her on out of obligation or pity. In Father's case, I must confess Koromo's assumption is not entirely erroneous."
Eight years ago
In the Ryuumonbuchi mansion in the Nagano prefecture of mainland Japan, Tatsuya and Taiga met with Koromo to discuss her accommodations, now that she would be staying permanently . Tatsuya described the family's schedules on a variety of matters, such as when the family got up, when they ate and when they went to bed. Tatsuya also went into house rules, particularly emphasizing that he was not to be disturbed when he was working.
None of the information was especially new to Touka or Koromo, both of whom had heard most of it before, so they gave it less than their entire attention. With all the relevant information delivered, Hagiyoshi checked his watch.
"Hagiyoshi, show Koromo to her room," Tatsuya said.
"Yes, master," Hagiyoshi said. "This way, please, Koromo-ojou-sama."
Koromo followed him, as did Touka. Touka glanced backward and noticed a discomfited expression on her mother's face, as Taiga turned toward her husband.
"Is something the matter, Mother?" Touka said.
"Oh, it's nothing," Taiga said. "You should run along now, Touka; I'm sure Koromo would love your company."
Touka nodded, and caught up to Hagiyoshi and Koromo as they reached the stairs, in time for Koromo to ask a question that was on her mind.
"Ojou-sama?" Koromo said. "Why are you calling Koromo that?"
"I am not just in the master's service, but that of the Ryuumonbuchi family," Hagiyoshi said. "You are part of his family, and I am obligated to give you the same respect I owe to everyone else."
Koromo nodded, but mainly heard the words, "service," "obligated," and "owe." As a child, she was all too familiar with the idea of having to do what she did not want to do, and suspected that Hagiyoshi's respect was required of him, rather than what he truly wanted to do.
Touka and Koromo followed Hagiyoshi to the third floor of the mansion, and were led to a part Touka had, in all her time there, never entered much before. Even when the cousins played hide and seek, they had never gone into this part.
And now, Koromo would be staying in this part of the mansion, out of sight of most others, in a place where no guests entered and few of the residents went.
"This is your room, Koromo-ojou-sama," Hagiyoshi said. "Your belongings have been unpacked."
Touka, in spite of her increasing feeling that Koromo was being isolated, could not help but
"Thank you, Hagiyoshi," Koromo said hesitantly.
"My pleasure," Hagiyoshi said pleasantly. "Dinner will be in two hours, but please feel free to call on me."
Hagiyoshi bowed and took his leave.
"Touka, I have a question," Koromo said, a far cry from the typically cheerful demeanor she showed.
"What is it, Koromo?" Touka said.
"Why are my aunt and uncle going so far for me, taking me in like this?" Koromo said.
"You are not some mere stranger, Koromo," Touka said. "Your mother and mine were sisters, making you family."
Koromo outwardly smiled, but in the end, the impression had already been implanted in her. Bonds of blood were the only thing linking her and Touka together, and not even a direct tie at that. If not for their mothers being related, Koromo believed she and Touka would have no connection at all.
Present day
"Unfortunately, a few years later, my mother passed away as well," Touka said. "The loss of my mother was somewhat hard on Koromo, albeit not as much as losing her parents."
Touka's fiercely determined visage cracked for a moment as she recalled losing her mother, and she blinked back tears. She inwardly sighed in relief that her friends did not notice- or at least, did not acknowledge- this emotional display, as the conversation continued.
"So, what happened then?" Hajime said. "Did your father no longer wish to take Koromo in?"
"As if he could do such a thing," Touka said with a scoff. "Even if he were possessed with the ability to renege on his promise, he was bound to honor my late mother's wishes, and obligated to care for Koromo now that he had assumed this responsibility. Still, I believe on some level, Koromo feels like a guest who's overstayed her welcome, even if she does not say it outright," Touka said. "I wish I could convince her otherwise, but I cannot when I feel the same way."
Touka paused to think things over. She disliked the idea of doing things out of duty, out of obligation, or to repay one's debts rather than one's own will. Koromo was her family, but Touka was determined to help her because Koromo was dear to her, not because it was expected of her. She looked around at her friends, and noticed that while they had similar beliefs, they did not seem to feel the same way about her father.
"Does it really matter?" Jun said. "Whether or not he likes it or has a good reason for doing it, he's looking after your cousin and providing her with a place to live, which is more than can be said for some people. Your family has its share of problems, but it's still a family."
Touka let off a long sigh. She realized Jun had her reasons for saying what she did, reasons that she was hesitant to talk about. But regardless of why Jun was saying what she did, her point was one that Touka could not contest, even if saying that was not an easy admission for Touka to make.
"You are correct; Koromo does not want for anything," Touka said. "But at the same time, she realizes that she is not truly a member of this family; she is tolerated, yes, but not quite loved and appreciated by my father. She has a roof over her head and three good meals a day, but it's not home."
Touka left unspoken how Koromo's surname being different made it harder for people to tell that she was related to the Ryuumonbuchi family, a fact that Touka believed her father found most convenient for him. Koromo's father and uncle had never associated much with each other while the latter was alive, and Touka believed that if her uncle had survived while her mother and aunt had died, her father would have cut all ties with him.
"When I think about my family, I certainly do engage in a great deal of frivolous hypothesizing," Touka thought. "If I do so, perhaps I should think up a happier scenario for Koromo."
Touka's thoughts were interrupted as she heard a light knock on the door was heard, followed by Hagiyoshi's voice.
"Excuse me, Touka-ojousama and honored guests," Hagiyoshi said. "Koromo-ojousama would like to join you if you are not busy at the moment."
Touka picked up the pad of paper and quickly wrote "Koromo's here; drop the subject," on it.
Jun, Hajime and Tomoki silently nodded. They did not know Koromo especially well, but knew that the family was the elephant in the room, so to speak. Seeing that her friends understood, Touka ripped out the piece of paper with the drawing and message before crumpling it up as she called out to Hagiyoshi.
"Send her in, Hagiyoshi," Touka said, in the somewhat blunt and commanding tone she used around her servants. Outside of her friends, Touka was often somewhat amiable to those below her, but her tone tended to remind them of their status.
Hagiyoshi opened the door and Koromo came in, in one of her better moods. Evidently, she was unaware of what her cousin and crewmates had been discussing, and her mind was away from darker subjects, so Touka decided to ensure it stayed that way for the moment.
"Touka! Everyone!" Koromo said. "What were you doing?"
"We were just reminiscing," Touka said, "about old times in the tankery team."
The other three girls quickly picked up on it, and moved to change the subject.
"Ah yes," Tomoki said. "I wasn't on the tankery team last year, so I'd like to hear more about your first year."
"Mother was a tanker while in high school," Koromo said. "She attended St. Gloriana, and was a member of the Black Tea Garden, known as Matcha. Perhaps by doing what she did, Koromo could perhaps become more like her."
Koromo's voice carried a hint of frustration and disappointment. She had once written a poem about a caterpillar that looked upward at butterflies flying in the sky, one based heavily on her own feelings. There were many reasons that Koromo missed her parents, and a major reason was that they would never see her grow up to become an adult just like them.
"Touka and I applied to the tankery team together," Koromo said, "only to be shunted aside and spurned as a pariah."
Touka was slightly taken off guard, not by what Koromo said, but by the bluntness of it. Depending on her mood, Kormo could be very forthcoming about the worse aspects of her life, and Touka was thus careful to not openly discuss them around her.
"I see... I'm sorry to hear that, Koromo," Hajime said. "I may not know all about... your circumstances, but I have some idea of what it's like to be ostracized."
"It wasn't as unpleasant as one might think," Koromo said. "The antipathy of others is, if nothing else, sincere, while sympathy is often applied for less than altruistic motivations."
Touka let off a sigh. She was the sort who, in spite of her desire to get the limelight to herself, was able to live with people disliking her for being herself. But Koromo giving up on being accepted, and questioning the kindness she received from others was something else- and unfortunately, something Touka could not.
Last year
In Koala Forest's commander's office, Touka arranged a meeting with Sheila, commander of the Koala Forest tankery team. Sheila had been appointed commander in her final year after a somewhat difficult struggle against her rival for the position.
Touka had heard all about the struggle, and found Sheila to be overly obsessed with what others thought. But she put that aside for the moment, because she had a job to do. While Touka had been approved to participate on the tankery team and was in the process of being given an assignment, Koromo's placement was still "pending." Touka, somewhat impatient by nature, but also realizing that the matter could potentially be deferred indefinitely if she allowed it, decided to see Sheila and force a resolution.
"Excuse me, Commander," Touka said. "I was hoping to talk with you about finding a spot on the team for my cousin, Amae Koromo."
"Very well, Ryuumonbuchi, have a seat," Sheila said, and Touka sat down. "I understand where you're coming from, but this may be a difficult order to fill."
"How, pray tell?" Touka said. "I was under the impression that Koala Forest's team did not have enough of a surplus of recruits to merely turn newcomers away."
Sheila sighed, knowing that dealing with Touka would be no easy task if this was the attitude she had. At the same time, Touka frowned; she had not expected Sheila to say yes, but found her nonverbal reaction to be a troubling sign as to where Sheila's priorities lay.
"That may be true," Sheila said, "but all the same, newcomers have to work well in their individual roles and with the team as a whole. Amae's technical skills are fairly promising, but she has a bit of a reputation as a loner and an oddball around the school. Good luck finding a crew that will work with her."
Touka bit her lip upon hearing Sheila's dismissive tone. It seemed evident to her that Sheila shared those beliefs, and had no serious desire to help Koromo become a part of the team. Luckily for Touka, she believed she had a solution.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I have already done so," Touka said. "I would specifically like to request her for my crew."
"That's a rather bold statement," Sheila said. "You may have qualified as a tank commander, but you don't get to choose your crew. Only the team commanders- in other words, I- have that ability."
"That is a recent development," Touka said. "Koala Forest has always had a somewhat loose hierarchy."
"Recent or not, that has changed, and what I am describing are now the rules," Sheila said. "You would do well to respect the chain of command, Ryuumonbuchi."
As Sheila's voice and words, spoken to an unruly subordinate she seemed to believe needed to know her place, Touka's temper flared and her voice rose.
"If I am a commander, then those under my command are my responsibility, are they not?" Touka said, with her Japanese formal but her tone impudent. "I should think that selecting a crew worthy of serving under me would be well within my abilities desu wa!"
"Very well, then," Sheila said. "If you're so confident, then I can have you two put with three other 'problem children.' They're fairly talented at driving, gunning and loading, respectively, but their attitude isn't the best, so you may have trouble working with them. You'll find them with Tank 13."
"Three others?" Touka thought. "Problem children?"
Touka began to walk off, uninterested in hearing anything else out of Sheila, and knowing that the things she wanted to say would likely have adverse consequences.
"I didn't say 'you're dismissed,' Ryuumonbuchi," Sheila said. "Unlike the headmaster, I won't tolerate your impudence or insubordination."
The words stopped Touka in her tracks.
"What would an imbecile like you know about my father?" Touka snarled under her breath as she turned around to face Sheila.
"Do you have something you would like to say to me?" Sheila said.
"No," Touka said.
"No, ma'am." Sheila said. "You are dismissed."
Touka gave a reluctant, half-hearted and not entirely correct salute before doing an about face, and leaving to find her new team.
Touka, along with Koromo, walked up to the other members of Crew 13, in its designated spot in the tank hangar. Touka had not told Koromo about her argument with the commander, and simply said that the two of them would b serving together in the same tank.
"My name is Ryuumonbuchi Touka," Touka said. "I trust you all have been informed about me?"
"Oh, so you're our new commander," one of them said casually.
"That I am," Touka said, "and this is my cousin, Amae Koromo, your new radio operator."
"You two got on the commander's bad side, didn't you?" the loader said, gesturing toward the gunner "Could it be that you argued that your friend couldn't have been expected to make the shot that she missed?"
"Say what you will about me," Touka said, "but Koromo has not committed any transgressions to win that girl's ire."
"She never had to," the driver said. "The other candidate for commander, Sophie, is a friend of mine. Sophie was for staying the course, upholding tradition and keeping the hierarchy relaxed, while Commander Sheila favored rigid control. As a result, I can't help but feel as though Sheila's marginalizing everyone who supported Sophie and her beliefs."
Touka looked around. She had to admit that she had long been used to getting what she wanted by virtue of who she was. Her servants had to do as she said, within reason and as long as her father had not issued any orders to the contrary. Koromo, her slightly older cousin, tended to listen to Touka in most cases.
But now, she had three tankers who seemed to lack respect for their superiors. So rather than appeal to authority, she had to give them a reason to fight and win.
"In any case," Touka said, "the Commander calls all of us 'problem children,' as if she were somehow infallible and superior to all of us. Let us prove that we can accomplish great things, to vindicate ourselves and earn redemption!"
Koromo and the other three girls cheered. Touka had caused them to rally around her by offering them the three things they wanted most- to prove themselves, to get revenge of a sort against Sheila, and to win. If they could work together and do their tasks well, all else would follow.
Present day
"A part of me was sorely tempted to convey my grievances to Father," Touka said. "But my refusal was mainly a matter of pride. I had no desire to call upon outside help in my conflict with that woman, least of all my father's. I had no desire to run from this battle, especially when I had people fighting alongside me."
Tomoki gave a somewhat disapproving frown. To most people, she was taciturn yet courteous, a far cry from Touka.
"As much as I like Touka, I do admit she has a bit of a problem with authority, to say the least," Hajime said, before turning to Touka. "There are some people that you simply have to obey, even if they get on your bad side."
"To be honest, the commander sounds like one of my old teachers from middle school," Jun said. "Essentially, if you got on her 'shit list' for whatever reason, she'd watch you like a hawk and look for any excuse to penalize you." Jun paused and chuckled softly. "That said, this girl doesn't really have to look that hard as far as Touka is concerned."
Tomoki nodded.
"That's a good point, Jun," Tomoki said. "From what I heard from one of my senpais in the literature club, who had recently left the tankery team, the previous commander's policy ran counter to Koala Forest tradition of loose hierarchy, and she was somewhat poor at taking criticism. She didn't punish her critics outright, but she did essentially give the the less than preferable positions until they left. On the one hand, she was owed a certain level of respect, as well as our obedience, by virtue of being our commander. On the other hand, people like my senpai and Touka were not necessarily wrong to take umbrage at her decisions."
"Well, we can be sure of one thing," Koromo said with a smile, "that we are better off with Touka in charge."
Touka nodded, pleased at seeing a genuine smile out of Koromo, even if those smiles were rarer than she would like.
"Unless I'm mistaken, we beat Viking Marine School, but lost to Pravda last year, right?" Jun said.
"And they lost to Black Forest, who, in turn, lost to the champions," Tomoki said.
"Yes," Touka said. "Perhaps eager to see us embarrass ourselves, like placing a soldier you detest in the vanguard, my predecessor deployed in the active roster for the tournament, only for me to defy her expectations. It was not sufficient to overcome Pravda, but I did far better than she did in that situation."
"So is that how you became commander?" Tomoki said.
"I applied for commander of the team, and was chosen," Touka said, "largely because most of those with leadership experience were leaving."
The other girls focused on Touka's use of "largely," and eagerly awaited her elaborating on the other reasons. When Touka did not provide an explanation, the room went silent for a moment.
"Something wrong?" Jun said. "It's a bit odd that someone as full of yourself as you would talk about that as it was odd."
Koromo took the opportunity to speak, as Touka remained silent.
"At Koala Forest, the outgoing commander plays a large role in choosing the new commander," Koromo said. "Her recommendation supposedly is often the decisive factor, as it was for the former commander. Touka despised the practice, since she thought it would mean that one of the former commander's cronies would be chosen. But Touka had never anticipated that the former commander's recommendation would go to her."
Last year
Touka sat in the commander's office, discussing her appointment and the responsibilities she had. Few of them were surprises to her, although many of the responsibilities of being commander were ones that Sheila had taken upon herself.
As the lecture concluded, Touka was unsure how to respond to Sheila's grudging "Congratulations." The more prideful part of Touka wanted to believe that she had done well enough that even Sheila had to admit how skilled she was, while a more pragmatic aspect of her realized that after the end of the year, the tea was no longer Sheila's responsibility.
"Do you have any further questions?" Sheila said.
"None," Touka said. "I may not be the leader you'd recommended, but I will be the commander Koala Forest needs."
"It would appear that you are wrong this time, Ryuumonbuchi," Sheila said. "I was the one who recommended you."
Touka's mouth gaped open for a second. While Sheila was not the type to let any opportunity to prove her opponents wrong pass her by, she would not say something like this just for that purpose.
"Is this true?" Touka said. Sheila reluctantly nodded.
"There were a few factors that influenced my decision," Sheila said. "But in the end, as commander, I do what is best for the sake of the team, even if I don't like it myself. That's a lesson you should keep in mind for the future, and I'm not giving it for your sake, but the team's."
Touka was briefly left at a loss for words as the commander's lesson echoed in her head.
"You are dismissed, Commander Ryuumonbuchi," the former commander said. "Go, before I consider withdrawing my recommendation."
Something stirred within Touka. Perhaps Sheila had certain "incentives" to recommend Touka. But Sheila's last statement, and the desire for the good of the team seemed entirely sincere, and even Touka had to respect that.
Touka rose from the chair, stood attention and saluted.
"Yes, ma'am," Touka said.
Present day
"I had to wonder if my father pulled some strings at some point," Touka said. "Perhaps he would, and it would be a simple matter to ensure my predecessor's silence. It would certainly explain her parting remark about having to do things she didn't like."
"Her reluctance could be a simple matter of being proven wrong, and of knowing that as much as she disliked you, you were the best choice," Tomoki said. "After all, when have you ever reacted well to your points being refuted in an argument?"
Touka's jaw hung open and twitched as she stammered unintelligibly for a few moments, before she changed the subject.
"Since I believed I would never have an honest answer to that question, I decided to put that out of my mind, and devote myself to my tasks as commander," Touka said. "One of them was replacing the other three members of my crew of misfits. Team 13 may have become the commander's team, but I decided to make sure that it retained its spirit as well as its moniker. I searched for individuals who would fit the team, and the first one I found was my driver."
As she finished speaking, Touka gestured to Hajime.
"I had many reasons for wanting to get involved," Hajime said, "but a desire for fame certainly wasn't one of them. Being at the center of attention isn't all it's cracked up to be, especially when it's not good attention."
"Do you perhaps have something specific in mind, Hajime?" Tomoki said. Most of her actions online had been done while anonymous, even if Touka had ultimately tracked her down. But she often noticed that people tended to draw attention to themselves there, often in the worst possible ways. She knew that some people preferred to avoid being at the center of attention.
"My dad used to be a professional race car driver," Hajime said. "But then he was accused of sabotaging another racer's car when it had an accident, and he was the one who won the race. It was never officially proven, but the court of public opinion has less of a burden of proof than the real one. As such, he lost his sponsorships, had to stop racing and we fell on hard times."
"Ok, but what does this have to do with you, Kunihiro-kun?" Jun said.
"You just said it, Jun-kun," Hajime said. "My surname isn't all that common, and my dad is old enough to have a daughter my age. Apparently, when you're convicted in the court of public opinion, your family members are indicted as your accomplices. The shame of being associated with my dad, combined with him being out of work for a long time, got to be too much for Mom, and she... left."
Tomoki's expression turned somber. She was reminded of a mystery game she played in which one case had the player character investigating the suicide of a young woman whose father had been framed for murder. The truth was that the woman had found evidence incriminating the real killer, who had killed her to silence her, but everyone had concluded that the young woman had succumbed to despair and shame, and no longer wished to live, and the page from her diary planted as a suicide note had nearly moved Tomoki to tears.
"It wasn't entirely bad, though," Hajime said. "I did meet some friends while I was in school, but only those who gave me a chance, and didn't immediately dismiss me for what they thought my father did."
"That's a basic requirement for true friendship, Hajime," Koromo said wistfully.
"Yeah," Hajime said. "And I do believe that most who get to know you and Touka the way I do will end up liking you, whatever their first impressions of you may be."
Koromo was briefly left at a loss for words. As she and the others paused, Hajime resumed her story.
"Then I went to middle school," Hajime continued, "and I got involved in tankery. I chose the driver position because my dad's driving fascinated me, even if a tank was very different from a car."
"But what was it that happened, exactly?" Jun said.
"There was an incident in my last year of middle school, two years ago," Hajime said. "In the first round of the tournament, our flag tank threw a track, leaving it exposed to enemy fire, and resulting in it getting disabled. I, the driver, took the brunt of the blame."
"There's any number of other explanations for what happened," Tomoki said, "so it seems somewhat hasty to blame you."
"Maybe, but I know which one my teammates settled on," Hajime said. "And after being told it was my fault for so long, I started internalizing that belief. So I was surprised that Touka would want me for tankery, in the same position in which I believed I had failed my old team."
One year ago
Hajime was walking home on the Koala Forest school ship, sweating in the summer heat. Koala Forest's summer uniform was distinct from the winter uniform in that it had a sleeveless slipover sweater rather than a blazer, and a short sleeved dress shirt.
"Ugh, this is hot..." she said, as she stopped under the shade of a storefront, unbuttoned the top button of her dress shirt and loosened her necktie. As she did, she heard the footsteps behind her come to a stop.
"Kunihiro Hajime-san," Touka said, getting Hajime's attention.
Hajime wondered if she was in the presence of a princess as she turned around. Touka was wearing the Koala Forest school uniform- her father was adamant that his daughter would follow the same rules as everyone else- but she carried herself with an uncommon grace and sense of superiority.
"Ryuumonbuchi Touka-sama?" Hajime said, immediately recognizing Touka. The two had never officially met, so Hajime wondered why Touka would possibly seek her out, especially given that Hajime knew who she was. Given her status as the daughter of the headmaster, Hajime wondered if a bit more respect was in order.
"Just 'Touka' will do," Touka said. "I may desire your services, but you are not a servant, and I will not have you talking to me like you are."
"Alright, Touka," Hajime said. "You can call me Hajime. But what, may I ask, do you want my services for?"
"What else could it be but tankery?" Touka said. "Specifically, driving a tank, like you did for Ayer's Rock Middle School in the past."
Hajime sighed. True to her reputation, Touka got straight to the point, and straight to the topic that was still difficult for Hajime to discuss.
"If you know that much, then you know why I'm not doing it at the moment," Hajime said gloomily. "I don't want people to spread rumors about me being the girl who detracked my flag tank at my old school, much less making the same mistake at this one."
"Indeed," Touka said. "And it is nothing less than tragic that you would squander your prodigious talents merely because of the disparagement of the ignorant masses!"
Hajime found what Touka was saying and the attitude behind it surprising. Touka's behavior was often brazen, and she paid little regard to what others thought. But at the same time, she was less likely to be wounded by others' scorn, and less susceptible to bullying.
Perhaps Hajime could never be as confident as Touka. But she believed that this time, it might be a good thing to listen to Touka's belief in her than in everyone else's contempt of her.
"Well then, Touka," Hajime said, "if I'm really the driver you're looking for, then I'm in."
Present day
"In spite of her small frame, Hajime is quite dexterous with the controls of a tank," Touka said. "It would seem that my eye for talent is impeccable as always. But I do often have to remind her to not be so formal with me."
"Sorry, Touka," Hajime said. "The headmaster is fairly intimidating, though."
Touka sighed. Apart from those who wanted to befriend her to get her father's favor, and those who disliked her because of her father, there were some who might have befriended her, but felt as though they could not. She got along well with Sugino Ayumu, who was her vice captain, the daughter of one of her father's servants and a maid in training, but because of Ayumu's position, they could never completely be friends. Touka had accepted that this often happened, but had no desire for this to be the case with her relationship with Hajime.
"My father is far from a nightmarish abomination of legend, and even those do not have eyes and ears everywhere," Touka said. "Nor do I have any desire to emulate a certain insufferable harpy I once knew in middle school, who fancied herself superior to us all by dint of being the headmistress' niece."
"I know, but it's just a subconscious thing, since I try to be polite to most people," Hajime said. "While everyone knows who your father is, and have... varying opinions on him, those who know you well know you're more than an extension of him. You're the proud, strong-willed and eccentric commander of our tankery team."
Tomoki nodded.
"Perhaps Touka is the person she is today in large part because of her father," Tomoki said. "But we chose to follow and befriend her because she is who she is."
"Yeah," Jun said. "For me, it was either join the tankery team or clean toilets until I graduated, but I must say I definitely made the right choice."
"Jun-kun, you haven't told us much about yourself," Hajime said.
"Sorry, but I'm not comfortable talking about my family circumstances," Jun said, taking on an oddly polite and calm tone. "Let's just say that I'm grateful for how the teachers and other people ask for a 'Parent or guardian,' without specifying which one. I'm also grateful that few of my friends know and none of them ask about the fact that my surname wasn't originally Inoue, as well as their being fine with not coming over to my house."
"I see..." Hajime said.
"I do feel a little bad, though, especially considering how forthcoming you've all been so far," Jun said. "It's just that I... it's a little more difficult for me to do the same."
Hajime nodded, and the room went silent for a few seconds. Tomoki, despite thinking that she did not have much of a story to tell, decided to go next, if only to dispel the sense of awkwardness.
"I'll go next," Tomoki said. "In my first year, I had originally tried to get a gamer club started at Koala Forest, but I was unable to get enough members. I did, however, meet Touka while asking around. I didn't think much of it at the time, since she refused to join. So it was essentially back to my online tank game."
"Why not join the actual tank team?" Koromo said.
"I had heard less than pleasant rumors about some tankery teams," Tomoki said. "I take my gaming seriously, but it's just something I do for fun; nothing more and nothing less. I may be good at it, but I'm not sure if I'm anywhere close to professional level."
"Not many are, Tomoki" Hajime said.
"I suppose so, Hajime," Tomoki said. "So what about tankery? Is it more than a game, but less than a career for us?"
"Something like that," Hajime said. "Even if you can't do it for a living, it's fun to do it with friends, on a somewhat more serious level."
"Good point," Tomoki said. "There was a time when I tried to start a gaming club at this school, but I couldn't gather the necessary support. It was around this time that some people I knew online got involved."
Last year
Tomoki walked home, glancing at her petition sheet, and the handful of signatures she had on it, including hers in the slot for the petitioner. Each signature represented a person who wanted to see a gaming club established at Koala Forest, and was willing to participate in it. And each signature represented someone who would be disappointed that the club had not met the membership requirements.
Almost on cue, Tomoki spotted the student council president, the person who had given her the idea.
"Good afternoon, Sawamura-san," the president said. "How's collecting signature's going?"
Tomoki sighed, but her expression changed little enough that the president was not able to notice. She understood that the president was just making conversation, but always disliked being asked to tell about something when she had no good news to give.
"Not well, President" Tomoki said. "I have a few signatures, but few people are interested, at least as far as gaming goes."
"Sorry to hear that," the president said. "In spite of my position, I can't just bend the rules on a whim."
"So I'll be continuing to attend the book club from now on unless something more interesting comes up," Tomoki said.
"You never know," the president said. "Getting involved in student government wasn't originally my cup of tea, but I enjoy my job."
"So are you saying I'll learn to like what I have?" Tomoki said, trying to.
"That, or you'll soon find something that's better suited to you," the president said. "In the end, the answer is one that only you can find for yourself."
As Tomoki and the president said goodbye to each other, Tomoki pondered the advice she had been given. It was less clear than she had hoped, but the president was right, and this was an answer she would have to find on her own.
After returning home and saying hello to her mother, Tomoki stepped into her room, and closed the door behind her. She took off her blazer and her necktie, and unbuttoned the top button of her dress shirt.
Tomoki played her online tank game and won a match against the girls from Oarai who comprised Anteater Team, including the member who joined later.
Nekota: GG, Tomoki3.
Tomoki: Thanks, you too.
Misha: OOC, did you hear about this new player? I think her name was Touka.
Tomoki: What about her?
Misha: Her rating's been quickly rising over time. Hard to believe she's just a newcomer.
Tomoki: Interesting. I'll have to face her some time. What about you?
Nekota: We don't have as much time to play these days, though. We're in a tankery club at our school.
Seeing this, Tomoki became intrigued.
Tomoki: Really? What kind of team is it?
A long pause followed. Tomoki noticed that since Nekota was a somewhat fast typist, she must have started a lengthy response.
Nekota: There's all sorts in there; volleyball players, the Student Council, the auto club, the morals committee members, history buffs and so forth.
Momogawa's response came a moment later. It took very little time to type, and but she also seemed to agree without hesitation.
Momogawa: ^
Piyotan: Yeah, it's natural that a group of gamers like us would fit in.
Misha: My parents don't really like tankery, so I don't think they'd approve. Still, the prospect's tempting
Tomoki pondered what Misha had said. Her parents were fairly open minded about her electives, and were talked into accepting her attempts to start a gaming club, but she had not considered how they would feel about tankery.
Nekota: What about you, Tomoki3?
Tomoki: I haven't thought about it that much.
Immediately after sending her response, Tomoki began typing up the message that would elaborate on it, before the inevitable chorus of "Why not?" answers came.
Tomoki: To be honest, it's been difficult finding a group of people with whom I have much in common and can share my interests. I've head less than pleasant things about the commander's tendency to marginalize various people who don't fit in.
Nekota: I get what you're saying. Our commander isn't like that, though, and maybe you'll meet someone like her.
Tomoki: Maybe.
Noticing it was getting late,Tomoki logged off, with a great deal to think about.
Present day
"That was the first time I'd heard Touka's name online," Tomoki said. "I had heard of her here and there around the school, given her relation to the headmaster, but it hadn't become relevant to me until I heard about her as a gamer."
"I had thrown myself into you game to see if I could find you and judge your skills," Touka said. "Ever since I saw you recruiting for your club, I wondered if you were also a player of that online tank game."
"Do you have any idea of how low the probability of just happening to find me online is?" Tomoki said. "Or how much effort it would take to get up to my ranking? Or how difficult it would be to locate me in the real world?"
"I do," Touka said. "First, that was an assumption I had made for the sake of determining if you were a worthy tanker. Second, I will concede that it was quite fortuitous that you, too, lived on the Koala Forest school ship."
Even though school ships were meant to foster independence from one's parents, there were still "Sailor kids" whose parents worked on the ships they went to school on. Some of those parents worked at the school, as Touka's father was headmaster of Koala Forest, and Tomoki's father was a teacher, while others merely worked for the school community, as Yukari's parents were hairdressers.
There were those who derided them for being overly dependent on their parents. Others, however, were more sympathetic, concluding that it was natural for those who worked on school ships to raise families there, and for said families to want to stay together while they could. Still others saw that as preferable, and believed that it was natural and right for children to live at home.
In Touka's case, it meant it was simple enough to track Tomoki down, since both of them lived on the same ship.
Last year
During a school break, Tomoki was sitting down to play in her home in the Koala Forest school ship when she heard the doorbell ring. Shortly thereafter, her mother called up to her.
"Tomoki!" Tomoki's mother said. "There's a Ryuumonbuchi Touka-san from school at the door."
Tomoki's team had not yet entered the match, so she typed, "AFK, door" into chat, and walked into the living room, where she saw Touka, wearing a white dress and standing there waiting for her.
Tomoki had heard about Touka before hearing of her online, if only by virtue of the fact that the headmaster had a daughter, but only had a slight idea of why she had business with her. They had played against each other and Tomoki had won, but a more narrow victory than she had expected against a newcomer. She hoped to find out more about Touka, and learn what drove her on.
"I'm here," Tomoki said.
"Ryuumonbuchi-san, this is my daughter, Tomoki," Tomoki's mother said. "Tomoki, this is Ryuumonbuchi Touka-san, from your school."
"It's nice to meet you," Tomoki said, as she bowed.
"Likewise," Touka said.
"Would you girls like some privacy while you have your discussion?" Tomoki's mother said.
Touka and Tomoki sat down in the living room, with Tomoki sitting on the couch, and Touka pulling up a chair across from her.
"On second thought, I do believe we have met before in real life," Tomoki said. "You are one of the ones I invited to the gaming club."
"That is correct," Touka said. "And I have an invitation of my own to extend to you- to join Koala Forest's tankery team."
Tomoki nodded, intrigued. She had heard enough about tankery from Anteater Team to develop an interest in it. In spite of that, she had a few questions about the team before she committed to anything, starting with why Touka went out of her way to recruit her.
"I do have to ask," Tomoki said, "why, of all the possible people at Koala Forest, did you pick me? I have no tankery experience at this school, or prior to it."
"Because you are no ordinary tanker," Touka said. "You possess a skillset that few others do, and will fit in nicely with my handpicked crew."
Tomoki thought. "This should be interesting."
"I'm in," Tomoki said.
"Splendid," Touka said. "I will formally induct you into the team tomorrow at school, once you have made the proper arrangements."
Touka stood up and tuned
"My business with your daughter is concluded, madam," Touka said. "I am pleased to hear that she is interested in joining the tankery club, and will be on my way."
"So am I, Ryuumonbuchi-san," Tomoki's mother said. "Take care."
"See you tommorow," Tomoki said.
After Touka shut the door behind her, Tomoki's mother turned back to her.
"Ryuumonbuchi-san was quite something," Tomoki's mother said, "but at the same time, Tomoki, I'm glad you're getting out and spending some time with your schoolmates."
Tomoki decided to get back to the game, apologizing to her teammates for the delay, but she knew that she had work to do when she logged off. She would have to draft a resignation letter for the literary club; she was not particularly close to anyone there, but she felt she owed them that much. She would also have to do what she could to prepare for tankery.
Present day
"I always felt like the odd one out in the literary club, and the only one who didn't want to be there," Tomoki said. "But now, all of us in Team 13 are the odd one out in varying ways, and all of us are here because we want to be."
"Isn't it true that Coach Akasaka is new this year?" Hajime said.
"Yep," Jun said. "Apparently, she's a new hire, and somewhat sensitive about being considered an 'interim' coach."
"Well, when you think about it, Touka, Coach Akasaka really fit with the rest of us," Hajime said. "She's something of an oddball, but she's highly effective, and she works well with you."
"Indeed," Touka said. "But while she has earned my trust, she cannot yet say the same of her superiors. I have heard that the deal is that if she performs well, she will become our permanent coach, but if she does not, she will only remain until we find a replacement."
"But in the end, that is what we are doing, is it not?" Koromo said. "And it is all the more reason why we should win, no matter which opponent comes our way."
The five members of Touka's crew had different backgrounds, skillsets and motivations. But they worked well together, united by a common purpose, and were determined to defeat any school standing in their way, no matter the odds against them.
Author's Notes
I decided to leave Jun's backstory to your interpretation, partly because hardly anything gets revealed about it in canon (Touka and Koromo are central characters, Hajime gets a few flashbacks, and Tomoki's backstory is shown in a picture drama).
On a minor Japanese language-related note, the five Ryuumonbuchi members all have somewhat distinct personal pronouns.
*Hajime uses "boku," which is mostly used by males, but also by some tomboyish girls and people whose gender is ambiguous.
*Jun uses "ore," a highly informal and masculine personal pronoun that virtually no females use, apart from those pretending to be male.
*Touka uses the extremely formal "watakushi," which nicely accentuates her background as a young woman from a privileged background.
*Koromo often uses her own name rather than a personal pronoun. In Japanese, the practice is not quite as outlandish as it is in English (for example, in Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair's English version, Ibuki's tendency to do this was greatly toned down), but it's generally something that only the fairly childish or exceptionally narcissistic(Katyusha, for example, is both) do.
*Tomoki, as far as I know, simply uses "watashi."
Character Analysis: Koromo
Koromo, not unlike Saki, is a character who canonically runs off of supernatural powers and is not especially suited to a leadership position; according to her official stats, her "Knowledge" and "Analysis" ratings are somewhat poor, indicative of a player who relies on luck and special talents, rather than special abilities. Since this does not apply to tankery, she is thus not much use as a leader.
Regarding Koromo's family situation it is known that her parents are dead and her uncle was reluctant to take her in. Granted, most of what we know about him is second-hand, but very little of it is flattering. She canonically misinterprets Touka's desire to help her make friends to mean that Touka herself is not one of them, and is only close to her because they are cousins.
Koromo dislikes being seen as the object of pity. Her uncle takes care of her, but (at least in Koromo's mind) privately wants little to do with her, so Touka understands that what help he gives is not out of simple benevolence. Koromo and Touka's mothers were sisters, and Touka's mother was the one to take in Koromo after Koromo's parents died of the yellow dust. After Touka's mother died of an illness, Touka's father carried on, to honor his wife's last wishes.
Koromo thus believes that Touka is only close to her because their mothers were related; Touka's answer to one of Koromo's questions was that because their mothers were related, they were family, and thus believes that Hajime, Jun and Tomoki are only close to her because of Touka. Touka, in spite of her benevolent intentions, unwittingly fosters that perception by insisting that they are family.
Koromo's personality is slightly offputting, alternating between childlike displays and periods of being morose and gloomy. Because there are few who get close to her, Koromo wonders about the motives of those who do take the time to do so. As such, until she comes to understand that such people truly care about her, she will have great difficulty opening up to them.
Character Analysis: Touka
Touka's dialogue can be interesting to write, as she speaks with elegance and grace, using the personal pronoun watakushi among other things, but can also be somewhat blunt, rude and haughty. She speaks formally, but less out o politeness than out of a sense of pride.
Of course, Touka is far from a bad person. Her primary goal in both canon and this fic is to help her cousin make friends (albeit unaware that she unwittingly caused Koromo to believe that Touka herself is not a friend). By competing, she kills two birds with one stone, so to speak; she helps her cousin make friends while satisfying her own desire to find (and hopefully, defeat) strong opponents, a desire Koromo shares to some degree.
Touka has a few modes of interacting with others. If you get on her bad side, she will let you know in no uncertain terms. If you have proven yourself a reliable ally and trustworthy friend, she will do her best to express that, albeit not without a fair amount of awkwardness. If you, despite being an enemy, manage to earn her respect and defeat her, she will cheer for you in her own way, demanding that you not lose to anyone but her.
Character Analysis: Hajime Kunihiro
Hajime makes an interesting foil to Touka, being modest, reserved and not much for attention. The fact that she has had a great deal of negative attention, as a result of cheating in a game of mahjong (canon), or her father's alleged misdeeds and her allegd failure (this fic) gives her reason to merely hope to get by without much attention.
As a result of her past having changed, Hajime does not wear the chains that she wears to hinder her sleight of hand, and as a sign of her bond with Touka. This is one example of how adapting characters to Necessary to Win, some elements do not translate well.
In spite of that, many aspects of Hajime remain the same. She's determined to do her best at her given role, thereby proving her worth to Touka and helping her and the rest of her friends.