Sensha-do practice field - Continuation school carrier
"Commanders, please bow."
Joining the others in shouting "We wish you a good match!", Jouko's heart was racing. This was her first match not just as a commander or a simple tanker, but her first Sensha-do match ever. A lot was piling on this match. For weeks, her classmates had hailed her and her crew as potential saviors of Continuation, reestablishing hope that Continuation could fight its way to the long-coveted Semifinals and prove their worth to the world. Now, the day had arrived for the four Finns to prove that they were, indeed, worthy of their status, instead of being some overhyped newbies like so many others before them had been.
This first match was to be a free-for-all match between eight tanks: The BT-42, commanded by Mika, the Sturmi, commanded by Jouko, a T-34/76, commanded by another student, Touko, the Vice-Commander who was to inherit her superior's position upon her graduation, a T-28, commanded by Lili, who would inherit the Vice-Commander position, and a Panzer IV Ausf.J, commanded by Rumi herself, as well as three T-26s. It was taking place in snowy conditions, conditions that were greatly suiting Jouko, a girl raised in the uttermost parts of the northernmost region of Finland where snow was practically everywhere.
Meanwhile, far from the action, the rest of the school was looking on from stands erected several kilometers away with a large screen providing an overview of the battlefield and rectangular blocks representing each tank fighting in the match. Jouko had informed Rumi before the match that she would be speaking in Finnish when giving orders to her crew, and apologized in advance for any confusion the spectators would get when the audio for her tank played from the speakers.
After climbing into the Sturmi, Jouko spoke to Hannes:
"Move when I tap you with my foot. Be sure to be snappy, fast, and agile, if we stay too long after firing a shot, we'll get taken out easily. Move where I tell you, do not hesitate for a moment. Don't forget what we've learned the past few weeks."
Hannes pressed a button that started up the Sturmi, and with a rumble of the engine the beast came to life. As the noises of the engine increased in volume, Jouko gave her first order, speaking in Finnish:
"That field of snow over there, you must drive towards it. The white paint we painted our tank with will hopefully mask our presence and make us impossible to spot."
However, Hannes expressed her doubts about this plan of her commander.
"Are you sure you don't want to take position on the hills or those forests, commander?"
"Trust me, they're expecting me to take my position in one of those areas. We'll have to take our position in a place where they will least expect, or not expect at all."
Hannes readily obeyed, and drove to the fields where Jouko directed her. It wasn't far from the site of the formalities, but there was plenty of snow. As the Sturmi settled, and the falling snow began to blanket the tank, Frisell sent a simple radio message, the only one they would need to send for this match.
"Sturmi to officials, we're ready to begin."
A burst from the Bofors gun signaled the start of the practice match moments later.
For several minutes, Jouko, donning the trademark Finnish combat hood, waited patiently for her prey to appear, using her father's old binoculars to view the distant action whilst peering outside her commander's cupola, thankful that there wasn't any fog or snowstorm blocking her view. The sounds of guns firing in the distance could be vaguely heard, growing increasingly louder yet at the same time individually decreasing as each tank was knocked out one after another, and the remainder approached closer to Jouko's position. She could see some columns of smoke in the distance, quickly judging they were all from knocked out tanks, as well as tiny dots that increasingly grew in size, meaning they were approaching vehicles.
Suddenly, a hit to her right. Reeling from the sudden impact, Jouko turned to find a T-26 drifting away. Shooting back down into the cupola and closing the hatch, Jouko began to aim the gun, ordering Hannes to give chase, while Löfström quickly and instinctively loaded a round, slamming shut the shell hatch once the shell had been secured in its chamber. With Jouko's plan of waiting to snipe any oncoming tanks foiled, she now had to improvise on not only chasing an elusive interwar tank, but also having to deal with two others rapidly approaching her previous position. There was little time to think at this moment, meaning that whatever came in her mind right then and there would have to be the next words that would come out of her mouth.
Keeping her eyes on the gun sights, she watched as the T-26 began to move to the other two tanks. Trying her best to remember her practice against moving targets, she kept the sights on the T-26, and tried to make out its movement pattern as fast as the could. Just as it came within 100 yards of the two other dueling tanks, the T-26 swerved right into the sights of its huntress. Without hesitation, Jouko squeezed the trigger and launched a shell directly at the T-26. In a split second, its turret was hit, slowing it down, but not knocking it out. Löfström didn't even need an order, having loaded another shell just as the T-26 was beginning to move again. Jouko would have none of it, firing another shell at the T-26. This time, it rang true, hitting the turret ring and white-flagging the elusive vehicle.
Her first knockout.
The spectators were stunned, this was truly a new talent that they were lucky to have gotten. But there was no time to celebrate, it wasn't the time to do so yet.
"Alright, Hannes, go for those two tanks! It's time for a goose chase!"
Hannes slammed the throttle as the Sturmi zoomed past the wreckage of the defeated T-26, rapidly approaching their two opponents, oblivious to what had happened not too far from where they were. Charging straight at their side, a third shell was loaded into the chamber, and Jouko readied her next shot, thinking of which tank to take out first. Rumi's Panzer IV had reversed its turret and was desperately firing shot after shot after shot against Mika's BT-42, which had already lost its tracks and was forced into using its wheels to maneuver, dodging many oncoming shells. Mikko had also learned how to drive a tank quickly, and was likely using her steering wheel given how wildly she was driving. Jouko had decided on the BT-42 first, given how much of a nuisance it was appearing to be.
With a gentle tug she pulled the trigger, and a powerful shot and loud bang sent her first shell flying at high speeds from inside the barrel towards the BT-42. Instantly the tank met a fiery end, with the Sturmi zooming past the gap between the two tanks just before the Panzer IV could hit them. Instinctively, Hannes executed a drift, bringing the Sturmi around to bear on the Panzer IV, which had likewise drifted around to fight against the Sturmi. It was going to be like a jousting tournament, and both sides were more than ready to duke it out. Veteran commander versus skilled newbie, the time had now come for the final showdown of the first practice match of the school year.
"Drive forward, quick! Be sure to give me that perfect shot."
The Sturmi lurched forward and accelerated, as did the Panzer IV. Rapidly closing the distance, both gunners prepared to fire. It was Rumi's gunner who fired first, but she had missed the shot, the shell having hit one of the angled areas of the frontal armor, causing it to bounce off into outer space. Jouko now had the perfect shot at the Panzer, but, rather than fire, she ordered Hannes to immediately drift to the left.
"Wh..Why-"
Jouko left no time for a reply.
"Remember, Hannes, no hesitations."
Hannes slammed the throttle, accelerating even more, and just as the Panzer crossed the Sturmi's sights, she turned the steering lever as hard left as possible. The Sturmi turned, then drifted across the snow into a position where it was now tailing the Panzer, which, seeing the new development, was now evading harder than ever. It was trying to make an escape, its turret traversing in order to fire at the Sturmi. Hannes dodged as best she could, but was unable to dodge every shell that began to shoot straight for the Sturmi. Any that did, however, fortunately bounced, though the concrete was cracked from the impacts, and one of the logs was chipped, much to the crew's frustration.
Several tense minutes passed as the Panzer dodged and weaved in both directions, trying to avoid certain doom that was sure to come, while firing back at the Sturmi as best it could. However, there was no shot from the Sturmi, as Jouko was focused on calculating her shot on the Panzer. As the Panzer attempted to feint by making a turn to the right, then a sudden swerve to the left, Jouko pulled the trigger and sent a shell, in a combination of precision, accuracy, and great luck, straight into the Panzer's engine, immobilizing it and knocking the last enemy tank out of the match.
With no other tanks left without a white flag aside from the Sturmi, Jouko, her crew, and her tank had won the first practice match, all despite being absolute beginners. The announcer herself was shocked to silence, only able to mumble the words announcing the Sturmi's victory.
"I-Incredible... S-S...Sturmi wins..."
It was incredible. These techniques they had just witnessed were the stuff of professionals, and the students who came had only come to do away with some boredom and watch some tankery in action to give themselves some entertainment, and they got what they wanted. They had witnessed a performance that was almost on the verge of Jouko's gunnery, it was something else, you could say it was otherworldly, a combination of luck, accuracy, skill, and precision seen little elsewhere. Was she aware of the Shimada style of Sensha-do, or was this all her own idea, her own style of Sensha-do? There were so many questions to be answered, so much to learn from this mysterious new student, and her three friends who had comprised her crew. At the same time, this performance had vindicated their belief in the new crew, and prospects for Continuation were looking up after so long.
Soon, a nickname sprung up: White Witch, or Shiroi Majo. No term better fit Jouko or her crew among the students. Witnessing the battle unfold, one excited student had began to scream out, "White Witch! White Witch!" Soon, the cry had spread through the crowd like a contagion, and soon the entire stands were united in yelling out the new name for their new classmate. The cry escalated every time the Sturmi gained a kill as several curious students who had heard the commotion streamed into the stands to see what was going on, and watching the action run its course, were compelled to join in as well, enthralled at this new talent of theirs. Even some in classrooms rushed to the windows to see if they could get the tiniest glimpse of the large screen, alerted by the commotion outdoors. By the end of the match, all were united in excitedly shouting "White Witch!"
Making their way from the battlefield after the match, Jouko and the others were swarmed by dozens of their excited classmates, shouting her name, her new "White Witch" nickname, and asking her how such things she had performed were indeed performed, as well as if she were following a certain style or all originating from herself. But, being the quiet intellectual, she mostly ignored them, especially the "White Witch!" cries, getting on her nerves as she didn't want to be called a witch, that practice being prohibited in the Bible, and quietly helped in cleaning up after the match with her crew, both hauling away the wrecked tanks and cleaning the stands, as well as folding them up and returning them to storage, using the Sturmi to help tow them away. After all was said and done, the crew retreated to their individual rooms on the carrier to get much-needed rest and recuperation.
After this triumphant debut, instead of resting on her laurels like most would've, Jouko quickly returned to her studies, as well as taking closer looks at the features of her tank: its individual projectiles, the Sturmi's career, and possible upgrades to the Sturmi that could benefit both the crew and the team greatly. She also spent time building her friendships with her fellow classmates as well as Rumi, learning some doctrines and strategies from her, learning the kantele from Mika as a new little side hobby, having spent little time to do so in Finland due to her focus on sniping, though her violin was due to arrive soon, and adjusting to the school's tactics, though she preferred more hit-and-run maneuvers instead, kind of like Finland during World War II. But the respite was relatively short-lived.
Due to the upcoming 62nd Sensha-Do Tournament, More practice matches were organized to prepare Continuation for it, with lengthier periods of exercise every day. The Sturmi crew, especially, practiced hard and diligently, despite new, wanting to get Continuation far this year, and at almost every practice match they fought, they were dominating the competition, with Jouko often using her sniping skills to knock out tanks that had crossed her path, regardless of the battlefield's terrain or the situation they were in. But, their record wasn't perfect, as on multiple occasions, Jouko would get too cocky, allowing Rumi or another commander to team up with several other tanks to take out the Sturmi. For all of Jouko's present skills, they were no match for overwhelming firepower, meaning that on at least eight matches, a crew could claim a Sturmi kill.
Nevertheless, with each new practice match, the Sturmi crew was performing better and better, learning as much from their previous mistakes as they could, devoting themselves to the new sport. Soon enough, it would be the final practice match before the tournament, and as Jouko and her friends were at the Sturmi, preparing for this final match, Rumi walked up to them, and spoke with Jouko on her suggestions for the battle.
"These past few matches have proven that you are a master of sniping, but we haven't seen much of your commanding when it comes to close-quarters save for that first practice match, and it seems you've been doing well when it comes to it, so try to fight closer to the action this time, please."
Jouko responded with a slight nod, and left to inform her crew of the new developments.
"Alright, it looks like they want us to fight closer to the action, so everyone's going to have to have faster reactions now, especially you, Hannes. We're going to be doing much drifting, so be prepared for that."
Hannes responded with an affirmative nod, and once everyone was inside and in their positions, she began moving the Sturmi to its starting position. After the pre-match formalities, the match began, this time with 10 tanks in total on the battlefield. This final practice match was to be a team battle, using the annihilation match format. Rumi led Jouko's team of five, Touko led the other team of five. Jouko took her position on the right flank, and outlined her intentions to Rumi via Frisell.
"We'll try to use our mobility to lure them to you, Commander knows Mika's known for that, but about time we tried it ourselves."
"Good luck, and make sure you don't get yourself killed so quickly, White Witch."
"Oh, come on, now, Commander won't like you calling her that..."
"Heheh, I like to tease. Anyways, good luck!"
Continuation Training Grounds
Beethoven's Third Symphony was playing full blast in the Sturmi, on the scherzo Third Movement as Jouko belted out orders to her crew.
"Full throttle, and veer to the left, Hannes. We'll try to confuse them as best we can."
The Sturmi was in range of the enemy tanks by the time this order was given, closing in at rapid pace, but before a shell could land, it managed to turn in time, narrowly evading the incoming projectiles. With the distance closed, the next phase of the plan could begin.
"Good, now drift right!"
Jouko remained firmly locked in her gunner's seat, eyes buried deep against and staring through her gunner's visor, and even when the tank was drifting hardest, she never lost focus. As the tank stabilized, she had her scope on the enemy commander's T-34/76, which was attempting a getaway and one tank trying to charge the Sturmi. Needing to act fast, Jouko decided on killing the commander, as she knew it would ruin the enemy team's chances at victory. Pulling the trigger in an instant, her next shell slammed into Touko's tank, immobilizing it and knocking it out of the match, an obviously devastating blow for the enemy team. But Jouko wasn't done yet.
"Quick, move through that gap in between those two T-26s right in front of us, and turn us around clockwise!"
The remaining enemy tanks, now leaderless and disorganized from the loss of Touko, now began to fire desperately and in disorderly fashion. Although some shots managed to hit the Sturmi, its the heavy frontal armor merely caused them to bounce. The charging T-26 missed by a long shot, and as Hannes again yanked the steering lever to the right, Jouko again took aim, and with her usual hawkeye precision, fired the moment that enemy tank was in her peripheral vision. It, too, was immobilized, a shell into its turret ring, allowing copious amounts of smoke to spill out from the tank with a white flag accompanying that smoke. Seconds later, another tank attempted to speed past the Sturmi, but Jouko's reaction time beat it to the punch, and it met the same fate as most of its teammates. Three down, two to go.
The remaining T-26s, seeing that all hope was lost, determined to at least take down this ace with them. Trying to take advantage of their superior maneuverability, they attempted a flanking maneuver to knock out Jouko with shots into the rear of the Sturmi. However, Jouko foresaw this, ordering Hannes to suddenly stop the Sturmi, an order she swiftly obeyed, slamming the brakes and stabilizing the tank's direction. Just in time, the Sturmi ground to a standstill right as the two T-26s were making their flanking maneuver.
With the two of them now in an awkward position and another shell now waiting inside the barrel, Jouko took aim at the T-26 to her left, and instantly blasted it to kingdom come. Just when a chase with the remaining T-26 seemed inevitable, however, a sudden shell zipped past the Sturmi and straight into the last remnant of the enemy team, burying itself deep enough into the armor to knock it out. Moments later, Rumi's Panzer IV appeared right next to the Sturmi, its barrel smoking from the shot it had just fired, Rumi flashing a thumbs-up to the Sturmi crew. With all of their opponents' tanks knocked out and up in smoke, mostly thanks to the Sturmi's efforts, Rumi's team had won the final pre-tournament practice match.
Although, in reality, it was more or less a Jouko victory.
School sauna
"Since when were you this good?! I mean, you're from the country our school's based off of, but, how?!"
This was the first time Jouko had fought primarily in close combat, and Mikko was very surprised at how good she was. Rumi and the others couldn't help but concur.
"You've outperformed every student in the school that's practiced Sensha-do, I've never seen things like these before, please do tell how this is all possible."
Jouko simply responded, "It's all in knowing your tank and its inward parts like the back of your hand, and having a good crew to complement that."
That comment prompted some blushes from her crew, much to everyone's amusement.
Jouko's performances in the last practice matches greatly lifted the espirit de corps of Continuation, and she was just a newcomer. In just a week would come her first tournament, and morale was high for the school. Maybe this would be their first time getting to the semifinals for once, a goal Continuation was aiming to reach ever since they started their Sensha-do club. With Jouko came probably the best form of deliverance for the school, and its biggest hope of victory and achieving that long-desired Semifinals placement.
However, there was still some news to come from Touko.
"Well, sorry to burst everyone's bubble, but-"
"Kuromorimine wants a practice match three days from now."
"Rumi, you never let me finish!"
The sudden announcement sent chills down everyone's spine, save for the newcomers. Surprised, Mikko incredulously inquired as to why the Sturmi crew seemed to be unaffected by the news.
"Hey! You realize who we're facing, right?!"
"Come on, all we need is a good snipe on their flag tank and that practice match is as good as won!"
"You can't be too confident with that, Jouko-san..."
"Kuromorimine boasts some of the best armor in Sensha-do. Rumors have it they already have a Maus."
"Wait... a Maus? A literal Maus?"
"Yep. And regarding the flag tank, you'd better pray it's their Panzer III or worse. If you're going up against a Tiger I, well..."
"Yeah, I know, Rumi. Of course, combination of what killed Wittmann and his Tiger was his utter stupidity, a bunch of tanks, and some planes."
"Stupidity is subjective, Jouko, but I agree with the Wittmann part, it's just it depends on where a Tiger gets hit."
"Perhaps the enemy armor issue could be solved with better armaments?"
"Of course, we could modify your tank to get a better cannon, but we aren't really the best school at the moment."
"We don't really have the funds the more popular schools have, and we won't be able to fit the gun in time for the tournament," Lumi finished.
"The best cannon out of all of us is Mika's BT-42, and it's by a miracle Mikko's drunk driving hasn't tipped it over yet!"
"HEY! I STILL MAKE SICK DRIFTS!"
"So, do we accept or do we not accept?"
"What do you mean? Of course we'll accept! Hannes stops for nobody!"
"And I can bend any type of metal no matter its thickness."
"And I can... well... help coordinate us to victory!"
"And I can get us a match-winning shot."
"Excellent! Who else is in favor?"
Seeing the enthusiasm of the Sturmi crew, the other commanders threw in their lot, and agreed to the match against Kuromorimine. Some were equally enthusiastic, others were more pessimistic and skeptical of the match's results. They had three days to practice before the tournament, and after that, they would face the most talented school in Sensha-do.
Battlefield
"Alright, the plan is to force them on the defensive early on in the match. Once they assume formation, we'll break them up and deal with each one bit by bit."
"And Jouko can get some early kills, which hopefully makes our job easier."
"Well, may the winds be in our sails today."
Meeting in the center of the battlefield for the formalities, Jouko could notice, from the corner of her eye, Continuation's commanders appearing very uncomfortable, acting as if they were standing before the Emperor of Japan himself. The feeling was contagious, and Jouko herself began to shiver before collecting herself. Taking the time to strike up a few conversations with some of Kuromorimine's commanders, Jouko particularly enjoyed talking with Miho, Kuromorimine's Vice-Commander, and the younger sister of Maho, Kuromorimine's Commander. She was more friendly and open than most of the others, having a sweet personality, something unlike Kuromorimine's popular caricatures, moreso unlike her Nishizumi background.
"You must be Jouko. I've heard a lot about you lately... I hope we have a fun match!"
"I... uhh... hope so, too! Everyone's looking forward... I guess!"
"That's great to hear! I'm confident Onee-chan and I can give you a fight you'll never forget!"
"Heh, I bet you will... say, how long have you been in the business?"
"The business? Oh, my, you shouldn't refer to Sensha-do as a business!"
"Oh! My apologies if I was... rude or offensive... I'm kinda new here."
"No worries, just be sure to watch your mouth when around Kuromorimine. Erika-san, in particular, doesn't take any offense to Sensha-do lightly."
"I'll keep good note of that."
"Well, we better start now. It was nice talking to you, Jouko-san!"
"You as well. Hopefully we can talk after this is all done."
"All crews please form up for the formalities!"
"Alright, enemy Panzer IV ahead. We'll give them a little scare before Rumi does her thing."
"Got it loaded, Commander."
"Alright, just a little bit... and... now!"
The Sturmi's cannon burst to life, literally, as it propelled its shell straight for the Panzer IV towards the head of Kuromorimine's formation. With usual accuracy, the shell bored into the armor of the Panzer IV, hitting it hard enough to knock it out of action. Kuromorimine's tanks seemed surprised by the sudden, early knockout, but owing to their legendary discipline, they maintained perfect formation and steady advance.
"Won't hurt to kill another. Lofstrom, again!"
"Gotcha, it's in!"
Another Sturmi shell slammed into one of the Jagdpanzers at the forefront of Kuromorimine's formation, and it too suffered the same fate as its Panzer IV comrade. As the Jagdpanzer went up in smoke, Rumi sprung her trap. Two columns, one being a combination of Touko and Lumi's forces, and the other being the T-34/76 and Panzer IV, led by Rumi herself, converged on Kuromorimine in a pincer movement, and combined with the knockout of two tanks, forced Kuromorimine to grind to a halt to avoid any flanking maneuvers. Unfortunately, that was the first of many problems for the prestigious school.
Mika's BT-squad emerged from its positions near the contracted river, launching a bold flank attack at Kuromorimine's right. Kuromorimine, already struggling with the two columns that performed the pincer, now had to deal with new threats. But Kuromorimine wasn't Kuromorimine for nothing, nonetheless when their commander in this battle was none other than the heiress to the Nishizumi Style herself, and her Vice-Commander happened to be her sister.
Taking advantage of their superior armor, Kuromorimine organized a breakthrough by using fire and maneuver. Assigning Miho's forces to stay behind as the blocking element, as well as the shell sponge, Maho's forces counterattacked Mika's BT-squad, firing at a rapid pace, knocking out several tanks in the process, Mika escaping, barely. This opening allowed a safe withdrawal by Kuromorimine, and in fact, Maho was determined to give Continuation a taste of its own medicine. However, she knew about that sniper, and decided to send Erika and her accompanying Tiger II to go deal with the pest on the other side of the river.
"Looks like they're sending some girls over here. Lofstrom, get ready to go into overdrive with that reload. Gimme an AP next."
"You got it, boss."
It wasn't too long until the Tiger II had found itself in a favorable spot to be shot at by Jouko, who didn't hesitate to grasp this opportunity for a high-profile kill. At first, she aimed for its underbelly, but knew that the frontal armor there would be the same as the frontal armor everywhere, and having seen Sturmi firing tests, knew that Tiger IIs were a totally different class. But, the battlefield had provided some bold opportunities.
"Alright, that's it, drive over that small rock..."
The Tiger II, after crossing the contracted river, began to drive over a tiny rock near the riverbed, one of many scattered across the shoreline.
"Gotcha!"
The shell sailed through the air, undisturbed, and hit the small rock. Owing to its status as an AP, the pointed shape of the shell's nose gave it an opportunity to ricochet. Scraping the rock, the shell was nicked slightly upwards due to the nose's angle, and in a brilliant burst that emerged from underneath the Tiger II, satisfaction filled the eyes of the Sturmi crew as the white flag was displayed on the Tiger II amidst the resulting explosion. The other Tiger's commander, bearing grey hair, emerged from her Tiger II's cupola, appearing incredulous at the sight.
"Alright, Hannes, get us outta here! I want you to drive straight into that Tiger II, you get me?"
"No, isn't this going to kill us?"
"Trust me! Even if we get knocked out here we'll still take out an important Kuromorimine asset!"
"But Jouko-"
"Come on, let's have some fun!"
"Alright! HERE WE GO!"
Hannes sent the Sturmi shooting forwards like a bullet, targeting the front of the Tiger II. At the same time, Jouko prepared her shot, depressed the gun to prevent it from snapping on impact, and readied her fingers. The Sturmi slammed into the Tiger II with a tremendous crash, such a crash that the Sturmi was able to lift the Tiger II up as if it were a wedge. With the underbelly of the tank in perfect sight, Jouko pulled the trigger, shooting point-blank into the Tiger II's underbelly, the large explosion that resulted from this action reverberating throughout both tanks, causing Frisell to put her hands to her ears to muffle the ringing in her ears, a motion mimicked by Lofstrom.
Hannes immediately reversed, the shockwave allowing some room to maneuver as the Tiger II was lifted up. The Sturmi escaped in time before the Tiger II came crashing down, though moments later, it was white-flagged. It had sustained damage holding up the entire weight of its prey. Logs had been snapped, the concrete armor was once again on the verge of coming off, and worst of all, the cannon had been destroyed in the blast, the barrel having transformed its end into a flower as a result of the explosion. But, the Sturmi wasn't the only one white-flagged. The shot had, indeed, found its mark on the Tiger II, and it, too was knocked out.
"WOO! THAT FELT GOOD!"
"I'll see how the others are doing."
"Ugh, I think I got a cramp."
"Anything, Frisell?"
"Our team... seems to be in a predicament-"
No sooner had Frisell said that when an explosion was heard in the distance. Immediately, all four climbed out of their tank to get a good view of what was going on. They were greeted by some Continuation tanks passing by, some commanders waving at them, piecing together the puzzle of the Sturmi's encounter. But that wasn't the main attraction. The main sight that greeted them, their teammates, and their two victims' crews was harrowing.
"The dam! It's gone!"
"Should we run?"
A shell had hit a natural dam a bit far from where the main battle was ongoing, and copious amounts of water were pouring into the previously placid river. The tanks had fortunately been clear of the river when the water had burst, but nevertheless the sight was sure to send chills down one's spine, seeing the full might of a river, previously restrained by nature, now unleashing its full potential thanks to mankind. The small stream that had previously composed the river was now an actual river that could be considered as wide as the Elbe or the Danube.
Kuromorimine's tanks were forced to wait on the other side as Continuation consolidated and began to fire some pop shots at their adversaries, to little avail thanks to the weaker tanks Continuation had, save for Mika's shot into the Panzer III, knocking it out of action. Otherwise, nothing much happened in terms of knockouts, but here, Continuation was on its last legs. Sure, Kuromorimine had lost over half their tank force, but Continuation had suffered far worse. They were only left with two tanks. Lumi and Touko had been knocked out, and it was up to Mika and Rumi to somehow win it all. Unfortunately, it was the end of the road. The water levels were beginning to recede, meaning defeat was sure to come now.
"Here they come... looks like it's the end."
"Now, let's be optimistic, they're trying to pull off some stuff-"
"Nope, there goes the T-34."
Kuromorimine's surviving tanks crossed the river in good order as soon as it had calmed down, and despite a heroic resistance comprised of maneuvering, drifting, striking, and flanking, it came to no use, Continuation had lost the numbers for such maneuvers, and within minutes, the BT-42, the flag tank, had been knocked out with a shot by Miho's Tiger I. Kuromorimine had won, but the cost it had taken was immense. Seven tanks out of ten had been knocked out in the fight, something unheard of in Sensha-do. Normally, Kuromorimine would lose at best three tanks no matter how many they were allowed to field. This was a first, no thanks to a certain sniper's formulated chemistry with her crew.
However, there was some criticism to be levied against Jouko's handling, and Rumi would later make it very clear. Jouko had gotten herself hungry for glory instead of helping get a victory for the team. Frisell had attempted to prevent Jouko from going down such a route, but caught in the moment, and emboldened by successes in the many practice matches she had participated in, not once did it cross her mind that her loss would result in the team's loss. Sure, it was a practice match, but with three Kuromorimine tanks remaining at the end, while something unheard of, it would've been better to get an actual victory instead of trying to get glory from taking out two prestigious tanks, especially how Kuromorimine had remained undefeated for 10 years by this point.
Nonetheless, Jouko had given an inspiring performance, but at the cost of a possible victory.
"A fabulous display... I'm impressed."
"Thank you, Maho-san. It was a pleasure and an honor fighting you, though it is a shame we couldn't duke it out this match."
"No worries, another time will come eventually."
"I hope it comes quickly. I'd love a rematch soon."
"Chances are, we get paired this tournament."
"Heh, I hope so."
"Well, well, well, look at who we have here!"
Turning to her left, Jouko found it was that same grey-haired girl on that Tiger II from earlier. Extending her hand to shake, it was accepted.
"My name's Erika Itsumi. Impressive at what you did back there!"
"I'm just trying to help the team win."
"Eh, we still knocked you out."
"More like we knocked ourselves out, but I guess you get some credit as well."
"Yeah, yeah. Anyways, see you sometime this tournament, hopefully?"
"Of course! Mighty fine fight today, can't wait for the next."
"Well, I'll be sure to knock you out before you try the same thing again. See ya, um... what's the name again?"
"Jouko, and see you soon, Erika-san."
"Alright, don't take long!"
Finally, Miho. The one Jouko wanted to talk with for so much after the battle's conclusion.
"Miho-san, I hope that battle was good."
"Oh, much so, Jouko-san! A shame I wasn't there to see your fight against Eririn-"
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"
"...heh, anyways."
"Let's fight again soon? We might beat you next time, after all!"
"Now, don't get so optimistic!"
"A little optimism wouldn't hurt anybody, would it?"
"I mean, if it involves, being against someone, I guess."
"Right, right, my bad. Well, let's wish each other good luck this tournament?"
"Oh, of course! Say, have this gift, if you like!"
Rummaging through her pocket, Miho took out a small Boko doll, extending it to Jouko, who stood there, confused.
"Um... sorry, I'm new, what is this supposed to be?"
"You don't know Boko? Oh, you're a foreigner, Boko's only popular here in Japan..."
"No, no, I'll take it! Thanks for the offer, I'll be sure to keep you in mind with this."
"Thank you! I must be going now, heh, Okaa-san might be a bit upset with the results."
"I'm sure you'll be fine."
"About that... you don't know our mother."
Miho left with apparent fear in her eyes, leaving a confused, and quite the concerned Jouko behind, who looked on as Miho mounted her Tiger I, and joined the others in going back to Kuromorimine for their debrief, both for the team and for the two sisters.
Jouko's room
"You know, given how greatly modified these tanks are, an 88-millimeter cannon for the Sturmi wouldn't be that unusual. Besides, bigger shells, more power, longer barrel, better firepower, we'll be knocking out tanks far more easier than we can with our current 75-millimeter cannon. It's just we don't have the funds for it yet..."
"Hopefully that will change once we start winning some matches and making a name for ourselves. While searching on the web, there's also this good-looking engine I came across: the Maybach HL-230 P45. It's the best engine out there according to some, it has a solid 700 PS with 690 horsepower, and can run at 3,000rpm."
"Huh, sounds good. Anything else?"
"The HL-234 is more promising, with a horsepower of 800-900, but that's too expensive, tens of thousands of dollars, and not many exist of it as of the moment. Anyone who wants to get that has to bid some big bucks, and my pockets are deep yet empty."
"I mean, if we do get those new parts, we can always, well, upgrade our tank to fit the new additions, and I think you all know what I'm talking about..."
"You mean, transform our tank into a bigger tank to accommodate the new engines, the new cannon, the bigger shells for the new cannon, and some small cabinets Jouko wants to install for... reasons?"
"I mean, sure, and the new engines that will be added will more than make up for the new weight, maybe if we make it big enough we'll be able to fit three or four of them! And, with a hopefully better transmission, imagine how fast we'll be going! We'll be faster than those cars at NASCAR!"
"Oh, don't think so high, Hannes, we'll just make it big enough for the new cannon and the new engines, but if necessary we may follow your suggestion..."
"Do remember that this is IF we manage to get those upgrades in. Otherwise, this will just be all daydreaming and fantasy that will never be realized. Right now, we have to just focus on the tournament, and we can worry about upgrades later."
"Jouko's right. As much as upgrades are important for the Sturmi, we don't have the time to get those upgrades during the tournament, so right now, we'll have to work on winning the tournament, or at least getting to the Semifinals."
"Tomorrow's the drawing ceremony, too. All the participant schools will be there. Kuromorimine, Saunders, Pravda, all the big names in Sensha-do, meaning we'll be seeing some legends like Maho Nishizumi and her rising star sister Miho again, this 4'2" midget called Katyusha, tea addict Darjeeling, lots of famous names here in this sport."
"Katyusha? Midget?"
"Hah, little four-foot nothing of pure spite, as she's secretly called online."
"Löfström, remember our Bible studies?"
"Sorry, Jouko, just couldn't help it."
"Anyways, what, or who is this 'Katyusha', Frisell?"
"Well, according to the information I have here, she's the commander of Pravda Girls' Academy's Sensha-do team, and apparently rules the school with an iron fist, and sends delinquents and other rulebreakers "to Siberia", who knows where that is or what its like. From people who left from that in one piece, they said it's the worst experience of their whole life. It's an effective dictatorship where all power is reserved for Katyusha and Katyusha only, although some power is delegated to her subordinates like Nonna and Klara. Purges were common when she took control, now with most 'political opponents' done away with, it all depends on your performance in battle whether you get spared or not."
"Sheesh, talk about the living incarnation of Joseph Stalin himself, am I right?"
"And every battle Continuation has fought against Pravda, at first it went well with the ambushes, knocking out a solid number of tanks before Pravda's main force arrived to mop up, and despite some good fighting from Continuation, Pravda eventually came out on top. Recently, with Katyusha, Pravda victories have been more quick thanks to her apparent tactical ability."
"Well, would be pretty interesting if we met in battle some time, would be great to face her soon. Maybe get revenge for all the defeats this school incurred against Pravda, even."
"I hope so, too. Anyways, we have a lot to do in the next couple of months. Be sure you all do good in getting ready, once we defeat the easier schools we'll be facing the titans."
"Indeed, given the quality of our tanks no wonder the best this school always hopes for is the Semifinals."
"It's about time we get this school to the Semifinals, Lofstrom. Speaking of time, what time is it, Jouko?"
"What time is it... 9:48pm! Well, we'd better get to sleep. Tomorrow's the drawing ceremony and we don't wanna be late. Besides, we're going to be in the presence of giants."
"Alright, Jouko, good night."
"I'll be heading off as well, I'm starting to get tired, we've been talking for almost two hours now."
"I'll sleep too, rest IS important for muscle growth, after all."
"Good night, everyone, and let's hope we get good draws tomorrow."
Shimada Residence
"Interesting. And impressive."
As the Sturmi landed the final hit on the enemy tank, Chiyo couldn't help but applaud the spectacle. Her young daughter, Alice, also joined in, impressed with what she had just seen. It was completely different from the Nishizumi and Shimada Styles, this suicidal attack that claimed a tank kill, of a Tiger II, no less. Not only that, before that kill, a ricochet against a small rock had diverted the shell into the underbelly of the other Tiger II, knocking it out of action. To knock out a Tiger II was considered a big achievement for small schools. Killing two, this was enough to get you the Commander position for the Sensha-do team, or get a recommendation for All-Stars.
"Mother, I wanna fight her!"
"But Alice... you're going to university now, she's in high school."
"Mother, please!"
"I'm sorry, Alice, but we don't want to stress the crews with a match against someone of your caliber so close to the tournament."
"Okay..."
"Now, dear, don't cry. You'll get the opportunity soon."
"Really?! Yay! I'm going to fight those Continuation girls soon!"
"Hmhm. Now, Boko's new movie is about to come up-"
"SWITCHTHECHANNELSWITCHTHECHANNELSWITCHTHECHANNEL!"
"Alice!~ Ah!"
Alice was jumping all over the couch, and at the mention of Boko, zoomed into her mother's arms and sent the two tumbling on the couch, balance having been lost. Chiyo was laughing in a calm yet uncontrolled manner, enjoying every second of playing with her beloved daughter.
"Alice! Hah, you're ruining Mother's hair!"
"BOOOKOOOOOOOOO!"
"Haah... haaah... Alright... here you go, beloved..."
An exhausted, yet hearty Chiyo groggily switched the TV to a channel broadcasting the new Boko movie. Alice got off from her mother and crashed onto the floor in front of the TV, extremely excited to watch the movie's contents as Chiyo straightened her hair and smiled warmly at how excited and lively her daughter now seemed to be. Her eyes were at Alice more than they were at the screen as the movie played, loving how cute Alice looked in her Boko outfit, sitting so rapt and alive while watching the program. After a while, though, her gaze averted away from the screen to something else that was sitting on the table in front of her.
It was a Bible, gifted to her by a cousin from abroad. She had asked her to read this Book every day, but having indeed read it, and finding its contents contradictory to tradition, Chiyo had simply left it on the table to serve as little more than an ornamental piece. She didn't quite know what to do with It. She wanted to be rid of it, but she didn't want to offend that cousin of hers. Akira was off doing his naval duties, serving as a seaman on a Japanese corvette. It had gotten more lonely ever since he left, and that cousin had advised Chiyo to read the Book to help cope with her loneliness. She just kept the Book on the table, however, not caring much about it.
Yet, recently, there had been something pushing her to read it. She didn't quite know what it was, and she had tried her best to ignore it. Yet, it was persistent in its "attacks", continuously pushing for Chiyo to read the entire thing. Each day, it seemed to intensify, and Chiyo's attempts to keep it out of her mind were growing more vain. Finally, the desires had seemed to peak, and Chiyo found herself reaching for that Bible. Just before her hand could touch it, however, her mind was averted back to Alice and the Boko movie. Alice was screaming her heart out, cheering on Boko to win against his opponents despite knowing full well he'd get the opposite treatment.
Warming back to Alice, she sat down next to her daughter and joined in cheering, though her voice was more calm than loud. It was a good time of bonding with her daughter before the 62nd Tournament was due to start. That particular Sturmi crew returned to her mind, however. She was impressed, to say the least, and kept it a note in her mind to keep watch over this particular crew in the upcoming tournament. They had much potential, and they could serve as great additions to the All-Stars Team. For now, though, they still had to live up to her standards, and had to prove themselves in the tournament in order to get a chance to apply. This was going to be an interesting tournament, to say the least.
Nishizumi Residence
"Okaa-san, we haven't encountered a tank crew of this magnitude of skill before."
"That may be, and consider yourself lucky she was glory-hungry at the end. This performance is both concerning, and disappointing."
"I understand, Okaa-san."
"And Miho, I commend your performance of knocking out their flag tank."
"We had to do something before we could lose, Okaa-san, that cannon of theirs can deal a great amount of damage."
"Indeed. I hope you will carry this competence with you during the tournament. And Maho."
"Yes, Okaa-san."
"I do not want to see Kuromorimine come that close to defeat again."
"I will schedule more frequent and longer practice sessions to ensure that, Okaa-san."
"See to it that it is done, especially so given that we may face Continuation and that ace of theirs again."
A brief silence encapsulated the room as its three occupants thought up what to say next. After some thought, Miho decided to try to extract some more information about Continuation's new talent.
"O...Okaa-san?"
"Miho."
"What do you know about Jouko-san?"
"What do you know so far?"
"She's a foreigner, and... she's really good at Sensha-do."
"That's the obvious.
From what I know, she's apparently Finnish, and a talented sniper from her home country. I have heard several people say her grandfather was a fellow soldier and friend of that sniper the Finns call the 'White Death', though I have forgotten his name..."
"No wonder she's good at shooting."
"They are calling her the "White Witch" there. If she can take out a tank of ours at such a long range..."
"We could lose our flag tank before we know it."
"That's my worry, Miho. You must make sure that you either take her out immediately or avoid her as much as possible. The slightest mistake and you'll have your flag tank knocked out before you realize a thing."
"I understand, Okaa-san."
"Now, in a few days we will draw for the tournament. We have had nine straight victories in this tournament so far, and we want a tenth. And what may make it better is the fact that tenth victory will be won with a Nishizumi in command of the team. Do not disappoint me, both of you. All eyes are on us. Do I make myself clear?"
"Hai, Okaa-san!"
"Good. Now, get ready for bed, I'm sure you'll be dedicating much time to practice tomorrow."