Continuation Training Grounds - 1 day before the Quarterfinals

It was another day of training without the Sturmi crew, the final one before the Quarterfinals match, and nobody on the field was as motivated as they usually were at this stage. Ever since news of the Sturmi crew's sicknesses had gotten out, Continuation's spirits, previously at their highest levels, had now been dashed to pieces, and there was no need for a thorough explanation. As a result of their best crew becoming invalids, replacements had to be found for the crew, and upon Jouko's recommendation, her pupil, Linder, and her crew would be the temporary replacements. An issue with this was that Linder's crew manned the T-26, a tank that only fit 3. This meant that Touko, one of the commanders who said no to being team commander, had to take over to cover for the missing crew member.

For the Sturmi crew, for the first few days, life was miserable. They could get up from bed, but their coughing fits sometimes lasted up to a couple of minutes. Every now and then they had to rush to the bathroom or any place of disposal to cough out phlegm that had been propelled into their mouth, and their appetites had effectively disappeared due to their brains being worn out from the sickness. Food was served to them, as well as vitamins and antibiotics that came with the same dish, hopefully to speed up the healing process. 4 days after the first round, they seemed to be showing a recovery, but it was clear they wouldn't recover in time for the Quarterfinals, Jouko especially, since she was still suffering lengthy coughing fits and being effectively chained to her bed as a result of her sickness.

The practice, however, was gradually brought to a halt as a very familiar figure appeared to be walking out of the garages out onto the practice field, seemingly trying to get the attention of the Sturmi. Many began to wonder if this figure was truly whom they thought it was, and soon, the maneuvering, firing, and noise of battle ceased.

"Hey, is that Frisell?"

"What are you talking about, she's sick!"

"No, I swear that's her!"

"Linder, come on, don't be mad. Tomorrow's the-"

"IT IS!"

"Wait, what?"

Running to the Sturmi, though letting out a few bouts of coughing, it was Frisell. Climbing aboard the Sturmi, to the bewilderment of the crew, she lifted up the heavy hatch and saw the faces of Touko and Linder first. Trying to piece together what was going on, Frisell requested to take Touko's place in the radio operator's station, a request Touko granted, immediately climbing out of her hatch and, after exchanging a short handshake, rushing back to her Panzer IV, her job of filling in the missing crew member now no longer needed. Frisell, meanwhile climbed into her old seat and got comfortable, only to find a rather excited crew waiting for her as she began readjusting to her radio equipment.

"FRISELL! I-"

"No way! You recovered fast!"

"Will you fight with us?"

"Heh, of course! Now..."

Letting out a chuckle, Frisell explained how she had gotten the longest end of the stick, coming out of the match the least sick due to her having sweat the least, and also seemingly having a stronger immune system than the others, likely due to the fact she had gotten walking pneumonia a couple of times before. Now, without any further hesitations, she ended the conversation, and radioed to Mika and the rest of the tanks to continue on with the practice run, after which she inquired her new, albeit temporary crew as to how they were performing in their respective assignments. At the resumption of the practice session, her questions were to be answered, the potential of this crew to be tested, and Jouko's training to be put once again to the test..

As practice resumed, Linder and her crew began to work as hard as they could to give a good impression, but compared to the original crew they paled in comparison, obviously due to their inexperience in manning a Sturmi, an assault gun that had no rotating turret, save for the entire tank itself which had to maneuver accordingly in order for the cannon to fire where it wanted to, and being a commander, gunner, and radio operator for the T-26, a tank that had a rotating turret, manning a tank like this was a new experience for Linder, as well as the rest of her crew who were themselves used to their more lighter and agile T-26. It was like moving from riding a tricycle to a bicycle, or a change similar to that.

Linder was missing her shots more than hitting them, not possessing the qualities or experiences of her predecessor, who effectively had a free ticket to having a good aim thanks to her background. Her driver, Ignatius, was being too "tame" with her driving, not being as wild or crazy as Hannes usually was, exercising a great degree of caution as well as having a dose of indecisiveness to go with it, and Wetzer, the loader, was taking 8 seconds to reload, suffering from the same problems Lofstrom had been suffering through when she first started Sensha-do. Frisell, meanwhile, was still articulate, but she couldn't manage a couple coughs out of her system. But, it was nevertheless an improvement from when they had first started, which had been an effective disaster to summarize.

In the meantime, the arrival of Frisell had reinvigorated the team's spirits somewhat, though everyone could agree it would've been much better if the entire crew had recovered. Nevertheless, at least they had one of the original crew making a comeback, something they hoped would be, as minute as it could be, a gamechanger for the team. Tomorrow would be make or break for Continuation, and they knew that Kuromorimine wouldn't be as nice to them as they had been in their practice match last year, especially considering they were very likely still butthurt over that major loss the previous tournament. They wouldn't be going easy on any opponent this time around.

Kuromorimine

"Again, Emi, you're not aggressive enough."

"Commander Nishizumi, the tracks-"

"Forget the tracks, and focus on victory and victory alone. Engrave that lesson into your brain."

"Y...yes, Commander Nishizumi."

"Yaeko, it seems you've still haven't gotten rid of that habit of kicking your crew, to a degree I'm hearing people call you 'Geshiko.'"

"I'm trying, Commander Nishizumi, it isn't as easy as it seems!"

"I don't want excuses, I want results. If your constant kicking hospitalizes one of your, and consequently my crew members, consider your Sensha-do membership revoked!"

"I WILL DO MY BEST TO IMPROVE, COMMANDER!"

"Meg, contrary to Emi, you are too overconfident. You're allowing your bait to get caught so easily."

"I understand, Commander..."

"See to it that you don't let yourself knocked out earlier than necessary. And use your tank to its potential, I don't see you shooting much despite being in the heat of the fighting all the time."

"I will follow your advice the best I can, Commander Nishizumi."

"Finally, Vice-Commander Erika..."

"I know, Commander. I'm too hotheaded at times, and I'm too overbearing on subordinates..."

"And stop complaining all the time about your Tiger II's faults, learn to overcome any hardships. That is the Nishizumi Style, is it not?"

"Yes, Commander. It is."

"Alright, the training is concluded. We will have a final practice run tomorrow, early in the morning. I do not want any mistakes against Continuation, they're the next-biggest threat to us after Pravda. Understood?"

"YES, COMMANDER NISHIZUMI!"

"Dismissed. Get some good rest, sleep early so you aren't tired tomorrow morning."

Seeing her tank commanders departing after the training, Maho retreated into her personal quarters, and collapsed onto the bed, tired from yet another day of having to micromanage her team to perfection. She thought how much life had gotten worse ever since Miho left for Ooarai. Before, it was the two of them, the dynamic duo. leading Kuromorimine to victory after victory, fixing issues together, upholding the school's legendary reputation in the Sensha-do sphere, making their mother proud. Everything had been built to a victory for Kuromorimine, everything had been so sure in the 62nd Tournament, they had smashed the competition with little effort. It was a true demonstration of the Nishizumi Style's power.

Good little Miho, all the adventures we would've had, the victories we would've won together if you stayed...

Then, the Finals, the deaths, and the departure of her main support as a result of it. With Miho gone, almost certainly for good, Maho now felt like she was the glue-the only glue-holding everything together. Ever since Miho had left, Maho's condition, both physically and mentally, had worsened. Miho was her right arm, almost as effective as she in helping manage the team. She helped carry the burden like the second ox under a heavy yoke of iron, and now here she was, alone to deal with a demoralized team. Her sister, her companion, confidante, and loyal helper, had been bullied and stressed out of Kuromorimine for a school with better conditions. With her gone, she was the only one pulling the load, and she didn't know if she could take it all anymore, and she was even doubting her ability to defeat Continuation.

I can't take this much longer... Nishizumi Style this, Nishizumi Style that, does Okaa-san even understand my situation? Can I even speak out against her?

For the past decade and a half, Shiho had preached her Nishizumi doctrine of never giving up, to move forward regardless of any obstacle, advancing without delay or trouble. She had embedded these points into her daughters' minds, and she was intent on making sure that it would stay embedded. While it was a breath of fresh air to meet her sister after so long, it now served as a painful reminder of what she had lost due to that incident. Without her strongest pillar to support her, she was left to deal with a team, a team that on paper was supposed to be the model team, the perfect team, the greatest Sensha-do team in the whole world. But instead, it was a team that was full of problems, issues, imperfections, and flaws. So much was wrong with it that, if you removed Maho, the house of cards would come falling down.

Miho, if only you were still here, my life wouldn't be as hard... I need you back, I can't do this without you...

Maho had been talking to Miho ever since she had left via phone, hoping it would alleviate her stress to hear her beloved sister's voice again. Instead, it reminded her of what she had lost, what she had, and most importantly, what she greatly needed. Without Miho, life was a million times worse for Maho, and she was being pushed towards the brink of madness. While she could train someone, preferably Erika, to become a good replacement, Maho's mental capabilities were beginning to wear out after doing so much managing of the team. If she could make it past this year, graduate, then move to that university in Germany that Shiho had been always talking about for the past couple of years, it would take a miracle for her mind to move through. For all her indoctrination into the Nishizumi Style, it was starting to wear off.

*ding!*

The sound of a ding alerted Maho out of her gloomy thoughts, diverting her attention towards her phone. It was Miho, having sent her sister a message. Maho smiled, but once again the reminder of her greatest need returned. Nevertheless, with weariness she opened the message, and began a text conversation, glad to be able to communicate with her sister again, even though not in person.

Hi Onee-chan, is everything OK?

Not really

Stress?

Yep

Yea, ik its hard there

You'd know, I'm dealing with so much by myself it gives me pain

Aren't u trying to find a replacement? Like Eririn

My mental state isn't the best to try that rn

I hope you'll feel better soon, we should meet again sometime

Agreed

BTW, I almost forgot but I wanna share a contact with u

Rly? Who is it

It's Jouko-san, she wants to talk to u as well

Why?

She'll explain

U sure?

She's really nice to talk to, you'll enjoy talking with her I'm sure

In that case send it plz

Alr sending it rn

Viewing the number sent by Miho, Maho quickly thanked Miho before moving to end the conversation, saying she wanted to talk to Jouko right after they finished with their little chat. However, unfortunate news was there to disrupt her plans.

About that, she's sick

What? Why?

Mika told me it was walking pneumonia

Wait, she sweat a lot and forgot to turn off her aircon?

That's what I was told

Jouko doesn't mess up like that, u sure that's her?

I mean, do you expect her to be perfect lol

Fair enough

Anyways I'd better sleep now, tomorrow we're fighting Anzio

Lol ur gonna beat them easily

Can't be too sure cuz they got that P40

Relax, you have more firepower than they do, plus they mostly have tankettes

We're outnumbered tho

Ur gonna beat them trust

Ok ig, gl against Continuation tmrw

Yea thx, I'm sure it'll be harder than your match

Yep, anyways gn Onee-chan

Gn Miho, ttyl

Yep cya

After Miho's status turned to "offline", Maho quickly copypasted the number given to her onto her notepad app before turning off the phone and getting ready for bed. It was very relieving to finally talk to Miho again, though it would've been many times better if she were right next to her, rather than a tiny icon shooting out bubbles containing text on a phone screen. At least, though, she had yet another outlet to express her issues with, and hopefully, help her to deal with those issues. Miho's glowing remarks of Jouko helped in giving Maho a little bit of relief, as well as high expectations of this new rising star's personality, but also transpired a curiosity in her. She wanted to know more of this Jouko, who she was, what she believed in, and what made her who she was. Thoughts of sleep dissipating from her mind, Maho eagerly dialed the number Miho gave her, and, pressing the call button, waited for the reply which she hoped would come.

Continuation

"Feeling better, Jouko-sensei?"

"Yeah, -kack!- kind of..."

"But you still can't attend, right?"

"Nope... still gonna be stuck here..."

"That sucks, I wish you could've recovered in time."

"Eh, that's what happens when exhaustion -kack!- kills a lot of your braincells."

"Yeah. Well, I'd better get going, we're gonna have to be on our way soon."

"Good luck, then. I'll be rooting for you back here."

"T-thanks."

"One last thing."

"Yeah?"

"Try to imagine it like -kack!- a practice match."

"I'll try my best, sensei."

Watching Linder leave, Jouko silently prayed for her performance, hoping that victory would, somehow, some way, be achieved against Kuromorimine. For several long months, the team had been on the practice field for hours each day, training themselves to however close to perfection as they could. Now, with the first round dealt with, it was time for probably their biggest challenge in the tournament, the battle against Kuromorimine, longtime rivals that were now eager to avenge their defeat the previous year. It was highly unlikely that victory would come, but they had defeated Pravda in a practice match before the tournament, and if that was doable, no less Kuromorimine? Plus, not only had Continuation come close to victory against Kuromorimine last year, Miho was now gone, and everyone was hoping that things would be easier now that such a good commander had left the team.

Suddenly, Jouko's phone began to ring. Picking it up, she was surprised to find who exactly it was that was calling her. Seeing the name appear towards the top of her phone's screen, Jouko's heart began to beat faster than before, and her stomach began to perform somersaults. Why Maho Nishizumi herself was calling her, that was to be found out shortly, though Jouko's mind was coming up with dozens of vastly different conclusions. Answering the call, Jouko, trying to put up the most confident voice she could muster, struck up a conversation with Maho, curious to know what this great commander wanted from her.

"Maho? -kack!- What's the deal?"

"Jouko, thank goodness you've answered."

"No issue too great for me, aside from, y'know."

"Of course, of course. Now, the reason why I'm calling you."

"Yep, I'm -kack!- listening."

"Miho gave me your contact."

"Right, right, I did ask."

"So, what should we talk about? Like, I'm sitting here, finished with another absolutely miserable practice run, nothing else to do except wait to leave for the match."

"Two things. One, I haven't heard you like this before, two, I dunno, probably life, I guess?"

"Heh, this is my private side, I'm pretty warm to people when Okaa-san isn't looking."

"Really. So about 'miserable practice runs', what's the deal with -kack!- that?"

"Believe me, things were a billion times easier to do with Miho around. Lots of issues, people being too this and that, I guess you can understand a bit."

"I get you, it can be pretty hard. But hey, that's how life is."

"So, how do you typically deal with this stuff? I mean, there's a bunch to deal with and whatever."

"I'm just sitting here surprised you're -kack!- asking me! Like, you're the heiress to your style!"

"As much as I'd like to talk with Okaa-san, she does not like problems, I'll tell you that much."

"Well, in that case, all I'll say is, just talk to God about it."

"You're seriously pushing that religion of yours at me?"

"Look, you asked for advice, I'm -kack!- giving you advice, don't get too mad at me."

"No, no, I'm not too mad. In fact, mind giving me a Bible soon? Like, once you're fully recovered and whatnot."

This sudden question shook Jouko to her very core so much it felt as if much of her sickness was going away at that moment. First, her caller was giving her a series of complaints that if presented to her mother would get her off of Sensha-do or worse. Second, why was Maho Nishizumi, a member of one of the most traditional families in Japan, asking for something that, if found out, would get her disowned instantly? Initially at a loss for words, there was a short, awkward moment of silence between the two before Jouko mustered the courage to speak again.

"Won't your mom get mad, or something? From what I've read, traditional families here tend to be super strict with upholding their values."

"I know, but there isn't much else to do. I'm stuck doing the same grueling work every day, and trying to maintain this stoic face all day. I dunno if I can really last much longer like this, to be honest..."

"Like I said earlier, just talk to God about it. He knows what's going on, I'm sure -kack!- He'll find a way to keep you going. He always does."

"Well, if Miho trusts you, I'll trust you as well, you seem to be a decent individual."

"Benefits of a good upbringing, I guess."

"Come on, now, don't be like that..."

"Sorry, sorry."

"Well, I'll wish your team good luck. We won't be holding back, we'll make sure of it."

"As to you, I hope my new pupil won't disappoint any of us."

"Wait, you have a pupil now? Geez, you're getting pretty popular there."

"Don't mention it, she's still learning, as well -kack!- as her crew. Name's Linder, in case you're wondering."

"Speaking of crew, how are the others in your crew?"

"Frisell, radio operator girl, is better now. She's actually back in her Sturmi position, though the rest of us are still sick."

"Which crew now runs the Sturmi, then?"

"Linder and her crew of the T-26, -kack!- aka three in total, plus Frisell."

"I see. I guess I'd better get going now, we're leaving soon."

"Yep, again, -kack!- good luck, I'll be watching from my room."

"Alright, hope we can talk again after, if I remember."

"No worries. Talk to you later, Maho, nice conversation we've had, I guess."

"Can't agree more. Talk to you later. Goodbye."

"See ya."

Pondering what had just went down between the two of them, Jouko was surprised at her new discoveries. Comparing it with her conversation with Maho shortly after the end of the practice match last year, she was more open and casual than her first presentation. In fact, it was enough to give Jouko some doubts as to whether or not it was Maho she was talking to, or instead it was someone with a modification that contained a Maho voice changer. It was unlikely it was the latter possibility, as Jouko always kept her phone number a strict secret outside of her closest acquaintances. Literally nobody knew what the numbers were outside of her friends, family, and likely the Finnish government or whatever. She had also made sure her phone was as secure as possible, meaning that any chance of her phone's contents being leaked or revealed was next to zero.

What was more surprising, however, was the fact that Maho had asked her for a Bible. Maho Nishizumi, heiress to the legendary Nishizumi Style of Sensha-do, and a member of one of the most traditional families in all of Sensha-do that looked down on anything that went against their beliefs and values, asked for a Bible. Normally something like this was impossible to even comprehend, yet her present circumstances had been building up to something like this happening. Her voice had bore a sense of dread, of exhaustion, and of stress, although it was subtle. It seemed that soon she could break, and having been requested for help, Jouko couldn't refuse. Dutifully, she gave the best advice she could, to seek God for help and guidance through troublesome times. She knew that He was responsible for getting her this far in life, and she was confident He could help Maho as well.

With this faith set into the both of them, Jouko hoped that things would begin to improve for Maho. Sooner than later, she began to pray for her, now more concerned for her well-being than the match that would begin shortly. In fact, if this seed soon to be planted would grow large and plentiful, she could, despite great opposition from her family and many others, convert to Christianity. From there, who knows, many others, seeing this prominent figure in Sensha-do, could themselves convert as well. That could include Miho, some of her closest friends, maybe even some students from other schools and their families, perhaps even spreading to the reputed All-Stars University Team, and, although seemingly absurd, it may even convert the families of Shimada and Nishizumi themselves. It appeared impossible that last one could happen, but as Jouko knew, with God, all things were possible.

*knock* *knock*

"For Jouko-san, breakfast and medications!"

"Come -kack!- in, please."

A knock on the door diverted her thoughts as a nurse came in bearing the usual antibiotics and pills necessary to help Jouko's immune system fight off the germs that were currently attacking her body, together with the usual porridge, Ruisleipä rye bread, and some of the other foods that usually comprised a Finnish meal. She was feeling better, coughing much less, and now able to get out of bed and walk to the bathroom without assistance, but she still felt weak, and her mind wasn't as keen as it usually was. She estimated that the sickness would be gone within a week or two, lamenting the fact she wasn't in any better condition by this point, and her circumstances that got her here in the first place. Beginning her final daily intake, Jouko switched on the television, changed the channel to the appropriate one for Sensha-do coverage, and began to watch the coverage of the prelude to the battle.

Kuromorimine

Shiho entered the room just as Maho finished her discussion and prepared for sleep, listening on as the lights were turned off and the sounds from the bed stopped. She had heard the entire conversation through the door, and knew that Maho wasn't up to any good. She never stayed up this late, and certainly not because of using her phone for purposes unrelated to school, and the discussion of Christianity, even asking for a Bible, the book of the Christians, was a major red flag. Patiently waiting until her daughter had fallen asleep, Shiho slowly opened the door as quietly as possible, silently thanking herself that her insistence to install the noiseless hinges that otherwise would've woken Maho up had paid off, and slowly walked over to her nightstand, picked up the phone, and placed it into her pocket as she sneaked out of the room, slowly closing and locking the door behind her as Maho continued her slumber, unaware of what had just transpired meters away from her.

Once she had opened the phone by pressing the appropriate numbers for the PIN, Shiho tapped on the messages app to open it, looked to see Maho's most recent messages, and sure enough, her suspicions were confirmed. Maho had indeed been chatting with someone this late at night, but what really got Shiho was the fact that the person Maho had been talking to was none other than Miho Nishizumi herself. Filled with a mix of anger, intrigue, and disappointment, Shiho painstakingly scrolled through the messages of the conversation between Miho and Maho, finding out Maho's true feelings, and finding out what Maho had been up to with Jouko, that Christian girl that always worried her. It showed that Maho was more interested in Christianity, confirming what she had heard in the conversation, which didn't sit well with Shiho, who, being head of one of the most traditional families in Japan, was opposed to the religion, and was influential in keeping the number of Christians in the country below 2%.

To see her own daughter expressing interest in Christianity, however, that was encroaching on treasonous territory, and a possible scandal on her hands. It was a betrayal of the strict code of law that comprised the Nishizumi family. It was dishonorable to the family name, dishonorable to the deities that had for so long brought prosperity to the family and the world. It threatened to stop Maho from going to shrines, or at least stop being sincere when she visited, ending up only making visitations out of necessity, not sincerity. So many other factors were also involved, and overall, Shiho knew that something had to be done, it was too obvious by now, she couldn't afford to be seen as a failed mother thanks to her daughter going against her. But, she couldn't wake up Maho right now, a Nishizumi couldn't be able to go see success with any lack of sleep, so she resolved to converse with Maho the following morning, and hope that she would be submissive, without any resistance.

Morning came with Maho waking up more tired than usual due to how late she had stayed up last night, her mind feeling heavy and the feeling of a need of sleep still present. Stretching her hand to the nightstand next to her, intending to grab her phone to catch a look at the news and other necessities before school, she felt nothing. Sitting upright and diverting her eyes to see if it was misplaced and put somewhere else, it was much worse: her phone was missing. Jolted to action by the worry and shock of the moment, all sense of tiredness instantly dissipating, she quickly made and ate her usual morning breakfast, swiftly donned her Kuromorimine uniform, placing her Sensha-do uniform in a separate compartment inside her backpack, and rushed with all haste to Shiho's office to find out about the missing phone, hoping to reunite with it given how expensive and valuable it was. Meeting with the secretary sitting just outside of the office, she gained permission to enter Shiho's office, and walked into the office to get her answers.

After entering, among the first sights that greeted Maho was the sight of her own phone sitting on Shiho's desk, opened to her messages with Miho the night before, Shiho's fierce eyes staring straight at her, with seemingly murderous intent. Maho, as usual, showed no signs of alarm, concern, or surprise in her outer expressions, but inside, she was panicking. She had been found out, and there was no way out of this situation, at least, none that she could be able to find. In her anxiety, the memories of her talk with Jouko the night before had been whisked away, replaced with preparations of what to say to her mother once the interrogation-like questions started coming in. Shiho was still reading a book about Sensha-do when Maho entered the room, setting the book down as the door closed and raising her head to begin her serious chat with her rebellious daughter, fully intent to know what was going on with her as of late and why she was doing these things. She could see Maho was ready, having taken her seat, so without further ado, it was time to start.

"You are aware of why I summoned you here, aren't you?"

"I... am aware."

"Do you realize just how much of a deal this is to the both of us?"

"Yes... I am aware."

"Address me."

"Yes, Okaa-san."

"I'll get straight to the point, since you have given me your assurance...

I'm permanently confiscating your phone."

Maho was taken aback, and for a moment her expression eased into one of shock, but quickly she reverted back to her indifferent expression, though she was certain Shiho had seen this brief moment of weakness.

"Surprised now, are we?"

"N...No, Okaa-san."

"Hmph. I hope you will accept this punishment with grace and dignity, I wouldn't like to have too much of an issue. I'm sure you already know what I have to say to you, so I shall refrain from lecturing you, since you already know too much. Now, as for this, I may just store it away, or perhaps wipe its data and hand it to another. Do not presume to try to take it back, there are very severe repercussions in store for you should I catch you in the attempt. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Okaa-san."

"Now go to school and forget everything you talked about with that Jouko and Miho. Prioritize the family values over everything else. Nothing should stand in the way of this family's integrity."

"I understand, Okaa-san."

"Now, you must be on your way. Crush Continuation today, be relentless and allow as little room for them to maneuver as possible. Kuromorimine shall not be defeated a second time. There is nothing else, you may go."

Shiho watched with disinterested eyes as Maho solemnly bowed and quickly exited the office to begin preparing for the Sensha-do team's departure from the carrier onto the battlefield for their second match of the tournament. She hoped that this would be the last of it between her and Maho, but this Christianity situation wasn't over yet. There was still the matter of Jouko and her friends to consider, but she would bide her time and leave them alone for now. Unless they tried to grow their Christian religion to their colleagues, classmates, and to people inside and outside of Continuation and maybe even outside of Sensha-do, they wouldn't be too much of a problem to deal with. As long as they kept their opinions to themselves, they would be fine, but one couldn't really be too sure with those Christians, as although they had been a tiny minority in the demographic they had still maintained a presence in Japan, albeit very tiny, and for Shiho, a very annoying one at that.

The Christians always loved to spread their monotheistic delusions to the whole world across several continents, to the point every country on earth had a Christian presence, preaching and teaching their nonsensical fantasies and strange doctrines that Shiho couldn't comprehend, considering it pure nonsense and nothing more, wondering how on earth their religion grew so large in the first place, even larger than the Shinto and Buddhist religions that were the backbone of the family tradition. While she had become a leading opponent of Christianity due to her beliefs, Shiho and all those who shared her mindset were still unable to snuff out that resistant candle, and as much as she wanted to, she couldn't be able to use physical force to stamp it out, owing to Japan's guaranteed freedom of religion. She could only hope that Christianity would stay the same way it was right now, she already had many problems to deal with and she was not intent on getting more on her already-full hands.

Reclining in her seat, Shiho dispersed the thoughts from her mind, placing her daughter's phone inside a compartment on her desk as she grabbed that Sensha-do book she had left on the table and continued reading to distract her from her thoughts.

Continuation starting positions

"So, Linder, you ready?"

"Kind of..."

"Of course, you'll be a bit nervous. Don't worry, though, nothing much is doable at this point."

"Right... though I know I have some big shoes to fill."

"Of course. Just try to put all the training you've got so far into good use."

"I will."

"The match starts in ten minutes. All tanks are required to be at their starting positions at this time. Please make your way if you haven't."

As the last echoes of the announcement faded, Linder stared through the gunnery visor straight at the general direction of Kuromorimine's starting positions. This was it. All of those months of arduous preparation with her hero and mentor had led up to this match. In every practice session so far, she had poured much of her blood, toil, tears, and sweat into emulating Jouko as much as possible, and with her parting words back at the carrier still fresh in her mind, she was determined not to disappoint. Much was hanging on this match: that coveted Semifinals placement, a possible chance to finally defeat Kuromorimine, and best of all possibly win the entire tournament. It was something Continuation had longed for in its entire existence and they didn't want to screw up that chance at getting that sweet placement they so greatly desired.

Yet, for all the practice she had done ever since starting high school as a freshman, Linder suddenly felt that she wasn't going to live up to anybody's expectations. It had been only a few days before that she had suddenly begun commanding the Sturmi, a totally different tank from the T-26 she usually commanded. She had done her best to get used to it, but there hadn't been enough time. Her aim was a far cry from Jouko's, and her crew were leagues behind the original crew, a statistic only helped with Frisell's presence. And no doubt that with the Sturmi crew's sickness, Kuromorimine was sure in an easy victory. Even worse, once again, the battlefield was a desert-themed one, the polar opposite of the snow-themed or grassy training areas Continuation normally used. Jouko and her crew had gotten them a victory last match, with a similar map, but here, the circumstances were completely different.

Linder was getting stressed out from the prospect of defeat. As much as she knew how badly she could perform, she was still driven by determination and that desire for a Semifinals placement. She wanted it as much as anybody, but once again they had gotten unlucky with their opponents. Some in Continuation acknowledged the possibility that they would never get to the Semifinals this year, while others still remained optimistic, believing that victory could, somehow, be achieved. All they had to do was get a shot on the flag tank and win, but knowing Kuromorimine, it was far easier said than done. Linder was dead in the middle of the balance, but with the match not far off now, she was slowly leaning into the pragmatist camp. Then, something in her mind began to beckon to her. It seemed to cry out for prayer. At first she attempted to ignore it, but soon the thoughts won over, and Linder found herself asking Frisell a surprising question.

"Frisell-san?"

"Yes, Linder?"

"M-may..."

"Don't be shy, I'm friendly."

"May you please pray with me?"

"Oh! Um..."

"If you don't want... that's fine... I'll pray by myself-"

"No, no, no! I'll pray. Here, let's close our eyes and bow our heads..."

Joining hands with Frisell and whispering their respective prayers, Linder prayed her first prayer in years. Linder had been a devout Christian in her early years, going to Sunday school with her parents every week, raptly listening to the minister's sermons in the pews of the small church she went to back in Oulu. During her middle school days, however, that devotion had begun to decline as she was further exposed to the world around her, luring her into the life that she was taught by many to avoid, to detest and to work hard to stay away from, focusing only on living as Godly of a life as she could. Bit by bit, her Christianity was chipped away with each pop song, activity, and whatnot influencing her until she had seemed to reject it altogether.

At first, she loved classical music, at the behest of her parents, commanding her to avoid other genres. When middle school came around, however, it was nothing but pop, rock, funk, and metal, and while she attempted to resist at first, the temptations soon gave way. Her hair, previously a ponytail (similar to Rukuriri), became that of her favorite rock band, the Leningrad Cowboys. She attended church and Sunday school less and less, became more rebellious to her parents as she grew older, even resenting the word "worship", growing tired of their strict attitude to her behavior and their seemingly dictatorial standards, leading to a falling out. Now, they had forced her here, to Japan, the origin of her mother, likely so that they wouldn't have to worry about her ruining life back at home. And for her, it was good riddance. She hated home and the occupants it contained. She was happy to leave.

After arriving at Continuation and hearing of Jouko, Linder grew enamored with her, considering her her "idol," a role model to follow, admiring her Sensha-do talents and skills both on and off the battlefield. But, after becoming her pupil, she was treated to a shocking sight. Jouko, as well as her crew, unlike Linder, were devoutly religious. They prayed before every meal, held private worship and Bible studies every morning and night, without being too "modern" with their singing or choice of songs, and attended church as much as they could. They, of course, weren't perfect, they occasionally forgot their routine and skipped a worship session or grace, but they were leagues more devout than Linder was now, and seeing how devoted the Sturmi crew were, she felt guilty.

The thoughts came down on her like an artillery bombardment, and bombard her they did. It had been because of her affection for the world that she had become like what she was now. It was because of her affection for the world that she had fallen out with her parents. It was because of her affection for the world that her life had changed for the worse. It was because of her affection for the world that she had lost sight of the narrow way, and fallen into the wide road of destruction. Her family, her life, her happiness, had disappeared, replaced with strife, discontent, discord, and resentment. All because she allowed herself to be influenced by the world. But now, there was a chance for reapproachment, a chance to leave the wide road and return to the narrow way. A second chance that God would willingly give her. This reapproachment would mean much, but there had to be a choice, and Linder was sure to make the one she felt was right. She chose reapproachment.

That reapproachment would happen here, in the tank of her heroes, next to a member of the four new legends of Continuation, who was diligently praying alongside her after her request. After Frisell had finished her prayer, it was now Linder's turn to pray. As the announcement rang out of 5 minutes left before the match began, Linder, having the thoughts and memories of all her perceived errors bearing down on her, was left unable to muster more than two sentences for her prayer, or even utter a word, overwhelmed by guilt. But at that very moment, a bygone memory returned to her, the memory of one of the Bible lessons she had been taught at Sunday school all those years ago. It was the story of the boastful Pharisee and his lengthy prayer of pride and boasting, and the humble publican and his simple prayer for forgiveness.

Where the Pharisee proclaimed all of his good deeds and praised God for his apparent uprightness compared to everyone else in as public of a place he could be, giving a very lengthy and prideful prayer, in stark contrast, the publican, a man shunned by a majority of society, a man who was considered by those around him an outcast, an outlaw, a thief, robber, cheat, swindler, a living personification of evil in all of Israel, prayed a simple prayer in a place where he was unlikely to be seen. A prayer, that compared with the Pharisee's prayer, was far more acceptable in God's eyes. It was this same publican's prayer that Linder now prayed here, to a smiling Frisell, that lifted her spirits, somewhat:

"Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner."

As soon as the last word left her mouth, Linder felt a sense of comfort, of a heavy yoke being removed. It was as if she had been pulled out of a dark pit after being left to rot for many weeks. She felt a bit freer, now. Continuing on, she prayed for guidance for her and her crew, victory for Continuation, and the swift healing of Jouko and the rest of the Sturmi crew, all the usual. Opening her eyes again, she gazed into the smiling, teary-eyed face of Frisell, and rushing forward, embraced her tightly, a gesture Frisell returned.

"The match will start in one minute. Please start your engines."

Parting with Linder, Frisell gestured to her temporary commander to give the order. Reinvigorated, Linder turned to Ignatius, and confidently ordered her to activate the engine. Surprised at this new confidence, as well as emboldened by it, Ignatius eagerly performed the necessary actions to get the tank rumbling.

"The match has begun. All tanks, Panzer vor!"

The voice of Mika was heard over the radio, giving the order forward. After Frisell did her duty in relaying the order, Linder bellowed out her order as tank commander of the Sturmi, shooting her arm forwards, finger pointed straight ahead as she did so.

"Tankki, eteenpäin!"

Ooarai starting positions

"The match starts in ten minutes. All tanks are required to be at their starting positions at this time. Please make your way if you haven't."

Miho sat in her Panzer IV, patiently waiting for the Bofors gun to fire and begin the match. Her crew was equally ready, eager to move up another spot in the brackets and further solidify Ooarai's standings in the tournament. So far, out of all the schools that were participating in the tournament, much of the spotlight was on Ooarai and Continuation, two schools that had accomplished seemingly impossible things against some of the strongest schools in Sensha-do. For Ooarai, so far, things were going relatively smoothly, when at first it was thought they would be a very tiny footnote in the tournament records, especially considering they had faced none other than Saunders, one of the richest schools in Japan, and won. Now, if everything went well for them in this match, they effectively had a free ticket to the Semifinals as they were facing Anzio, a national laughingstock at this point.

Miho's mind had been brought back to the Beatitudes in light of these developments, reminded of the promises of blessings that she had read about in those pages of the Bible. Maho's words and Jouko's advice had also returned to her conscience, of the former's instructions to keep going no matter what and the latter's reassurance that, in the Bible's own words, "All things work together for good for those who are called according to His purpose." That last part Miho was still trying to figure out, a flurry of interpretations coming to her mind. What it could mean could vary wildly. What purpose was there? What was it that was wanted from her? Was it to achieve a victory in the tournament? Was there some secret objective that she had to complete? Did it have to do with something regarding her personal life? In the context of the Bible, it was saying that God had a purpose for her, but what exactly was it? This was something she still needed to figure out.

Regardless, Miho's faith in the Bible was growing stronger by the day. For the past couple of weeks, ever since Jouko had spoken to her at the drawing ceremony, they had talked over the phone, discussing the Bible, its contents, and sharing their personal stories. Jouko seemed to gain an attachment to her, not romantically, but as a friend who was willing to give her help. Her understanding of the Bible was becoming clearer, more comprehensive, and more knowledgeable. She was getting the gist of things now, and Jouko was helping her piece together the vast, complex puzzle of stories that was the Bible, how each story, while seeming unrelated to each other at first, ended up connecting in a wonderful way that not only fulfilled several millennia of prophecy, but brought with it many stories of heroes, faith, trust, and a love like no other seen before. It would seem far-fetched at times, but Jouko was always telling her when she pointed this out, "With God, all things are possible."

I guess I've embraced it, but will my friends do it, too? And what will they think?

Now, there was this new conviction inside her heart to share it with her friends. She, however, was hesitant to do so. While her friends may be the nicest people to her in a very long time, she was very worried what they could think, and how they could react. She had just become their closest friends, and now, she didn't want to lose them thanks to this new book she had gotten immersed into. Outside of her sister, they were her biggest source of warmth and comfort. To lose them meant that her life would, once again, become a dark pit of depression and hopelessness. As she pondered on this decision to share the Bible with her friends, their backgrounds now came to her mind. The stories, the experiences, the situations that they had told her about, and she herself had experienced alongside them, as well as possibilities of how they could react to her little offering, her eyes averting to the subject of each respective topic as the thoughts crossed her mind.

Saori-san... she'll be too interested in boys to care.

Saori was not too interested in anything outside of fighting alongside her friends and fellow students in Sensha-do, being with her close friends, as well as her lifelong dream of getting into a romantic relationship with a man. Consequently, she didn't really care about religion. She had heard of it before, having encountered stories of the Christian missionaries to Japan all those centuries ago, but being Saori, she didn't care about Christianity outside of whether or not the men looked hot back then. Show her the Bible and allow her to read it, she'll likely focus on the stories of heroic men and their feats across the stories of the Bible, of men like David, Johnathan, Samson, which would likely be Saori's favorite, Solomon, and many, many more. Aside from that, she'd likely be uninterested in all the theology and the religiousness that the Bible offered, at least at first. Perhaps she would become interested in due time, but for now, Saori would likely not care too much, just brushing it off, and the relationship wouldn't sour.

Hana-san... her previous encounter with her Okaa-san will surely bear consequences.

Hana, on the other hand, was from a strictly traditional family that required its members to adhere to its values and traditions. In fact, she had already been evicted from her home by her mother in an encounter all of Anglerfish bore witness to. Hana had defended her decision to pursue Sensha-do instead of the traditional art of Ikebana, the art of flower arrangement that the Isuzu family had passed down from generation to generation. However, Yuri, Hana's mother, refused to accept what she considered an act of rebellion. She fiercely criticized her daughter's decision, and after expressing her disdain for tanks, declaring that they should be turned into scrap metal, she evicted Hana from the house in a fit of rage, ordering her to leave and never step foot in the house again. Hana had solemnly accepted this, but Miho feared that Hana's memories of the fiery exchange would hurt her relationship should she attempt a presentation, not wanting to engage in any sort of tradition or belief again due to risking something similar happening to her.

Yukari-san... she's too much of a military lover, she might dislike the pacifism in this Bible.

Yukari was one of Miho's biggest concerns in regards to friendship. She was an avid fan of all things military. She loved tanks, she loved weapons, she loved famous military figures, she loved reading the legendary stories of war, she had even been given the spirit name "Guderian" by Erwin, a name that Yukari quickly stuck to. Every time something notable showed up, whether it be a tank, weapon, or reference, she would be quick to jump at a historical retelling, and state everything, even the most minute details, all by memory. She was, in effect, a walking encyclopedia. In fact, she had started a little show online talking about tanks, tanks, and more tanks, nothing but tanks. A few weeks earlier, she had even displayed her skill in setting up a military camp, cooking military rations. Would she accept the teachings of the Bible that looked down on killing, violence, and war? Would she agree with the doctrines of love that it preached? Or would she take offense, and end her friendship with Miho right then and there, declaring that she had been betrayed?

Mako-san... she hates life after what happened. No doubt she'll hate it.

Finally there was Mako, the hypotense nihilist who looked down on life, her backstory offering a dark, tragic explanation. At first, she had been a happy, bright, joyful girl to be around, intelligent beyond her age, and considered by her classmates to be the life of the classroom. Her grades never dipped below an A, and several times she was nominated to skip grades, something her parents declined to do as they saw how close to her fellow classmates she had grown. All seemed to be going very well for Mako, until that fateful day in 5th Grade. Getting into a heated argument with her mother right before she had left for school, a few hours later, arriving back at her home after school, she found nobody but her grandma to greet her with the news. Mako was thoroughly devastated, regretful that she was unable to apologize to her mother after the argument, and she was never the same. If approached with the Bible, Mako would likely reject it, not wanting any consolation, focused instead on taking care of her aging grandma and living as little of life as she could. The friendship may not be jeopardized, but the Bible would definitely be refused.

"The match will start in five minutes. Please be prepared accordingly."

I shouldn't have spent time thinking... my brain is worn. I can't perform with a mind like that, I must find comfort.

The announcement passed through Miho's head as the thoughts completed their hounding on her brain. Drained from the emotions of those thoughts, she decided to seek some last-minute comfort before the match to stabilize her thoughts. Amidst the excited chatter between her tank crew, Miho secretly took out her Bible that she had brought with her for this battle, and began to read through several passages and verses she had bookmarked over the past week with Jouko's guidance. She had done so the previous battle against Saunders, though it was when she was still in her room, before she left for that match. Now, it was right before it would begin, inside her tank, in view of her friends. She didn't care too much, eyes and mind on the many words on the papers before her as she tried to get as much comfort as she could from them.

"The match will start in one minute. Please start your engines."

From Psalms to Isaiah to Romans and more, Miho read and reread each bookmarked passage, given by Jouko that she thought best fit her current circumstances, and provided an extra source of comfort. She allowed her mind to comprehend and fully absorb the impacts of the promises that were once again greeting her eyes. Doing her best to get comfort and relief, she never heard the announcement that the match would begin in a minute. She never fully heard the sounds of the other engines coming to life, and not even the voices of her crew beckoning her for orders. It was only through Saori slapping her legs that her attention was diverted from the Bible and to the task at hand.

"Miporin! We're about to start!"

"Duwahh!"

Miho came close to dropping the Bible, reestablishing her grip before it could slip from her hands, hoping nobody noticed what exactly she was reading. Unfortunately, those hopes were soon dashed.

"Nishizumi-dono, what's that you're reading?"

"Uh, I'm... just going through some old memories!"

"Really? Can I see?"

"Sorry, Yukari-dono, but it's a bit private."

"Aww, okay."

"As sweet as it is, Miho-san, it appears we must get going."

"Plus, Miporin, the starting gun is about to fire, and everyone's asking for orders-"

The Bofors gun's round left Saori's sentence incomplete. Alerted, Miho quickly set the Bible back in its place and began shouting out orders.

"Mako-san, is the engine running?"

"Yes, Taichou."

"Saori-san, how is everyone else?"

"Waiting for your orders, Miporin!"

"Then, let's do this."

Taking one last glimpse at the Bible, which gave her a further sense of comfort, Miho emerged from her cupola, and using her throat mic, bellowed out the command.

"All tanks, Panzer Vor!"

Author's Note: A bit of a grind to read here, so sorry if you get turned off by all the backstory, plot, and emotional drainage that comes through here, but this is a way to help deal with all the stuff that's going on in my life right now. Writing has really helped with distracting me with all the stress and worry of school and whatnot, so hopefully I'll be able to continue with this hobby of mine.

While I'm pretty confident in how the revamp will progress, I'm starting to encounter some problems in regards to how I'll do Der Film's large battle. By that point, the Sturmi crew will already be firmly established in Continuation, and will no doubt tag along with Mika's crew in helping Ooarai, especially that she's now Miho's friend. Alice was shown earlier to have a desire to fight against Jouko, and she'll jump at the opportunity the moment she sees that Sturmi come up over the hill with the BT-42. Originally, Renta was able to prevent Jouko from fighting, but nowadays I think that was illogical of me.

So, with around 3-5 chapters remaining before the events of Der Film, I may be slower-paced due to a combination of me helping my dad with working on some stuff as well as brainstorming. Hopefully the finished product will be satisfactory, though obviously it may not be as great as the writers at ACTAS did it. With regards to making a possible "second volume" to the story I'm also doing a bit of brainstorming on that, splitting it into several story arcs and displaying the hardships of what its like to be a Christian, as I have read in many books, as well as experienced. Not everything will be sunshine and rainbows, as the Bible has quite often made clear.

Anyways, I hope you're all enjoying the fanfic so far, despite its flaws, be sure to alert me to any errors or give feedback on what can be improved so future chapters will have some better quality than they do right now. It's pretty great writing this, and once again, I apologize if this is part of the depressing sphere of GuP fanfics, but we all have our writing styles, and for me it best serves the plot.

Where I live (Philippines), it's still Christmas Day, and for those of you in America or Europe it should be Christmas Day now. So, from a semi-decent, insect-filled house somewhere in the island nation of memes and overpatriotic netizens currently having visitors that include a 4-year old toddler that refuses to shut up, written on a laptop that's almost a decade old and slowing down every now and then,

Merry Christmas, I hope you're doing well. Be sure to spend some time with your family, wherever you are, whether it be in-person, or through your screen, or maybe even through letters. Sing songs, go caroling out in the snow, go to church if you'd like, have some snowball fights, build igloos, snowmen, or make snow angels if you got snow where you live. Make your Christmas a blast. Until next time, happy hunting, and Panzer Vor!

(P.S. alice slander will not be tolerated)