"Really? A friggin' Bob Semple…?" Miho said in disappointment at this pathetic excuse of a tank.
Makoto went over to the wreck and noticed a sticky note on the hull of the tank so she plucked it.
The note read, "Don't even bother hiring us to repair this pile of junk -The Automotive Club"
"Assholes…" irritated, the Student Council Vice President crumpled the paper and threw it on the ground. "This tank's fucking garbage. We need to find another one."
Izumi, the PR Manager shushed her immediately. "Makoto-san, don't be so vulgar in front of Nishizumi-sensei!"
The crowd was indifferent. They didn't know how to feel as the majority of them only joined the club out of curiosity. Yuna was among the crowd along with her friends. Instead of being apathetic like the other cliques, she was more confused and still a bit overwhelmed. One day she was fantasizing about meeting Miho and the next, she actually did.
The brunette was pulled out of her thoughts when Miho turned around to the crowd and said, "Alright everyone. It seems I'll have to dismiss this club session early. Because it appears, we don't have any tanks at all. Now that doesn't mean we're not gonna have club activities tomorrow, 'cause we actually will. 4:45, don't any of you forget that. I advise all of you to get a good rest tonight, for tomorrow we're looking for tanks to ride. Dismissed!"
The crowd, glad that their day ended early, left the area. Yuna opted to stay, however, and admire Miho a little bit longer but soon Ayano pulled her away. Eiko meanwhile, broke off from the two and made her way home.
Akira and her Student Council buddies were still there, however, trying what little they could to clean up the run-down tank sheds as Miho watched over them.
"Hey, monocle girl" the instructor called out.
Akira was sweeping the dusty floor when she turned her attention to Miho, adjusting her monocle before responding, "Y-Yes Nishizumi-sensei?"
"You know any place me and my crew could stay for the night? We're not sleeping in the sheds right?"
"O-Oh yes, about that." the girl went over to Miho, "The headmistress requested for you to stay at her apartment complex. I'll hand you the address if necessary."
"Ah right, Yuzu! I forgot she was the one who called me over here in the first place." the instructor mused before awkwardly chuckling. She then cleared her throat and returned to her serious look. "So, the address?"
Akira took out her phone and showed Miho where the apartment complex was located.
"The Toride District? That's pretty far away from here. Guess we'll take the train," she remarked before walking out of the tank sheds to reunite with her crew.
Before she could leave though, Akira exclaimed, "W-Wait sensei! How about your tank? I'm sure it's much better than using the train!"
Miho stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Huh? Nah, no chance. It's too noisy, we might wake the neighbors up. Besides, Oarai doesn't have any parking lots for tanks doesn't it?" she then tossed the SC president a set of keys. "Just park her in the shed alright? Oh, and take good care of her; she's a delicate baby, that Tiger."
"I'll do my best ma'am," the President saluted.
Miho nodded with a smile before going over to her tank where her crew was. "Alright guys, get your luggage and get out of the tank, we're leaving."
"What? Leaving where? And why aren't we taking the Tiger?" asked her loader.
"You think a Tiger's street-legal? C'mon, we'll take the train. Our apartment's only a district away."
Her crew took a second to fetch each of their duffel bags - packed with their belongings - inside the Tiger. They then hopped off and followed Miho out of the school and to the nearest train station.
The Tiger crew walked through the streets carrying their bags on their shoulders as they admired the remote and quiet town's sights.
Miho was hit by a wave of nostalgia. It's been so long since she's been to Oarai that the town felt only like a vague memory or a dream. Her crew also reminded her of her old one during her time here which slightly filled her with melancholy, realizing that those bygone days would never happen again.
"Ahh Oarai, the Ibaraki away from Ibaraki. You know guys, despite the Zuikaku being so popular and all, I've never visited the place once," said the loader before turning to her commander. "Hey uhh, how ya feeling over there?"
"Hmm?" Miho looked over her shoulder while she walked. "Ohh umm, nothing much. Just trying to reacquaint myself with the place. I haven't been here in twenty years."
"Holy- twenty years?! You never went on vacation here Miho?" asked her gunner.
"No, unfortunately. I was too busy in college, you guys know that. Plus, when I became a Senshadō instructor, vacations kinda became a thing of the past for me."
The rest of the walk continued in silence until the crew reached the underground train station. They grabbed a few snacks from the shopping center before boarding a train to the Toride District. Thankfully, it wasn't packed like it was in the morning.
Miho and her crew sat in different seats and placed their duffel bags between their legs. Since they were seated next to random people, they managed to catch a few curious eyes here and there but none managed to bother them. A few minutes passed on the train and everyone except the commander fell asleep from the exhaustion of traveling to Oarai by plane.
As Miho stared blankly at the underground walls outside, she noticed something in the corner of her eye. She turned to her right and saw a schoolgirl with round glasses and long black hair, presumably on her way home. Weirdly enough, the girl sat as stiff as a statue, as if she was nervous.
The instructor was slightly surprised. She had seen this girl before. She was the one standing next to Oarai's commander.
Miho grew concerned at the girl's current state. Maybe she was in trouble? So the instructor decided to speak to her.
"H-Hey-" she lightly poked the young girl on the shoulder to get her attention. Once her finger made contact with the girl's skin, she suddenly flinched in surprise and snapped her gaze towards Miho.
"N-Nishizumi-sensei!" upon realizing who it was, the girl bowed. "It's an h-honor to meet you."
"At ease, kid. We're on a train." Miho replied with a slightly embarrassed smile. "You're friends with the commander right?"
"Yuna? Y-Yes ma'am! But she's not r-really the commander per se..." Ayano averted her eyes, fidgeting.
Miho tilted her head. "What do you mean 'not the commander'?"
The girl turned back to Miho, fixing her glasses. "Sh-She's more of uhh... a figurehead commander. She's only a commander by name since, you know, the Student Council's here."
The SC's still in power huh… Pretty impressive, I must say, "So your friend, Yuna-san, she knows how to work a tank?"
"W-Well, she's a big Senshadō fan… and she plays a lot of videogames…" embarrassed, Ayano turned her face away from Miho.
The instructor facepalmed. They don't even have a proper commander?! Jeez, this school is screwed!
For some reason, Ayano chose to apologize on Yuna's behalf, saying, "I-I'm so sorry Nishizumi-sensei! I-It's just we haven't had Senshadō after so long, we kinda... just don't care about it nowadays."
"What? You don't have to apologize, it's not your fault!" Miho settled down, leaned back on her seat, and took a deep breath. "Seems like you're really good friends with Yuna-san, with you apologizing on her behalf and all."
"Y-Yes I am! Yuna's the best friend someone could ever ask for! She's kind, she's energetic... sometimes she's annoying but in a lighthearted kind of way..."
Miho then chuckled, "She sounds pretty awesome to hang out with! Hey, tell me this though, kid: what's up with her going all fangirl crazy with me earlier?"
"Oh uh, that... Well, sh-she looks at you like an idol, Nishizumi-sensei. I've been to her apartment and umm… afterwards, I had a feeling she was obsessed with you."
The instructor smiled. "Then is that line with the body pillow true?"
Ayano looked around to see if anybody on the train was listening before she whispered to Miho, "Y-Yes it is Nishizumi-sensei."
The instructor then burst out laughing but not loud enough to wake her crew. Ayano chuckled with her. Afterwards, they heard the train conductor announce their arrival at their designated station.
Miho turned to Ayano and said, "Well, it was good hanging out kid. Take good care of Yuna-san alright? A great commander needs an equally great vice commander to guide her. Oh and speaking of which, don't be late to the club tomorrow, ya hear?"
She nodded. "I-I'll try not to sensei."
Miho nodded in return. "See you around, kid," before she stood up and woke her crew. "Alright, wake up, break's over, come on!"
Her crewmen of four groggily stood up and picked up their bags. Miho then pushed them out of the train.
"Alright you lazy bums, move it! We can't keep Yuzu waiting!" she pushed her comrades who groaned in exhaustion as they went towards the escalator.
The tank crew walked a few blocks through Oarai's suburban streets, and soon they turned up at a low-rise, four-story apartment complex. Before Miho checked in, she took a peek at her phone to see if this was the right place.
"Yep, this is it. You guys can rest easy now. We're here."
Her crew let out an exhausted celebratory yell before they went in. After they were given their rooms, Miho went up to hers. Her apartment was on the fourth level, right next to Yuzu's.
Once the instructor arrived at her apartment door, she peeked over at Yuzu's red apartment door. She began contemplating if she should announce herself to Oarai's headmistress or rest after the long trip and then introduce herself afterwards.
Eh, it's not like Yuzu's leaving or anything... Miho decided to rest for a bit. She entered her apartment, set aside her luggage to be unpacked later, went over to the fridge in the kitchen, and smiled at the sight of her welcoming present: six ice-cold beer cans which glowed in a holy aura as if they were treasures at the end of a dungeon.
"Asahi? You know just what I like, Yuzu!" she excitedly grabbed a can before making her way to the living area. She plopped herself down on the couch and searched for a remote. Once found, she turned on the TV in front of her and popped the lid of her beverage.
Miho proceeded to spend her entire afternoon watching mindless TV shows whilst drinking alcohol and soon enough, she fell asleep.
Some time passed, and the instructor was rudely awoken by a knock on the door. She ignored it and tried to go back to sleep, but after another set of knocks, decided to answer it.
Going over to the door was easy. Getting up from the couch wasn't. Miho being hung over, added with the fact that her lower back wasn't doing too good, made sitting up an arduous task.
The instructor mustered up whatever strength she had left and tried to get up, but ultimately failed falling back to her initial position. Miho sighed irritatedly before she thought up another idea. She then rolled over and fell from the couch.
A loud thud was heard, probably even by the person on the other side of the door. Miho, after groaning from pain, pushed herself up. And after doing so, she went over to her door, using the walls to support her exhausted body.
The instructor opened the door and peeked through the crack, slightly annoyed by someone bothering her in her slumber as shown on her face. Her eyes suddenly widened and all signs of vexation departed from her body in an instant at the sight of her friend Yuzu on the other side. The headmistress wore her loungewear which comprised of jogger pants and a light brown cardigan over a white tank top. Her dark brown hair - which she still wore in a ponytail - had grown noticeably longer over the years.
"Y-Yuzu!" Miho exclaimed in surprise.
"Oh, Miho! You really are here!" said Yuzu, who beamed at the sight of an old friend. "You never told me you arrived. I was worried someone had ransacked your apartment for whatever reason," she then chuckled at the thought of something that ridiculous actually happening.
Miho leaned on the door frame to support herself. "Uhh yeah, sorry about that! I-I was pretty tired from the trip. A-Anyways, come inside! We can talk on the couch."
The instructor fully opened the door and welcomed Yuzu in. While she was taking her shoes off, Miho went ahead and tidied up her living area. She turned off the TV - which stayed on the whole time she slept - and picked up a few pillows that had fallen from the couch and placed them back. She didn't get to hide the beer cans, however, as once she picked them up, Yuzu had already walked into the living area.
"Ah, I see you found the welcoming present! Didn't think you'd empty them all in a day though." said the headmistress at the sight of Miho with six beer cans in hand.
The instructor giggled embarrassingly, "S-Sorry! I couldn't hold back after the first can! A-Anyway, please sit down! I'll prepare us some tea." Miho made her way to the kitchen.
Yuzu, however, declined the offer. "Oh no, it's fine. I had tea earlier. Let's just sit down and you know, catch up with each other."
Miho paused what she was doing and peeked around the kitchen wall. "S-So you don't want tea? A-Alright then, hold on a sec, I gotta... clean up."
Yuzu sat down on the light brown couch and looked around the uncharacteristic room, waiting for Miho who was in the middle of cleaning the kitchen. This was evident from the fact that she could hear the clanging of various utensils originating from that area.
Soon enough, Miho came back, her JGSDF uniform now partially wet. The instructor walked over to the couch, scratching the back of her head. "Sorry about that! I just had to rearrange a few things," she then took off her officer's tunic and lay it aside on the ground.
Miho now only wore her tank top, drenched in sweat. She then sat next to Yuzu on the couch.
"So how was the trip?"
Miho sighed, "Tiring... I had to spend my entire flight inside a tank that was inside a plane."
"Ah, so you tried out the Ami Chono-style entrance?"
"Yeah... I wanted to give the kids a good first impression and I think it turned out pretty good!" she replied, wearing a proud and tired smile.
Yuzu agreed with a nod. "I'm glad to hear that."
"Hey, I almost forgot to ask! How're the others doing? Are Anzu and Momo still around?"
"Oh, them?" she chuckled, "They live on the mainland nowadays. Momo left her kid here though."
"Do they still come around from time to time?"
"Of course they do. The Zuikaku's still their home at the end of the day. We have a reunion every summer vacation where we drink all of our sorrows away all night long."
"You guys drink for an entire night? That sounds extremely fun! Mind if I join in next time?"
Yuzu grew a concerned expression. "You've… changed a bit since we last met, Miho. Do you happen to have any drinking problems?"
"Not that I know of, no. I just drink when I'm feeling stressed, which is everyday because dealing with kids all year long can really take a toll on you."
"Miho, I'm sure there are a hundred other ways you can deal with your stress than alcohol. It can destroy your life, you know?"
"Assuming there's any left in me," she chuckled but Yuzu didn't find the joke funny.
"You have to get a hold of yourself, Miho! think of the children!" the headmistress placed her hands on her shoulders, only to find Miho fast asleep. "Miho!" she yelled and shook her awake.
The instructor immediately regained consciousness. "I'm up! I'm up! What were you telling me again?"
"Sigh, nevermind…"
"Hey, do you wanna stay up tonight and watch a movie or something? It's the least I could do for my guest."
"Sure, I don't have anything to do anyways."
"Cool, now just stay here okay? I'll go get some snacks!" Miho left for the kitchen, returning a minute later with a bag of chips in hand.
The two spent the rest of the night catching up with each other and exchanging stories that happened during their time after Oarai, all while the movie served as background noise. They shared with each other tales of college, vacations, ex-boyfriends, and many more of their wacky adventures into adulthood.
It was the very next day and Yuna couldn't stop thinking about Senshadō, to the point where she got distracted multiple times in class, resulting in several scoldings from her teachers.
The afternoon had finally come and with it, the end of the school day. Yuna once again dragged Ayano with her to the tank sheds as they were now accompanied by Eiko.
Once the other cliques arrived there, Miho set up a meeting where everyone stood before her.
"Alright everyone!" she exclaimed in a lively manner from atop her Tiger. "Today we look for tanks! I'm gonna need you all to search every nook and cranny this ship has. The tanks could be anywhere! They could be inside that forest!" Miho pointed towards the thick forest to her east. "Or hiding inside a garage in the city! One may even be buried under us! Now we can't search for tanks all day. Once the clock reaches 6:00, you gotta get back here, no matter what. Good hunting people! Dismissed!"
The volunteers stayed at the tank sheds for a minute, discussing where they should look. In the end, the freshmen decided to check north of the carrier, the Volleyball Team went to search the deep recesses of the Johannesburg, the History Buffs picked the Toride District as their hunting spot, Yuna and her two friends decided to search the forest, and the Student Council stayed at the sheds and used their positions to order a random student to look for them.
Inside the forest. Yuna, Ayano, and Eiko walked along a dirt trail. Sunlight peeked through the dense trees and the various sounds of nature were being heard all around them, producing a serene mood.
The trio searched rigorously, leaving no stone unturned. While they did so, Yuna and Ayano tried to acquaint themselves with their new friend: Eiko. So the brunette asked her a question.
"Hey Eiko, I've been wondering..."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"You're a bookish type of person right? You read in the classroom, you sit in the library all day, your bag's packed with a bunch of light novels... Shouldn't a gal like you be in the Literature Club rather than the Senshadō Club? Why'd you join in the first place?"
Eiko thought for a second before replying, "I guess I wanna make my mom proud of me. She kinda sees me as a bum, 'cause I'm the type of person who never does anything in high school. I don't wanna be a disappointment to my family so you know, when Kaichou busted into our classroom, talking about some 'Join the Senshadō Club or we will club you in the head with a pipe', I saw the opportunity and I took it."
"Huh... So you joined the club 'cause you didn't want to be a forgettable snob?"
"Yuna!" Ayano reprimanded her for her harsh words.
"Pretty much… That and because I wanted the two hundred pardons. How about you?" Eiko turned around, now walking backwards with hands behind her head. "You seem to really like this club, judging from all the crap you've been telling me. What's all that about?"
"You don't know how long I've waited for this Eiko! It's been my lifelong goal to ride a tank, let alone see one in person!" Yuna replied with clear enthusiasm in her voice.
"Well then, why not just transfer to a different school? Most of 'em practice Senshadō."
"Eh, I'm too broke," the brunette shrugged. "My mother's gone and my dad ran away with all her money. So I'm pretty much stuck here for the rest of my life!"
"Oh damn," Eiko grew a sorrowful expression. "I'm really sorry for tha-" then she suddenly tripped and fell on her ass, causing Yuna to burst out laughing.
"Hahahahaha! Clumsy ass!"
Eiko got up, dusting off her skirt. "It's not that funny..." she grumbled with an irritated and embarrassed hybrid of an expression.
"H-Hey guys, I think I found something!" Ayano suddenly called out. Yuna and Eiko, who were about to start throwing hands, paused and turned to her curiously. She was looking at something in the distance.
The two turned in the direction where she was looking. Whatever Ayano was trying to look for was obscured by thick bushes.
"What? What is it?" Yuna asked.
"It's the lake!" she said rather quietly.
Obscured by the bushes was clear, sparkling water. The trio realized they were now deep in the forest where the wide lake was located.
"Yeah, what about it?" said Eiko with a raised eyebrow.
"I-I think there's something in the water."
"Yeah, I mean, there are fish in that lake. I actually used to fish there last year-"
"N-No, No! I mean there's something submerged in the water!"
"A tank maybe?" Yuna wondered. The trio exchanged looks with each other and nodded, agreeing to check it out. They strayed off the dirt path and towards the body of water.
After pushing through dense vegetation, they wound up at the lake's shores and immediately caught sight of a figure in the water.
"Holy crap, what the hell is that?!" Yuna exclaimed, pointing at it. Meanwhile, Eiko squinted her eyes to get a better look.
In the middle of the lake was a large object, clearly metallic from the rusty look it possessed. It was overgrown with moss and was halfway submerged into the lake. After closer inspection, it seemed to be a tank with its turret above water and the rest of the body under.
"It's a tank!" Eiko reported to her friends.
"R-Really?! No, it can't be!" Yuna replied in disbelief.
"Don't try to act like you're in denial, this isn't a movie. You can clearly see it! A-Anyways, we need to report this to Nishizumi-sensei," the redhead grabbed her walkie talkie which hung around her neck, and tried to get in contact with the instructor.
Meanwhile, Yuna suddenly hugged Ayano. "Oh, Aya-chan you're a genius!"
Her friend, who was being strangled, replied, "Wh-What did I do?!"
"You found the tank for us! You've got great eyes, you know?"
"Are you being sarcastic? Get off of me!" Ayano pushed Yuna away before adjusting her glasses.
The brunette chuckled, "N-Not at all!"
Eiko looked over her shoulder. "Hey Yuna, what type of tank do you think it is?"
After getting beside Eiko and taking a good look at the tank in the distance, Yuna concluded, "It's a medium tank."
"No you idiot!" Eiko gave her a knock on the head. "I mean a name!"
"I don't know! We need to get a closer look at it," the brunette replied, rubbing the top of her head.
"I-I think there's a rowboat beached near here. S-Some people use it to fish here during summer vacation," Ayano suggested.
"Huh, we can probably use that. I wonder where it is though..." Yuna looked around and saw nothing.
Eiko peeked around the tank in the distance and saw the rowboat Ayano was possibly referring to.
"It's beached on the other side of the lake, over there," she pointed towards it.
"The other side?!" Yuna then groaned, "But I'm tired of walking!"
"I-I'm not," said Ayano.
"Come on you lazy bum..." Eiko pulled on Yuna's arm and they made their way to the other side. Ayano followed closely behind them.
They arrived there and saw that the small craft was falling apart; they pushed it into the water anyway. The trio found a conveniently placed oar on the boat so they used it to paddle their way closer to the half-submerged tank.
"Woah, I got it! It's a Panzer IV!" Yuna exclaimed once they got a few feet close enough. She placed a foot on the gunwale and leaned over towards the tank to try and get a closer view. "It's absolutely beautiful!"
"Is it?" Ayano asked, "I never really got the appeal of tanks. And to this day, I still don't know why people like them so much."
"Well, me neither," the brunette shrugged as she sat down. "All I care about is who's riding the tanks, you know?"
"Like Nishizumi Miho right?"
"Exactly!"
"Sasuga Yuna…" she sighed.
"Hey Aya-chan, wanna take a selfie with it?" the brunette asked with a playful smile. "You know! For memories! So we can look back to this moment when we become stars!"
Eiko scoffed at this, "That's a bit of a reach."
"C-Can't we take a picture later? We have to report this to Nishizumi-sensei after all…"
"Oh come on! It's just a selfie! This is the Panzer of the Lake for God's sake! Being in its presence is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
"You gave it a name already?" Eiko remarked.
"Yeah. It's a reference to some old internet joke I found."
"You talk like an old lady, dude, it's called a meme!" Eiko replied, chuckling.
"It's whatever! Now come on! The sooner we take this picture, the sooner we can pull this thing out the water!"
Yuna successfully coaxed Ayano into doing it as the spectacled girl nodded timidly.
"Great!" she said with excitement before placing her arms over her friend's shoulder and positioning herself - and Ayano - in a good spot where they can take the picture.
"...Alright ma'am, we're en route back to the tank sheds," Eiko concluded her message and saw Yuna was backing up a bit too close to the boat's edge. "Wait!" she yelled and stood up in a flash, but she was too late.
"Say Panzer vor-" Yuna tripped and almost fell into the lake if not for Eiko and Ayano grabbing hold of her shirt. She was too heavy however so she pulled her friends along with her into the lake.
"Ah! Guys help! I can't- I can't swim!" the brunette yelled, struggling to keep afloat.
Ayano couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation.
Meanwhile, Eiko yelled, "Goddammit Yuna!"
The trio eventually got back on the boat and made it back ashore. Fortunately, no one was hurt, except Yuna who received a whooping from Eiko for her stupidity.
While Yuna and her friends searched the dense forest near their school, the history buffs explored the concrete jungle of Oarai. The four wandered around the Toride District which was filled with suburban houses, marketplaces, and parks. The people who work in the noisy and crowded Mito District to the north rest here.
As Takeda Shingen and her comrades walked around the streets, they caught many stares from plenty of bystanders. It was warranted though, as who wouldn't turn their heads at a group of high schoolers dressed in weird outfits?
The History Buffs walked in a single file line with Takeda as the leader. She wore her usual samurai attire. Behind her was Michael Wittmann who had short brown hair and wore a Waffen-SS officer's tunic over her shoulders as well as a field marshal cap on her head. Behind the self-proclaimed tank ace was William Tecumseh Sherman who wore a dark blue tunic over her uniform as well as a replica of the real General Sherman's campaign hat. Behind her, at the end of the single file line was Joan d'Arc, a foreign exchange student from France who wore no outfit since she saw it as ridiculous. The others didn't mind though since her black bob cut - which resembled the real Joan d'Arc's haircut - was considered good enough for an outfit.
"Honestly… Why'd we have to join this stupid club…?" Wittmann whined, "We already have RP sessions. I can play tank commander without needing to walk around in the middle of the day in this hot ass costume…"
"You could always just take it off," Joan suggested.
"Don't wanna. It's too cool to take off," she said exhaustedly, her face glistening with sweat.
The French girl sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You delusional pricks…"
"Hey, Shingen! We've been walking for almost an hour! Are we gonna find tanks or what?" Sherman asked.
"Shut the hell up, all of you" she replied sternly, "If you don't want to continue any longer, you're free to walk away."
"Drop the act, I know you're aching to go back too," Wittmann replied quite teasingly.
Takeda abruptly stopped walking, leading to her comrades bumping into each other. The samurai girl sighed, "I admit, I am a bit weary," before turning around to Wittmann, "But that's not going to stop me from finding this tank."
Sherman then asked, "Since when did you start liking tanks? Your main thing is the Sengoku Jidai, right?"
"Of course it is! I did not drag you to this club because I like tanks. What a ridiculous idea," she remarked rather mockingly. "I joined for the sole purpose of gaining renown and being known across the land! Though it's been hundreds of years since it ended, the spirit of the Sengoku Jidai still burns within me!"
"Cool speech, but we didn't ask," Wittmann replied, "You can get your admiration and praise later, Shingen, just go find that damn tank. I'm melting from the sun over here!"
"Me too!" Sherman added.
Joan asked, "Where are we even going Take-chan-"
"Do. Not. Call. Me. By a nickname…" she corrected, holding in an outburst before resuming to walk. "I have a friend of mine who lives nearby. We can ask him for the whereabouts of the tank."
"Ooh, you have friends other than us?! And a boy at that?! I'm starting to think you're not as big a loser as I thought you were Shingen!" Sherman said with a teasing grin.
"You're not in a position to ridicule me, Sherman, you have no friends at all," Takeda looked over her shoulder with a shit-eating grin, leading to Wittmann and Joan snickering. Sherman's face turned a bright red and she promptly shut up. Afterwards, they spent the rest of the journey in silence.
Soon, the history buffs arrived at a playground of all places. This seemed to be where Takeda's 'friend' was waiting for them.
Since the sun was out, the children gathered at the playground. They played on the swings, the see-saws, the slides, and the sandboxes while their guardians stood on the sidelines watching over them. Some noticed the history buffs' presence but paid no mind since they were quite well known throughout the neighborhood.
Takeda's friends looked around confusedly. What the hell are we doing here? was their collective thought. They were expecting to be met by a boy in his teenage years who may or may not be their little samurai girl's boyfriend, but instead, they stood before a throng of prepubescent children.
"S-So is this the meeting spot?" Wittmann asked confusedly.
"Yes, it is. But I don't see him anywhere..." replied Takeda as she scanned the surroundings.
One of the children then finally noticed Takeda and her group. He slid down a slide before scurrying over to them, all while yelling, "Samurai-san! Samurai-san!"
Sherman raised an eyebrow. "Samurai-san? Who the hell is this?"
Takeda ignored her and crouched to get down to the little boy's level.
"There you are, Jinzaburo," Takeda greeted with a hint of a smile on her face. "Listen, I need your help."
"Shoot,"
Takeda paused for a moment as she knew this conversation would soon turn bizarre. "Well, do you, um… know of any tanks around here?"
The boy tilted his head. "A… tank?"
The samurai girl let out a quiet sigh, "Alright, I can explain… So basically..."
As Takeda began her long spiel, her comrades stood behind her, all wearing puzzled expressions.
"Hey… William, this is weird." Sherman whispered.
"I-I know! This is weirder than the time she showed us her pet seagull!"
"Something's up with this girl..." Joan remarked, shaking her head.
"Uhh, sure… I can help you. I guess…" Jinzaburo said unsurely, rubbing his shoulder and averting his eyes from Takeda.
"So, do you know anything?"
"Sure, I think I saw one near Kotaro-kun's house. He lives behind that green house over there." she pointed to a random house in the distance. "I'd keep cautious if I were you. I heard some bad people hang around there."
"Nothing we can't handle," she assured and stood up. "I'll be going now. Thanks for the help," Takeda then turned around, followed by her group but was stopped, however, when the Jinzaburo called her out from behind.
"Oi, samurai-san! You still haven't given me what you owe!"
"Oh right..." Takeda stopped momentarily and searched her pockets for a moment. She pulled out a single piece of candy and tossed it over to her little helper. "Enjoy the Pine Ame, Jinzaburo,"
"Thanks!" he made a thumbs up.
Afterwards, the history buffs left the premises. Takeda's friends were speechless from confusion; the samurai girl wanted to keep it that way.
They eventually arrived at the place and of course, the tank wasn't there, so they decided to check the alleys nearby. Eventually, they stumbled upon a girl - about the same age as them - who guarded a metallic cellar door.
She wore a white facemask over her face; held a metal pipe; and wore a black leather jacket. The history buffs have seen her kind before and so has everyone who's been to the Zuikaku for more than an hour. She was a resident of the Johannesburg.
Despite her intimidating appearance, the history buffs still approached her without a sliver of fear in their hearts.
"Hey, can I have a minute?" asked Takeda as she walked up to the girl.
The delinquent pulled down her mask. "Sure man, what do you need?"
"Have you seen any tanks around here?"
"Wha- tanks? What would something like that be doing in a place like this?" the delinquent asked, perplexed by such an unusual question.
"I know it sounds ridiculous, but have you come across any by chance?"
"Look, I told you I haven't, can you just leave me alone?"
The samurai girl, however, didn't believe it so she pressed the girl harder. "You're lying, I know it. Tell me where the tanks and I won't have to lay my hands on you."
"Hey! You're not in the position to talk to me like that! Back off or you'll regret it!"
The samurai girl defied the delinquent's warning and stepped closer to pressure her. Eventually, Takeda got too close for comfort and the delinquent couldn't stand it anymore.
"I warned you!" she exclaimed before punching Takeda straight in the face, sending her to the ground.
"Ohhh shit! You got laid the fuck out!" Wittmann exclaimed. She along with her other buddies stood close to their leader and refused to help her. This fight wasn't theirs.
While Takeda was recovering from the critical hit, the delinquent went over and opened the cellar doors. She yelled, "Hey guys, I need a little help here! I'm being harassed by a bunch of cosplayers!"
Suddenly, something awakened inside the history buffs. Wittmann, Sherman, and Joan, who were once ridden with shock now were filled with intense rage just from hearing an utterance of that one particular word.
"What the hell did you just call us?!" they yelled in unison. Meanwhile, three more delinquents emerged from the Johannesburg. They were there to aid their friend who guarded the entrance.
Once they arrived, Takeda got up with her usual stern look. Seething with rage, she pulled out a wooden wakizashi short sword that hung from her sash. The delinquents saw this as a threat and they too prepared to fight.
"H-Hey, let's all just leave and forget about this alright? No one needs to get hurt today! J-Just, don't come back here and we'll forget everything that happened, alright?" one delinquent bargained. But bargaining was a lost cause at this point.
"You can't escape from your fate now! This is what you get for running your mouth!"
Suddenly, the history buff charged at the delinquents without a word and caught them by surprise. Takeda stabbed the guard in the liver with her wooden sword and she dropped to the ground, clutching her torso in pain.
The brawl had started, though it didn't last quite long. In fact, it only took a minute and a half before Takeda Shingen came out on top, thanks to her trusty sword.
The samurai girl now stood over the defeated bodies of the delinquents as she placed her weapon back on her waist.
"You done roughhousing, Shingen?" Wittmann asked, wearing a disappointed look as she crossed her arms.
"I was just teaching them a lesson, Wittmann. Unlike you, I'm not a pussy who'd let anyone insult her without consequences," she replied before continuing deeper into the alley.
"Jeez, you're such a child…"
"Shut up, Wittmann."
After a minute of walking, they finally found what they sought, or so they believed. The history buffs stopped in front of a large storage unit. Takeda was very certain the tank they were looking for was in there.
"Are we really doing this? I'm pretty sure this is illegal..." Joan remarked as she nervously looked around.
"No one owns it, not anymore. We're simply taking what's rightfully ours," Takeda reassured before she went up to the lockup door and pried it open with her short sword. Her eyes glowed with joy once she was faced with a very large, very real, and very rusty StuG III Ausf. F which was covered in a large tarp.
"Ah hah! I knew it!" she exclaimed, wide-eyed with excitement. She then looked over her shoulder and said, "Call it in Wittmann-"
Before somebody yelled out, "Hey! What are you doing to my tank!" the history buffs jolted in surprise before they turned in the direction of the sound.
Approaching them was a woman with short blonde hair - resembling that of a fox's ears - and brown eyes. She was clearly, and understandably angry.
While Wittmann, Sherman, and Joan backed off, Takeda showed no fear and faced the woman head-on.
"Excuse me?" the samurai girl asked, tilting her head.
The woman stopped right in front of her, crossing her arms while she looked down on Takeda with a scowl. Their height difference was very clear then. "I said: What are you doing with my tank?"
"You own this tank? Miss..."
"Riko" the woman answered, "I commandeered this StuG back in high school. You have no right taking what's mine!"
Unexpectedly, Takeda raised an eyebrow as her face shaped into a smirk. She had a plan. "Then how about I prove myself to you?"
Riko herself raised an eyebrow at the question. "What do you mean?"
The history buff set aside her weapons and formed a fighting stance. "How about a spar?"
"You're asking me to beat you up?"
"No, of course not. I'm asking you to partake in a harmless little wrestling match with me."
Riko paused for a moment, trying to understand the situation. "Listen kid, if you're trying to get me arrested, this isn't gonna work. I'm still not giving you my tank!"
"Let's just see about that..." Takeda sneered.
Two minutes later and the samurai girl lay on the ground, defeated. Riko sat on top of her to make sure she doesn't get up again.
"Told you you can't beat me," the blonde woman said smugly with her arms crossed. She then turned to Takeda's friends who stood in the distance. "So, who's next?"
The three flinched and no one answered Riko's question.
"Hmph, didn't think so. Now... before I let you go, tell me what your business is with my StuG III. You planning to sell it? Take it for your own?"
"N-Not at all!" Takeda replied in a strained voice. She was trying to stand up, to no avail. "I-I need it… for Senshadō..."
Riko was quite surprised by the answer. "S-Senshadō? You're lying to me!"
"I-I'm not! Our school's revived the Senshadō Club... A-And we need tanks to operate!"
Riko paused again, now with a suspicious glare directed towards Takeda. "How do I know you're not lying to me?"
"You gotta t-trust us!"
"After you tried to steal my tank? No chance."
Sherman then spoke up. "W-We can bring Nishizumi-sensei over here, and she can tell you!"
Riko snapped her attention to the girl. "N-Nishizumi? You mean the tank instructor? Miho?!"
"Uhh... Y-Yeah? At least that's what I think her name is..."
The blonde paused again to decide Takeda's fate. In the end, she decided to let her go. The blonde woman stood up first before helping the girl up and dusting off her clothes.
She didn't let the samurai girl run off, however, as she grabbed her arm and told her, "Fine, you win kid. The last thing I want is for my commander to get mar at me. I'll let you borrow my tank, for now. But! You gotta return it after you win whatever match or tournament you're participating in. Got it?"
"Y-Yeah..." Takeda replied.
"Good," she released Takeda from her grasp. "Now one last question." she cracked a smile, trying to hold back laughter. "What kinda clothes are you wearing? You look like you're going to a convention or something!"
Joan chimed in, "Hey, I wanna know the answer to that one too!"
"Just like how samurai in the Edo Jidai carried their katana around to display their status and authority, we use our historical attire to display ours!" Takeda proudly answered.
Sherman gave her the simpler answer, "We're in the History Club, ma'am. It's kinda our thing to wear these outfits."
"History Club?!" Riko exclaimed with a radiant smile upon hearing that name. "Hah! It's a small world after all, eh? You know, I was part of the History Club once!"
"You were?" asked the French girl.
"Yep! I used to be called Erwin Rommel. Although, I didn't exactly wear clothes that are that..." she glimpsed at Takeda's samurai costume. "extreme... I usually just wore a jacket and a Field Marshal cap. You guys... you're kinda overdoing your outfits. Especially samurai girl over here. You even got a katana and a wakizashi!"
"I-It's to enhance immersion..." Takeda replied, fixing her gray hair.
"Immersion?" Riko burst into laughter, "What is this? A videogame?"
Afterwards, Riko invited them for a short stay at her house and they spent a good minute talking about their club's past and how it's going now.
Wittmann, Sherman, and Joan quite liked talking to a club veteran, but Takeda was still a bit salty about her loss. Riko then started up her tank so her successors could drive it to school.
The history buffs didn't actually know how to drive the StuG so they forced Wittmann to do it since she's the period-appropriate person to operate a tank. It didn't take long for her to learn though so they managed to drive out of the garage without wasting too much time.
"Take care, kids! Be careful with her, alright? If I see any unrepairable damages, I'm beating your ass again Takeda!" Riko said as she saw the StuG make its way out of the alley.
"W-We'll try!" replied Takeda as she poked out of one of the hatches.
The assault gun drove through the suburban streets of the Toride District, catching everyone's attention with its loud engine. Cars stopped in their tracks and moved out of the tank's path. People got out of their houses and reveled at the sight of it. Some even climbed it - since it moved at a snail's pace - and took selfies. The crew mostly did not mind it.
The history buffs passed by the playground from earlier. They stopped for a moment to bid farewell to their little comrade Jinzaburo before driving off towards Mito District and back to Oarai.
While the volunteers went on with their rigorous search for the tanks all around the carrier, the Student Council on the other hand laid back and relaxed in the sun as they lay in recliners at the tank sheds.
Instead of finding the tanks themselves, the Student Council used their powerful positions to order random students to find the tanks for them, in exchange for a "good job" and a pat on the back. It wasn't like the student could refuse though, as the Council would threaten them nonstop if they did.
A tow truck then emerged from the woods, catching the three's attention. It towed a very rusty Panzer IV, covered in dirt and algae. Inside the truck were Yuna, Ayano, Eiko - who were all soaking wet from the accident in the lake - and a member of the Automotive Club who drove the vehicle.
"A Panzer tank..." Akira remarked, "How many have we found so far?"
"Well, aside from that, the Volleyball Club found an American light tank in the Johannesburg and the History Nuts found a StuG III somewhere in the suburbs," Makoto answered.
The SC president rubbed her chin. "Just one more and we're a complete team."
A random student promptly arrived at the scene and walked up to the Student Council. She bowed before reporting, "A-Akira-kaichou, w-we found a tank."
Akira turned her eyes to the girl. "You have? Where is it?"
"I-It's in an old pond. At Nariaki Park. Y-You know, near the-"
Akira cut her off and said in a raised voice, "Yes, I already know where it is."
The student jolted in shock and quickly bowed in apology. "I-I'm so sorry Kaichou!"
"Whatever, we know where the tank is. Now get out of here. We won't bother you again."
The student bowed one last time before scurrying off.
Meanwhile, Miho went over to the Panzer IV to inspect the worn-out war machine. Through all of the rust, the dirt, and the algae, was a symbol on the turret: a pink cartoon anglerfish. Miho's eyes widened at the sight of it and she was overjoyed.
Controlling her excitement from seeing her old tank, Miho slowly run her hand across the tank's dirty, cold surface with an unremovable smile stuck on her face.
"After so long... the Panzer's still here. She truly is a resilient fellow."
Miho overheard Yuna behind her muttering things and reveling at the sight of the German medium tank. She turned around and caught a glimpse of Yuna's eyes glowing feverishly before the brunette switched to a rather timid look.
The instructor smiled and asked, "I heard you were a big fan, Fujiwara-san. So... since I've ridden on this tank before... you're probably gonna wanna commandeer this too right?" she pointed to the tank behind her.
Holy crap, she knows my name! "Uhh, yeah." she nodded. "C-Can I?"
"Hmm, well... you gotta be worthy to ride it first. Can't just have an unskilled girl riding this beast now can we?"
Yuna nodded once more. Slight fear was evident from her eyes as she knew deep inside her that she was not that good at commanding, let alone riding a tank. But so was everyone in this club.
"H-How can I prove myself then, Nishizumi-sensei?"
"Glad you asked!" Miho placed a hand on Yuna's shoulder, resulting in a slight twitch.
I'm never gonna wash this shirt again.
"Tomorrow, we're gonna have our first training session. I'll be teaching you and your crew the basics: how to drive the tank, shoot, operate the radio, and most important of all: how to command it. You think you're ready for this Fujiwara-san?"
Yuna nodded again.
Miho's smile grew wider before she placed her hands on her hips and said, "Well, let's wait for the others to arrive. We'll continue all of this tomorrow."
A few minutes later and the other volunteers arrived. Miho gathered them up before her as she stood atop the Bob Semple, the tallest tank in their brand new arsenal. She told them about the upcoming match tomorrow before dismissing them.
The sun was setting at this point. Yuna had spent the majority of her day walking around and as a result, was very drained. She couldn't go home now as she would likely collapse from fatigue on the way. That's when she conjured up an idea.
As Yuna, Ayano, and Eiko gathered at the school gates to bid each other farewell, Yuna asked Eiko a favor.
"...Alright I'll see you guys tomorrow," the redhead turned around to walk away but was stopped by Yuna.
"Hey wait!"
"Hmm? What is it?" she turned back to the brunette.
"L-Listen, this may be a bit ridiculous..." Yuna said shyly, fidgeting with her hands. "b-but can I like, stay at your place?"
"What? What do you mean?" Eiko tilted her head.
"W-Well... I don't exactly have the strength to commute all the way home for today, and I heard your house is nearer to the school than mine..."
"Alright then. I guess you could stay for the night," Eiko unexpectedly answered.
"I-It's perfectly fine if you don't- wait what?" she did a double take. "Y-You mean I can stay? But why?"
The redhead scratched her head and in a rather shy manner, said, "It's pretty lonely at the house; just me, my mom, and my aunt. I'd like some company from time to time you know? And I guess... since we're friends now and all that..."
Yuna paused before a grateful smile formed on her face. She exclaimed, "Oh Eiko!" before going in for a hug.
"Quit hugging me!" Eiko yelled while trying to pull Yuna off of her.
"C-Can I come too?" Ayano asked in her usual quiet tone.
"Sure man! You're more than welcome!"
A faint smile appeared on Ayano's face before she adjusted her glasses.
Once Eiko pulled Yuna off of her, she walked away from the school with the two in tow. "Come on, it's only a short walk from here."
"Wait, Eiko you don't take the train?"
"No, why would I? My house's only a couple blocks from here. You said so yourself, right? Idiot…"
"Jeez, you're one lucky bastard," Yuna remarked.
"Heh, I guess I am."
To be continued...