Billowing smoke muddies the fresh air of the prairie as the steel behemoth advances, crushing everything below its treads. Protruding from the commander's cupola, the master of this metal monster observes the battlefield unfolding before her, a tired expression on her face.

"It's been so long since I've seen the field of battle…"

"Yes." Replied the Man in the Hat. "It has."

"Back when I was under lock and key, I could only dream of a view like this."

"Is it everything you wanted it to be?"

"Not everything. You're still here."

"It wasn't me who cast you out below deck."

"Here we go… Blaming me again." The voice of the Girl in Blue roiled to the top "It's all you're capable of. Blaming others for your problems. When this whole operation fails and you're back behind bars, you'll blame the Academy again. Maybe by now you should've realized you're the problem?"

"She's right… Look at the pitiable state you're in. You're barely holding it together…" the voice of the Black Dog joined the cacophony "You know you're not up to the task. Their flag tank is entrenched deep in the forest. Maybe we should just give up?"

"In ten minutes, the first enemy tanks will have reached Commander Andou's formation." The authoritative voice of the Man in the Hat regained control "You were told to guard this flank. But you aren't going to. You're going to do something stupid. You're going to go on an adventure by yourself, sally to the front and engage the enemy formation. It's going to be a disaster."

"Hm… Deep in the Forest" The commander raised her fingers to assess the forested terrain ahead of her, pondering the words of her illusory interlocutors "Ten minutes… I have ten minutes to win this match. For BC Freedom."

"Madame Angeline, who are you talking to?"

It was the lady Frite, of course. The caretaker. In all her time away from the sun, Angeline had managed to ingratiate herself with her. Or maybe it was just pity at her condition. The thought of being pitied made her skin crawl. Pity was below humans, a condition reserved for sick dogs. Then again, she was somewhere below human too. Something the Girl in Blue never failed to remind her.

"Commander? Oh damnit, is she spacing out again?"

The brusque tone of voice indicated the presence of the dame Rosas. Though calling her a dame was a stretch. She was more like the warden of a forlorn prison, sentenced to watch over a broken inmate, as much a prisoner of this place as she was. Despite competition from The Monster and The Man in the Hat, Rosas remained her least favorite visitor. Still, her cutting words had managed to get through to the tank's commander.

"We wait another 5… er… no. The wind is whispering 4. We wait another 4 minutes here and then we head northwards. Along the tree line."

"Madame, are you sure that's wise?" replied Frite "We'd be totally exposed along that path…Not to mention Andou gave us clear orders…"

"None is so blind as those who will not see. Their delusions will lead them to their doom. Armageddon is here."

"Tch. Whatever you say "Commander"." Scoffed Rosas, adding air quotes. "BC Freedom sure has fallen far…"

"You're making a mistake" spoke the Girl in Blue. "You always make the same one. You never follow orders. It's no wonder they locked you up. You're faulty."

"You may not like me Rosas, but in Marie's name you WILL follow my orders." She turned to address the Girl in Blue "And I don't need you in my ears informing me of things I already know. But I have a plan this time. I'm doing this to save the academy. Our other forces will get slaughtered if I don't intervene. So you can either play along, put on your kepi and keep me updated on the enemy positions, or you can go back in the box."

"You can lock me up, but you will never lock up the truth. You're the reason the academy is a joke in the first place."

Angeline focused herself, closing her eyes. Counting every second, she knew that the only way to lock up the harmful voice, the only way to win this battle, the only way to save the academy was in the timing. She knew that only through self mastery could she hope to bring BC Freedom back from the brink. She would have to control the voices.

"5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Now! Drive!"

The engine roared to life. At once, as if a rolling factory had come online, the black billowing smoke resumed its ascent from the tank's upper exhausts. The metal monster was once again on the march.