Federation Stadium - 63rd Tournament Drawing Ceremony

Miho's heart was racing fast. She had attended a drawing ceremony before, but this time it was completely different from the ceremonies with Kuromorimine. Many eyes were on Ooarai this time as they were the "newest" school out of everyone. Everyone in Ooarai, save Miho, barely had experience. Whichever school they would be up against for the first round, they were hoping was a school on par with them, or at least not as good as the bigger schools, a match, say, with Anzio, Chihatan, or Maginot, or Koala Forest, matches that they had a good chance of winning. The last thing they wanted was a major school to slap them across the battlefield in the first match and move on to the next bracket without breaking a sweat. The ceremony was about to start, and Miho was praying for an easy first opponent. The tensions inside her increased with each passing moment, and she felt ready to explode at any moment.

She began to think of Maho, Erika, and the rest of Kuromorimine, spending several seconds gazing longingly at their large viewing section, their students taking up almost half the seats on their side of the stadium. She remembered the letter Maho had left her, reminding her to stay perseverant. She remembered the Bible she had snuck into her suitcase, how she had repaired it, and read it again. So far, it had been a mixed bag, but she knew she had to put to heart the words Maho had written in that letter, and her own convictions of a second chance. Now, her most herculean task was about to begin, to lead a completely amateur school in its first Sensha-do tournament in 25 years, with much less tanks than what they originally had.

Ooarai had showed signs of insubordination, disunity, poor coordination, and uncaring, not to mention cowardice on the part of Rabbit Team during the match against St. Gloriana, though they did have the decency to apologize. This would be the team Miho would work with, and there were very few in the world who could lead such a hodgepodge of newbies to victory against heavyweight champions. Would Miho be one of these select few? Some of her teammates were considering her so, citing how she had come so close to defeating St. Gloriana, considered one of the top four Sensha-do schools, taking out four enemy tanks in a brilliant display of urban warfare. Much faith was on her to win the whole thing, or at least get a good showing.

"Miporin, don't be so afraid! Look confident in front of everyone!"

"Uh, I, eye..."

"Miho-san, just breathe deeply. It helps alleviate stress, though now that I mention it I should've brought some of my flowers..."

"Nishizumi-dono, don't appear so scared! You are THE Miho Nishizumi, show them that you're ready to lead us to victory!"

"Yukari-san, I'm dealing with so much responsibility-"

"Miporin, weren't you the Vice-Commander of Kuromorimine, a school that's, like, ten times bigger than our school?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Come on Miho-san, even if we lose we'll still have lessons to learn!"

"Yeah, then we'll become one of the best teams again!"

"Yukarin is right! Be optimistic, Miporin!"

"T-Thanks... everyone, I will."

"So, your first tournament, eh?"

"Yep, I have no intentions of disappointing you, Jouko-san!"

"Excellent! I hope our practices together have bore some fruit!"

"I'm confident it has, Jouko-san!"

In her second year, Jouko had acquired a new pupil. Her name was Linder, of Finnish-Japanese origin, and part of the new batch of students who had signed up for the Sensha-do team. Her first name was Yuri, although she preferred her last name to be spoken when referring to her. She possessed a talent for the accordion, and her hair was done in such a way it was twirling towards the front. From Jouko's knowledge, it was based off of a certain music band in Finland, but she couldn't remember which, though in fairness she didn't like pop and rock music too much.

A first-year, Linder was pretty naive and new to Sensha-do, and originally, she wasn't too interested upon first hearing of it. However, that all changed as she watched Jouko and her crew in action, fighting against opponents with unusual and highly effective tactics. Accurate both long and short range, Jouko's shots almost always hit, though being imperfect, she had her misses. Driving like a madman, Hannes had made it close to impossible to hit the Sturmi. Lofstrom's reloading was swift and efficient, and Frisell seemed to have a talent for coordination. Enamored, Linder wanted to be like them.

Eagerly, she had taken the opportunity to be taught by the legend herself, and was excited to death when Jouko let her know that she was willing to train her, and once Jouko had turned her back, she nearly fainted. Now, weeks of training later, and she was about to experience her first tournament. However, she hadn't reached perfection yet. She had only trained for a few weeks, and still had much to learn. Fortunately, with Jouko by her side, she knew that she would, too, be considered a Sensha-do legend. Only a few more months to go until she was remotely there, though.

"Well, we'd better get seated. The other students are waiting for us."

"Right!"

The day of the drawing ceremony was a day everyone at Continuation had been looking forward to. It was the start of a new tournament, and a new chance to get that goal of reaching the Semifinals. Many students became excited as they looked around, seeing all the famous schools and personalities that all those schools contained, just like Jouko had in her first time at the drawing ceremony. However, this time, her priorities were set elsewhere, to a specific girl who was a student of the newest-participating school, a student who had previously been a student at arguably the most prestigious institution that had a functioning Sensha-do program, but disgraced as a result of happenings a year ago.

After excusing herself with her intentions, Jouko began to wander the increasingly-packed stadium, in search for Miho Nishizumi of Ooarai. Navigating through aisles, seats, making her way past other students from other schools who gave her less-than-pleasant looks, and after several minutes of going through the rows, students, and other obstacles, she at last stumbled upon Ooarai's students, who responded to her presence with puzzled, then surprised expressions as she struggled to shuffle past them, tripping a few times. Several had recognized Jouko as an upcoming master of Sensha-do, and some could barely hold on to their excitement, wishing to get a word with Jouko, but she was long gone by the time they made an attempt.

Jouko didn't care about what they thought, she only needed to see one girl in particular. Gently shoving through the row of Ooarai students, Jouko's eyes focused on seeing that certain girl she wanted to speak to for over a year. Suddenly, she tripped over a girl, sleeping with her legs up, crashing with a thud onto the floor, defending her face from the impact with her hands. The girl's companions quickly rushed from their seats to help the unintended victim to stand up, apologizing profusely for this inconvenience while the perpetrator didn't seem to be affected by the incident, continuing her deep slumber. Jouko thanked her helpers, and stood up, only to find she had landed in front of Miho herself.

"J-Jouko-san?!"

"Miho?!"

"I-I..."

"Miporin, do you know her?!"

"N... NO WAY!"

Yukari's outburst further startled everyone, even waking up Mako, but only Miho and Jouko immediately understood what was going on.

"J-J-JOUKO-SAN! T-TH-THE CONTINUATION COMMANDER OF THE LEGENDARY STURMI!"

Yukari, rapidly running her hands through her fluffy hair in excitement, seemed ready to faint, being in the presence of two famous Sensha-do personalities. Hana and Saori helped Yukari sit down as she began to hyperventilate, the former rushing to get some cold water for her friend, while Mako drifted off back to sleep. Meanwhile, Jouko and Miho were engaged in an awkward staring contest, neither girl sure exactly how to continue the conversation. Some of Ooarai's other students gawked at Jouko's height, others examined her foreign features, others a mix of both. However, Saori, knowing the ceremony was due to start in a few minutes, wanted things to get over with before it got too awkward.

"Uhh... are you two gonna have this staring contest for the whole thing?!"

"Oh! Uh, right! Um... nice to meet you again, Miho!"

"Jouko-san, I... never thought we'd meet again!"

"And, um, I never expected you'd get back into Sensha-do!"

"About that, I was... forced in."

"Wait, what? Why?"

"They told me that if I refused I wouldn't be in Ooarai for long."

"They threatened you?!"

"Most likely, though there may be other motives."

"Well, I saw your fight against St. Gloriana, and it looks like you still have it in you!"

"Yeah, thanks."

"Anyways, um..."

"Yeah?"

"You're still hurt over that whole thing with last year?"

"Please... don't remind me of it again."

"Sorry. I just brought it up to tell you that..."

"YOU LOVE HER?! OOOOH-"

"SAORI! NO!"

"HANA-SAN, WHAT ARE YOU- MFFFUAHAF!"

"Come on, Saori-san, not that!"

Hana quickly put her hand over Saori's mouth, smiling to Jouko and Miho to allow them to continue, while Saori, fidgeting in her seat, tried to wrest the hands off her mouth, to little success.

"Miss, what books do you read?!"

"Sorry... Saori-san tends to get excited sometimes."

"NFWO HWI DHFONT!"

"Anyways, what I was going to say was, I wholeheartedly support your decision to save your teammates."

"Wh- Jouko-san!"

"Look. Know that you did the right thing, no matter what others may think."

"But, Erika-san-"

"I know. Soon, she'll understand. For now, just focus on your role as commander."

"I know that. I'll do my best as commander!"

"Love the enthusiasm."

It was here that Jouko began to whisper into Miho's ear, not wishing to let the others hear this next part of the conversation. Getting the memo, Miho lowered her own voice to a whisper as well.

"By the way, um, this may seem inappropriate but do you have a Bible?"

"A Bible? Well, yes, it's in my room at the carrier."

"How often do you read it?"

"Every day, if I'm able."

"Where'd you get it?"

"Originally, it belonged to Shimada-san, Okaa-san's rival. She then sent it to us because she didn't know what to do with it, but Okaa-san hated it and threw it in the trash. I picked it up, straightened out the creases, and read it. When it came to the Beatitudes, I felt a sense of joy, but after the Finals last year, I felt lied to, and when I saw it in my room at Kuromorimine I threw it on the floor out of disgust, I think I may have kicked it."

"M...Miho.."

"Jouko-san, I'm sorry if I-"

"No, no. It's fine, I'm just..."

"Was what I did wrong?"

"Very wrong. We Christians consider the Bible a holy book, going so far as to make sure that we don't place anything on top of it."

"Oh, no! A-are you mad?"

"Well, kinda. Sorry, but, I'm a bit devout."

"Sorry, sorry, sorry! I was too angry then!"

"I can understand a bit, but it's good you apologized."

"Well, moving on, after that, Onee-chan snuck the Bible into my suitcase just before I left for Ooarai. I read the note she left me, and decided to try again, to give it a second chance. I fixed all the damage I caused, and reading it, the blessings are starting to come, now."

"Good to hear, I can see it too. How you almost defeated St. Gloriana really says a lot."

"I-Is there anything you need to tell me?"

"Well, this is what my Sunday school teacher always told me:

'When you believe the Bible, not everything works out instantly. Sometimes it'll take years or even decades for everything to straighten out. But, keep your faith in it and you'll find your life getting better each day, week, month, and year.'

Never forget that, will you?"

"I won't Jouko-san! I won't!"

"Alright. Just keep believing in the Word, read it every day. If you have any questions, feel free to hit me up."

"Should we exchange phone numbers, so we can talk?"

"Of course! It's always best to keep in touch."

"Alright, I'll write mine down here..."

After both girls exchanged phone numbers, writing theirs down on their respective pieces of paper to keep, the conversation drew to a close as an announcement rang out in the stadium, announcing that the ceremony was to begin in 10 minutes and that everyone should finish up with finding their seats before the formalities would begin. The stadium was filling up more and more, meaning Jouko would have to get going before she spent too much time navigating her way through the packed seats.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Miho. I'd better get going, the show starts pretty soon."

"I'll see you later, Jouko-san! I hope we get to fight again!"

"Yeah... I do, too."

With all said and done, both girls separated. Jouko rushed to return back to her team in time for the beginning of the ceremony, while Miho sat back down, moved by the conversation with what was likely her new friend. With Jouko gone, Saori, who hadn't heard what Jouko meant to say over struggling to get Hana's hands off her mouth, finally let herself free as Hana put her hands back, letting out a large glob of saliva in the process.

"Bluaegh! FREEDOM!"

"Eugh! You're cleaning that up..."

"Saori-san... you got some on me, too..."

Miho didn't mind, taking in the words Jouko had told her. Her thoughts were interrupted as the sound of drums began to roll, heralding the beginning of the ceremony.

"Jouko-san, what was that all about?"

"Just talking to a new friend."

"Oh, I hope she's okay."

"She's really good, I'm excited to talk with her some more soon."

"That's good."

Ami looked at her wristwatch, counting the seconds before the start of the ceremony. As the hand drew closer to 12, she signaled to the drum corps of the All-Stars team to prepare, raising her right hand to ready them to play. The moment the clock struck noon, she lowered her hand, and allowed the drum corps to take it from there as she walked onto the stage and the stadium's chatter ceased, replaced with silence to allow Ami to speak. As the drums ceased, Ami, in her usual booming voice, spoke into the mic, the sound reverberating throughout the whole stadium.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Thank you very much for your attendance! Without further ado, let's begin the drawing ceremony as we place half of the schools onto the bracket!"

The stadium watched with anticipation as the left box of each bracket was filled with the names of the participant schools.

For the first bracket, Viking Marine High School.
For the second bracket, Pravda High School.
The third bracket, Maginot Girls' Academy.
The fourth, Saunders University High School.
The fifth, BC Freedom Academy.
Sixth, Yogurt Academy.
Seventh, Kuromorimine Girls' Academy.
Eighth, Blue Division High School.

"Now, we shall commence with the draws! First, I call on Anzio Girls' Academy, represented by its commander Anchovy!"

Anchovy confidently strode onto the rostrum, dug her hand into the raffle box, and pulled out a slip of paper. Gazing at it, she had pulled number 6.

"Anzio Girls' Academy draws number 6!"

Anzio's name appeared next to Maginot on the screen, meaning it would be Anzio vs. Maginot in the first round.

The ceremony continued on. Koala Forest drew against Viking, Bonple drew against Pravda, and the one that got several sections of the stadium chatting, laughing, or a mix of both, Ooarai drew against Saunders, the richest school, and the complete opposite of what they wanted. Nevertheless, that was the rules of matchmaking, and they had to fight it out. St. Gloriana drew against BC Freedom, Waffle Academy drew against Yogurt, Chihatan Academy drew against Kuromorimine, and last but not least, Continuation drew against Blue Division High School, notorious for their revealing uniforms, but otherwise a school with a decent arsenal yet not-so-great track record. If everything went well, Continuation would win easily. And with that, the tournament had begun.

Looking on as Miho drew against Saunders, Jouko could see just how fast the life drained from her, turning into an effective ghost. She was frozen in fear, all eyes in the stadium were on her, each of them knowing that Ooarai was truly screwed for their first match. From Saunders, she could hear celebrations erupting, knowing this apparent fact. Some Continuation students also didn't hold out much hope for Ooarai either, and Jouko's mind began to start thinking about how the tournament may progress for Ooarai.

Saunders was the richest school that had a Sensha-do program, probably one of the top ten richest schools in all of Japan. They had been defeated before, but never by a minor school, Continuation nearly being an exception to that. And the thing was, the fact that Continuation came close to beating Saunders came from the fact that they had an ace on their team. Ooarai had similar circumstances, so why shouldn't Ooarai win this match either?

The difference was that Continuation had experience, years of it, uninterrupted. Ooarai, on the other hand, had just restarted its Sensha-do team for whatever reason with a completely new roster of absolute beginners. How could they hope to get a victory against a school that not only could field an entire army at their bidding, but also boasted a deadly sniper who almost never missed any of her shots? Not to mention the cheating allegations, how would they cope with that if they were true?

When they had fought St. Gloriana the numbers had been equal, but here, Ooarai was facing odds of 2-1 due to the rules stating a maximum of 10 tanks for the first rounds, and it would only be more uphill from there as the Semifinals gave a capacity of 15, and the Finals 20. If, by some miracle, Ooarai was able to move past Saunders, they still had the second round, which they would more likely win given the weaker schools in the third bracket, and finally the Semifinals then Finals, where they would be outnumbered. How could they hope to win with lesser numbers and experience?

Jouko couldn't really figure it out. Sure, Miho was a daughter of Shiho herself, but with the circumstances she had, she would have to be the luckiest girl in history to win the whole thing, have her enemies make a major screwup that could give them a victory, or get a good shot on an enemy flag tank. Saunders, there was a chance that they'd screw up. Anzio or Maginot, likely Ooarai would win. Pravda? They had a dead shot of their own, who also commanded a tank with a 122mm cannon, and they were also the champions of the last tournament, though their commander was prone to overconfidence, which could be used against her. Finally, Kuromorimine, there was little chance. They had superb armor, and their commander was the Heiress herself. They were champions for 9 years straight, and for an upstart school like Ooarai to beat them was a fever dream.

Continuation had gotten it better. Mika had drawn number 16, pitting them against Blue Division High School. Blue Division was on par with Continuation, but with the latter's status of having a certain crew of Jouko, Lofstrom, Hannes, and Frisell on their team, victory was certain to come. After that, however, knowing how Chihatan was always charging in during their matches, everyone was expecting Kuromorimine to absolutely annihilate the entire team, meaning that for the Quarterfinals, it would be Continuation against Kuromorimine, a second attempt at defeating their rival. Some were optimistic about the potential match, seeing that Miho was gone, thinking it would be easier to defeat them. Others were less optimistic, knowing the possibility that Kuromorimine had learned from the practice match, and would give a tougher fight this time.

While Continuation's students thought about the course of the tournament, all Jouko could think about was Miho. Not romantically, but religiously. Unbeknownst to her parents all those years ago and now, she had overheard their conversation about sending her here, to Japan. She had heard her father say something about her being a possible missionary. Now, here she was, teaching Miho, who had just been exposed to the Bible, about the Bible. If Jouko was going to commit herself to missionary work, her efforts may as well butterfly effect to change the foundations of Sensha-do forever.

"What's she doing with the traitor..."

"What business does Jouko have with that outcast, I do wonder."

"Oh, stop it. She saved my life!"

"At the cost of a tenth consecutive win."

"Quiet, all of you. I'm thinking here."

"Sorry, Commander!" was the snappy response from the three conversers, prompting Maho to return to her deep thoughts.

Seeing the exchange between both commanders, Maho noticed how the two seemed to exchange something, writing stuff down, and moving to a whisper at one point during the conversation. She tried to piece together what the conversation could have been about, thinking of the past exchanges, the possibilities, and what else, but dozens of remotely possible conclusions, the definitive being almost impossible to single out, met her during this little investigation. Just what the two could've talked about was next to impossible to define, let alone get an accurate idea of. Only the two of them, or maybe also those close to them, could know with at least a degree of accuracy what that talk was about. Several questions began flooding into Maho's mind.

Was it about the future tournament? It wouldn't be too surprising. Was it about their backgrounds, a short conversation about where they came from, what they did, what they went through, their experiences, the tactics and strategies both employed in Sensha-do? It was reasonable, as topics like that were completely possible in any conversation with a person you mostly know nothing about, only depending if they wanted to go there or not. There was, however, a conclusion that really shone out from the rest. It was whether they were discussing religion. Maho knew that Miho had been reading the Bible again, and having learned Jouko was from Finland, a country that had a majority of its population as Christian, it was likely the two had been talking religion. This conclusion Maho seemed to dwell on.

If Jouko's a Christian, and Miho's been reading the Bible, does that mean... she's going to convert soon?

If Jouko was trying to encourage Miho here, then this would cause problems not just for the family, but likely all of Sensha-do. A high-profile icon like Miho converting to Christianity could spurn many others in the sport to do so as well, and seeing how the sport was founded on traditionalist beliefs, which included ancestral worship, a practice forbidden by Christians, then there could be a rift in beliefs, and Sensha-do would never be the same ever again, probably never exist due to the Christians' beliefs in pacifism and nonviolence, well, at least on paper, as it seemed many Christians around the world still went to war, fighting and killing others or each other. If Jouko was one of the few pacifists, however, that would be a problem, seeing as Sensha-do was already being criticized by some parties as a sport promoting militarism.

On the other hand, Jouko did participate. Did she like it, or did she not? Yes, it was a bit of mock warfare, or a war game, but it wasn't necessarily war. Nobody died in the sport, until last year, that is, and though there were some injuries, they were all limited to bruises or minor cuts, no big wounds or life-threatening injuries. Should Jouko be okay with the fighting part, then there wasn't much to worry about in terms of the sport getting shut down due to internal strife regarding war. Yet there was still that distinct possibility-

"Chihatan Academy draws number fourteen! They will fight against Kuromorimine Girls' Academy for the first round!"

A flurry of giggles erupted throughout Kuromorimine. This would be a massacre, knowing that the only tactics Chihatan knew in their entire repertoire was charging, charging, and more charging. So much charging that the word "retreat" wasn't even in their vocabulary. If you were actually sure Chihatan could knock out any tank that Kuromorimine would field, you could admit yourself into a mental asylum. The prospect was nothing but a fever dream. However, Maho couldn't tolerate any form of negativity towards any opponent, as sportsmanship was an integral part of Sensha-do. Raising her voice to loud levels, she bellowed out for silence, attracting the attention of those within a 100-yard radius.

"Those who are giggling, be quiet this very instant! I will not hesitate to revoke your Sensha-do permits and evict you from the school should you continue!"

That was more than enough to silence them all.

As the giggling stopped, Maho, her day further ruined thanks to some inconsiderate students, sat back down, intending to return to her previous thoughts, but seeing how transfixed Maho was to the place where Miho and Jouko had been talking, Erika tried to divert her commander's attention, having some concerns about why exactly Maho was so interested in Ooarai.

"Commander, are you still thinking-"

"Quiet, Vice-Commander Itsumi."

"But, Commander-"

"Do not test me."

Erika shut her mouth, not willing to undergo a repeat of the days after the tournament, looking on silently as the drawing ceremony finished and the Federation March began to play, signaling the end of the ceremony before the stadium began to empty, the 63rd National High School Sensha-do Tournament now having officially begun. She was starting to grow more suspicious, as Maho hadn't really stated any objections to Miho's departure. Nevertheless, she still had faith and loyalty, and dissuaded those thoughts as nothing more than an attempt to ruin herself.

Shimada Residence

For the past week and a half, mother and daughter had read together the words of the Bible, fascinated, and in Chiyo's case, surprised at the bold statements that it contained, contradicting her beliefs. Where Alice loved the action, though expressing disturbance at some chapters, Chiyo was intrigued at the theological aspects and the religion, comparing it to her own Buddhist and Shinto beliefs. Where Buddhism had many different gods and goddesses, in the Bible, it stated that there was only one God. Where each aspect of life on earth, the ground, weather, sun, moon, stars, had its own respective god according to Buddhism, in the Bible, the one God in it was the sole Creator and Orderer of all existence.

The stories of the miracles, of the fall of mankind, the Deluge, the restoration of mankind and its quick downfall, the division of languages and nations after mankind's attempt to build a tower to heaven itself, the rise of Israel through the judges such as Othniel, Deborah, Gideon, Samson, and lastly Samuel, the establishment of the Kingdom of Israel, the rise of David and the death of Saul, Solomon's glory and the division of the kingdom following his death, where the Kingdom of Israel turned to idolatry, never having any faithful kings, while its southern counterpart Judah was more faithful, though it was mixed as it switched back and forth between good and evil, the fall of both kingdoms and the ministries of the prophets.

By the time the drawing ceremony had come about, they were almost finished with the Old Testament, settled in the book of Habbakkuk. Throughout, while Chiyo had been slower and resistant to really receive it as truth due to its contradictory tone to her own beliefs, Alice showed signs of greater interest, spending much of her free time reading as much of the Bible as she could, greatly interested in its contents. Chiyo did notice this, but out of her immense love for her daughter, she allowed her to do what she wanted. After all, the last thing she wanted to see was her sad, as if she were sad, she, too, would be sad. However, her conscience was left unclear as a result, leaving her conflicted inside. Was it good to resist the Bible, or was it good to accept this book as truth?

Resistance would be honoring her ancestors and preserving the integrity of the House of Shimada, as the ancestors would surely be displeased with not only the Bible, a contradictory book that went against the values of the family, but the prospect of mother and daughter accepting its values, and rejecting the family values. If Chiyo wanted her own ancestral shrine, she would have to reject the Bible. But on the other hand, there was acceptance, and accepting the Bible as truth. While Chiyo didn't agree with much of what it had stated, her love for Alice was also a major factor in pushing to join her daughter in solidarity. As much as Chiyo loved and revered the House of Shimada, she couldn't afford to see her daughter sad, as she saw it a failure in maintaining a healthy upbringing.

Chiyo struggled to decide between reverence for the ancestors or her absolute love for Alice. It was a hard decision, harder than any decision she had to make during a Sensha-do match, or even any decision she had to make beforehand. She began to seriously question whether or not it had been a good idea to buy another Bible, considering if she should just dispose of it like as she had done with the previous one given by her cousin, or keep it and let time decide. As much as she didn't want a rift to happen within her family, she couldn't allow her daughter to suffer any form of hurt. If she allowed Alice to accept but she decided to reject, chances were that Alice would consider it a betrayal. While Chiyo was willing to take risks on the battlefield, she didn't want to take any when it came to family.

Suddenly, a knock on the door completely whisked away Chiyo's thoughts, replacing them with warmth at the sight of her beloved daughter.

"Okaa-san! I've finished the Old Testament!"

"My, my, you are a fast reader, Alice!"

"Can we start the New Testament now, Okaa-san? Pleeeeaaaseee?"

"Aww, Alice, you don't have to tease me so!"

"Yay!"

Rushing to her mother, Alice landed right in front of her and settled next to her as Chiyo began to read the Book of Matthew. While her voice contained her usual tone of confidence, inside, her inner warfare was returning. With Alice by her side, the pro-acceptance thoughts were gaining the upper hand, but alone, the pro-resistance thoughts would start to overpower. Chiyo would be firm, but sooner or later she would have no choice but to choose. There was no middle ground. It was either her or her daughter, nothing else. Whatever choice she made would have everlasting and far-reaching consequences, and once the decision was made, there wouldn't be any other chance to turn back. Her decision would be sealed, forever.

As Alice bid goodnight, having finished the reading, and departed to her room to get a good night's sleep, Chiyo returned to her own room to get ready for bed herself. Sitting on her bed, as soon as the footsteps had faded away and the slight sound of a door was heard being opened, then closed, all of the stresses of that inner battle came crashing down again on Chiyo, who, despite her apparent invincibility to display any kind of emotion outside of absolute calm, hardened her face, and shed a single tear, the first tears since her infancy, as she sat alone, in her bedroom, head placed in hands, feeling utterly dejected, the only sound outside of her breathing being the occasional gusts of wind from the open window.

Leclerc Tank Cafe

"...I didn't think you'd still be doing Sensha-do."

"If I may say something, I don't think Miho-san's decision was incorrect in that match."

"I think someone has to mind their own business."

An easily intimidated Yukari couldn't help but retreat in shame.

"I'm sorry..."

"That's enough, Itsumi."

Maho bore witness to the entire exchange, and a snappy order to Erika quickly shut her up. With a sudden jerk, Maho reached for Miho, grabbed her, and dragged her away from her friends as Erika tried to block them from coming close.

"Whoah! ONEE-CHAN, WHAT ARE YOU!"

"HEY! WHERE ARE YOU TAKING NISHIZUMI-DONO!"

"Come back! Leave our friend alone!"

"MIPORIN! FIGHT HER! WE'LL TRY TO SAVE YOU!"

"Stay back, don't make me get physical with you..."

Going outside, towards an alleyway, hidden from the sight of everyone, Maho ceased her harsh treatment of her sister, and locking eyes with her, locked her arms around Miho in a tight embrace, catching Miho off-guard.

"Come on, Miho, don't leave me as the only one."

Miho reluctantly did the same, her grip tightening as she felt the warmness of her sister course through her body. It had been a while since their last embrace, and Miho didn't expect to meet her sister again so soon, but her confusion was replaced with elation as she warmed to her sister for the first time in months.

"Onee-chan, I thought..."

"I should agree with Erika for that last part, I never thought I'd see you do Sensha-do again."

"I... I had no choice, Okaa-san, I-"

"I don't care, I'm glad we've met again! I've missed you so much already!"

"I can say the same... oh, Onee-chan, it's been too long!"

"I know... I can keep this up forever."

"But... is Okaa-san still mad at me?"

"Of course, with her it's rare to let things go. But the important part is we're together again."

"Onee-chan..."

The two sisters resumed their embrace, before Maho parted them together to ask a question.

"So, how's the Bible reading going?"

"Oh! Um... about that..."

"I noticed you talking with Jouko-san at the stadium, too. Knowing where she's from, she probably told you a few more things about the Bible."

"She did, and we exchanged contacts. We've been talking over the past few days, she has really helped me!"

"Are you feeling any better now?"

"Yes, Onee-chan, but not too much, I'm still trying to figure things out. But, I think I should say this right now..."

"You're welcome."

The sudden response caught Miho by surprise, but knowing her sister's usual sense of humor, she couldn't help but manage a short giggle, a contagion that spread to her sister, who also managed one as well.

"I'm good to see you're feeling better than before. I might try out that Bible soon... if Okaa-san lets me."

"I know she won't, but if you try to get one, please don't let her see. I don't want you to suffer like I did as well."

"I mean, hey, anything to be with you."

Exchanging smiles, the two embraced once again, but this time, it was different. While she held her sister tightly, Miho felt a warm, wet feeling on her left shoulder, where Maho's head was buried against. It was a single tear, then another, and another. This was enough to open Miho's own floodgates as well, and both began to shed tears on each other's shoulders. Miho began to break into sobs as Maho rubbed her back to comfort her, smiling out of happiness for this special moment. For a minute this continued, neither sister willing to let each other go, feeling as if they could go on for hours when a voice suddenly rang out that broke the harmony.

"C-Commander Nishizumi?!"

"NISHIZUMI-DONO?!"

"MIPORIN!"

"Ermmm?"

The heartfelt moment was shattered as Erika and the others arrived at the scene to find their commanders locked in an embrace, replaced with a very awkward scene to display. Thinking on her feet, Maho quickly whispered an order to her sister to remove any suspicions.

"I'll start throwing punches, dodge as much as you can. Just like practice."

Miho, knowing what this meant and knowing how to act, followed according to plan, dodging and weaving this way and that as soon as the fists started coming, avoiding as much of Maho's subsequent attacks as possible while also not throwing a single punch of her own, putting all of her fighting training to good use. Seeing this, Miho's friends, not wishing to see their new friend end up in the hospital just before such an important match, decided to act fast before anyone got harmed. Forcing their way through Erika, who ran to help stop the fighting, they rushed into the alleyway, grabbed Miho, and after berating Maho and Erika for a bit, rushed back into the tank cafe, safeguarding Miho as they went.

"DON'T COME CLOSE TO OUR FRIEND AGAIN!"

"YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!"

"I EXPECTED BETTER FROM MAHO-DONO!"

As Miho was dragged off, she looked back, seeing Maho flashing a wink and a subtle smile, indicating that she knew that Miho had done a good job in their little stunt, though there were some repercussions to come in future encounters with her friends. Returning the favor with a gentle nod of her own, looking on as her sister walked away with Erika, she walked back inside with her friends, who had been exhausted trying to deal with Erika in order to reach their friend. Meanwhile, Maho dusted herself off and walked back to the helicopter with Erika, strictly instructing her to keep what she had seen in absolute secrecy. Seated back in their old seats, Anglerfish Team began to talk with Miho on what on earth had just happened.

"Miporin, what was that all about!"

"We're lucky we came just in time, she could've hurt you!"

"Thank goodness you are unhurt, Nishizumi-dono! We need you for the Saunders match!"

"I'm fine, Onee-chan showed she still can fight."

"What happened, though?"

"It's... best we don't talk about it."

"Are you sure, Miporin? You got into a fight!"

"With your sister, nonetheless!"

"I don't want to talk about it, I'm sorry. Let's all keep it a secret, please."

"I think we should respect Miho-san's privacy on the matter."

"Isuzu-dono is right! Let's focus on Saunders, they're much more important!"

"And don't worry, Miporin! We'll keep it between ourselves!"

With that, the five friends continued to consume their meals, unaware of the joyful sisterly reunion they had just barely missed out on.

Koume's room, Kuromorimine

"Koume?"

"Yes... Kojima-san?"

"You're still recovering, aren't you?"

"It's been so long, Emi-san, I still remember the water, I still remember the cold, I still remember the... faces..."

Koume put her head in her hands and began to break down into sobs again, leaving a sullen Emi to sit next to her comrade and comfort her. She couldn't bear to look at her face, she hated seeing people, especially as warm and kind as Koume, sad. To her, she seemed like a second Miho when it came to personality. Warm, affectionate, lively, totally unlike those like Erika or Maho. But to see her in this state, Emi couldn't bear to glance at her face, no matter how much her curiosity was egging her on. She was only forced to listen as Koume kept sobbing, and sobbing, and sobbing, just like she had been ever since the match against Pravda. No doubt that had given her a lasting trauma, as people had literally died from it. And with this in mind, Emi still had a question to ask of Koume, one that she had hesitated to ask given Koume's situation, but now could no longer restrain herself from asking it.

"Koume-san... why are you still doing Sensha-do? Don't you... want to quit after what happened?"

Koume could only lift her head enough for her eyes to see above her arms, speaking in a broken voice, often pausing as she let out a sob every few seconds.

"B-Because... I feel like I have a- a duty he-here... and I-I can't leave b-b-because Mah-Maho-s-s-san will get mad..."

"Are you sure, Koume-san? Isn't there more?"

"N...no-no..."

Loyalty and fear of Maho was the only answer Emi could hope to receive from Koume. She didn't want to press Koume in her current situation, as that would only harm her further, and that was something Emi didn't want to do. But she also knew that there was much more to Koume's present suffering than Koume herself had said, and it made her all the more angry at the Nishizumi family, considering Shiho and Maho, and that diehard loyalist Erika the reasons why Miho left Kuromorimine and made the school a less lively place than it had been a year before. She didn't know why Koume didn't leave together with Miho, she had every right to do so, and Emi was very much willing to support any decision that could help Koume out. But no, Kuromorimine was a school built on the Nishizumi family, and while Koume had the right to leave, Shiho had equal rights to veto that and force her to stay. Miho might've been given some special privileges, being a family member, but Koume? No, that wasn't happening.

Realizing how much was against her and Koume, Emi angrily banged her fist against the wall behind her, surprising Koume, and began yelling angrily at the injustices that were being served in Kuromorimine.

"WHY ARE WE LIKE THIS?! WHY IS THIS SCHOOL SO STRICT ON EVERYTHING?! WHY ARE WE CARELESS AND HEARTLESS?!"

"Emi-san... don't y-yell! Please, you'll-"

"I DON'T CARE ANYMORE, KOUME, THIS IS TOO MUCH! THIS SCHOOL IS TOO MUCH, THOSE NISHIZUMIS ARE TOO MUCH, EVERYTHING IS TOO MUCH!"

"Emi-san, ca-calm down! You'll~"

The door to Koume's room suddenly opened, revealing a familiar brown-haired girl waiting behind it with a silver-haired acquaintance to her side. Emi immediately ceased her rant and got to her feet, standing at rigid attention, immediately being joined by Koume, whose face was still covered with tears. Maho gently motioned for the two to stand at ease and relax before uttering something to Erika, after which she entered the room alone as Erika moved past and away from the room, appearing very concerned, with a face bearing a "t'was nice knowing you" expression. Emi was shivering in fear as Maho sat next to her and Koume, her face bearing its usual stern coldness, and looking quite upset. Emi was fully expecting a verbal smackdown, to be hit with the most severe punishments she could imagine for letting her mouth run so much, but instead, she was greeted with a surprise. Instead of the angry, harsh tone she was expecting from Maho, her commander's voice was... gentle, and very soft for once.

"Emi... don't worry, I understand."

"W...what?"

"Keep your voices low, I'm sure Erika-san may be listening."

"Okay, okay."

"I just returned from seeing my sister again, and I've been reminded of what I've lost. I can agree with you, Okaa-san is getting a bit too much."

"Nishizumi-san, of all people this is the last person I'd expect saying something like that-"

"Again, keep quiet. Erika may be behind that door."

"Sorry, sorry."

"Continuing, Emi, Koume, I can feel you... just... don't leave, for my sake and for the rest of the team's sake. I'm not saying this out of selfishness, I just... want to help you as best I can. I miss Miho as much as you do, every day I keep thinking of her and it makes me sad each day. Koume, you especially, you're the closest to Miho out of anyone here, every time I come in contact with you, it reminds me of the fun times I've had with Miho and it gives me a smile. Just... don't quit, for my sake and for everyone's sake. I want you to keep going, as the Nishizumi Creed goes, to keep advancing in perfect order."

Maho smiled as Koume began to cry once again, this time touched by these kind words from her commander. Emi was also surprised, never having seen something like this from Maho before. She was usually cold, uncaring, frost-hearted, but here, she was just like Miho was, more kind, open, warm, friendly, it was enough to make one question their reality. Maho, meanwhile, had stood up, and turned to leave, but stopped just before reaching the door, walking back to the duo who were still watching her, for she had one last thing to tell them before she left, reverting back to her usual stern, cold voice as she did so.

"Now, don't tell anyone about this. Keep this between us, I don't want to cause trouble in Kuromorimine. Should I find out that this has been leaked, expect to be among the first on my list of suspicions. Understood?"

"Yes, Commander!"

With that, Maho flashed a wink and a smile, and left the room, leaving a surprised, but uplifted and more happy Emi and Koume in her wake.

Continuation vs. Blue Division

The burst from the Bofors gun signaled the start of the match, and both sides rumbled towards each other. Mika's plan was for their forces to engage in hit-and run, to get close, fire, and pull back, and try not to get knocked out as you repeated the process. The map was a scorching hot desert, meaning everyone was going to be sweaty. The formalities had been awkward as Jouko tried not to look at Blue Division's revealing uniforms, wishing to preserve her innocence as she shook hands and bowed. Now, with the match starting, the scorching heat was turning every tank on the battlefield into an effective oven as the metals of the tanks absorbed the heat of the sun, and warmed up the interiors of the tanks. While Blue Division was used to it, so used to it, in fact, that they had that cringe-inducing uniform of theirs, Continuation, always used to cold temperatures, was sweating buckets.

"Who agreed to this?!"

"I'm going to have heatstroke..."

"Frisell... don't tell me we're the only ones suffering..."

"It looks like we aren't the only ones-everyone else is too!"

"In that case, just keep going."

"But Jouk, we're-"

"We'll take out the flag tank and be outta here! I'm as sweaty as you all are!"

"Alright, alright, no need to get heated! Heh, get it, heated?"

"Oh, shut up, Hannes..."

The Sturmi was leading the charge, zooming with all possible speed towards the enemy flag tank, a Panzer IV. Doing away with the plan, Jouko elected instead to just end the match as fast as possible to not allow another second of staying inside the increasingly hot oven. Seeing a sand dune up ahead, she ordered Hannes to hit up full throttle and give the Sturmi some air, intending to perform a mid-air shot to take out the enemy Panzer IV. Without hesitation, now energized and filled with adrenaline, Hannes eagerly obeyed, and slammed the accelerator with all her might.

"WOOOOOOOOO! HERE WE GO, BABY!"

The Sturmi drove up the dune with such force it sailed high into the air. Jouko prepared for her shot as Lofstrom made sure the shell was in, and waited, eyes looking down the scope, only to find, as the sky turned to ground, sand, sand, and more sand.

"Hannes, where are the tanks?"

"HUH?"

"WHERE'S THE ENEMY TANKS?!"

"You overshot, didn't you..."

"Mika's going to kill us..."

"Urgh! Turn us around, we can still deal damage!"

"On it!"

Once the Sturmi made contact with the ground, Hannes turned the steering levers, drifting around to face the enemy before resuming full throttle and preparing to maneuver through the clump as much as possible, intending to repeat their first tournament match against Koala Forest. Meanwhile, Continuation had arrived, surrounding Blue Division while also engaging in hit-and-run ttacks, using the irregular pattern of the dunes to their advantage. An enemy tank had gone down, and Blue Division was distracted. It was a perfect opportunity. The flag tank was open, ripe for a shot to the engine. The Sturmi was closing in fast on the enemy Panzer IV with its rapid speeds, and Jouko had it right on her gunner's sights.

With a gentle tug, Jouko shot the 75mm shell towards the Panzer IV at hundreds of miles an hour, and this time, there was no tank to block her shot. With a loud bang, the shell hit the Panzer IV's engine, a large explosion filling the visors of the Sturmi before it zoomed past and maneuvered through the mass of Blue Division tanks, slowing as it reached Continuation's lines while the battle ground to a sudden halt, the combat not having even lasted 10 minutes, barely passing 5. The announcer bore a hint of shock in her voice as she delivered the announcement.

"Blue Division's flag tank has been eliminated! Continuation High School is victorious!"

"THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"

"Yeah, yeah, now can we get outta here?"

"Yes, please, I'm about to faint..."

"Alright, let's get outta here, hopefully we have a water station nearby."

"Uhh, are we gonna walk there, or..."

"I think we should use the tank again..."

"FRISELL!"

Continuation school carrier

"Kuromorimine again?"

"On deserts... again..."

"I think they hate us."

"I'll be okay with this match, but next time, tell the Federation that if we're fighting in those conditions again they might as well buy some aircons for our tanks!"

"Stop complaining, Hannes, just deal with it."

"Yeah, like you were complaining as well..."

"Oh, quiet all of you! At least I didn't get heatstroke!"

"Sure, Frisell, though I hope you get walking pneumonia by tomorrow..."

"WHAT WAS THAT?!"

"Nothing!"

"LOFSTROM, YOU... YOU'D BETTER CONDUCT YOURSELF WELL!"

"I mean, we aren't as half bad as a bunch of the other schools are rumored to be."

"Hannes, don't even dare think about going that far."

"Sorry, Jouk..."

"Anyways, I'll be in my room, I need a nap."

"Well, happy dreams, I'll be at my room as well."

"Same with me."

"And I."

"Alright, I'll see you all later."

As the four friends split up, Jouko, still drenched with sweat, returned to her room, which was cold from the air conditioner that had been accidentally left on by Jouko before the match. Due to the fact her mind was too worn out and also being too physically exhausted to grab the remote and adjust the air conditioner to the proper temperature, Jouko simply flung herself on the bed, and went to sleep within minutes, leaving the aircon on the same cold temperature. Her friends had also had the same experiences, taking a nap, utterly drenched, while leaving their respective aircons on cold temperatures. So exhausted were they in fact, that they all slept well into the night, allowing the sicknesses to manifest and expand themselves inside their bodies.

"Mika-chan, where's the Sturmi crew?"

"Not all things can be predicted, not even the wind can forsee its future course."

"Come on, speak normally!"

"I do not know."

"It's practice time, and they still haven't shown up since yesterday!"

"Perhaps exhaustion, we did get very tired from yesterday's match."

"Aki, mind if you would... uhh..."

"No! I wouldn't disrespect anyone's privacy!"

"Well, how else are we supposed to know what happened to them?"

"You're right... I'll go check."

"Regardless, the wind shall continue its course."

As the sound of tanks firing soon commenced, Aki rushed to the dorm rooms of the Sturmi crew, bearing the keys that had been given her by the receptionist. First, she opened Jouko's door, and after some difficulty figuring out the lock, opened it, and was greeted with a rush of cold air. As she shielded her face, she was shocked at what she found. Jouko was on the bed, struggling to eat some food left by someone, coughing her lungs out. And hard did she cough. It seemed as if something large had gotten stuck in her throat, and she was struggling to get it out. Seeing Jouko point to the aircon, Aki understood what she meant, and grabbing the remote, turned the aircon off. The feeling of rushing air ceased, replaced with stillness.

"The tack! others... tack!-tack! turn theirs off- tack! as- tack! well... tack-tack!"

Nodding, Aki ran to the rest of the Sturmi crews' dorm rooms, opening the doors and turning off their respective aircons as the halls were filled with the sounds of the Sturmi crew hacking and coughing, the doors left open to allow the cold air to come out. Returning the keys, Aki ran to inform her commander of what had happened. Hearing this, Mika's blood seemed to freeze. Seeing their commander pause, the other tanks paused as well, wondering what had happened that had caused Mika to suddenly stop in her tracks.

"What do you mean, Aki?"

"They were all coughing! And their aircons were all at cold temperatures when I found out!"

"Oh..."

"Yep, they got walking pneumonia."

"Does that mean..."

"Yep. They're invalids for the rest of the tournament."

"The winds have turned against the sails, it seems."

Seeing her commander's demeanor seem to change, Linder rode towards the BT-42 and tried to encourage Mika, somewhat frustrated that the practice had paused so suddenly.

"Commander, don't look so down! We're still here!"

"It's not that, Linder-san..."

"Jouko and her crew got sick."

"Wha-"

Linder was dumbstruck. Her heroes, her mentor, the people who had first gotten her into Sensha-do, had fallen ill? Thanks to the fact they forgot to dry themselves before entering a cold room? Granted, they were exhausted beyond words, but they were the best crew in Continuation! Why would they allow this to happen to them so easily? Mikko, seeing Linder's shock, answered the question she thought was in her mind.

"Don't worry, they'll be fine. A couple weeks and they'll be as good as new!"

"B-but... they're... them..."

"Not all humans are perfect, Linder. Keep that in mind."

As Mika signaled for the practice to resume, a deep sense of dread filled Linder's mind. It was a heavy blow to Continuation that this could happen, and she was afraid that the match against Kuromorimine, a match that was winnable with the Sturmi crew on their team, would garner the same result it had been for decades: defeat, and not just that, yet another chance to reach the Semifinals. Why was fate against them? Was Jouko too powerful or something? Or, was it maybe hinting that soon, Linder would be the one to carry the torch? While it was an exciting prospect, the prospect of not fighting with her heroes made Linder somewhat disappointed. But knowing that a good performance meant a compliment from her heroes, then she was willing to make the best contribution she could.

She would put all of her effort into giving her best performance, putting all she had learned from Jouko to the best use possible, fulfilling as much potential she had as she could. If Linder couldn't bring victory, at least she would make her role in the battle count. She wouldn't allow any room for error. It was a battle that would truly test her capabilities as her hero's successor.

It was here that Linder received a letter from Aki. It was from Jouko.

Hey, Linder, I'll make this quick.

Basically, you can command my tank against Kuromorimine. Go crazy, deal lots of damage, make us proud.

Best wishes, Jouko

Linder, this time, couldn't help but faint.

Nishizumi Residence - Nighttime

"This just in for Panzerfahren, Jouko of Continuation High School, as well as her fellow crew, Lofstrom, Hannes, and Frisell, renowned tank crew of the Sturmi, have sadly been reported as sick, the cause of it being walking pneumonia. According to interviews we have managed to gather from shocked Continuation students, the story we have so far is that following the school's match with Blue Division, the crew were so thoroughly exhausted that they forgot to turn off their respective air conditioners before taking their nap, while they were still drenched in sweat. As a result, the next day, much coughing was heard from their rooms, and all four were unable to leave their beds. Continuation High School is currently providing them with antibiotics, and-"

The television was switched off as Shiho turned to Maho, who inclined her ear to listen to what her mother had to tell her now.

"Maho."

"Yes, Okaa-san."

"With this potential setback to our plan of regaining that winstreak gone, I want you to crush Continuation in your match against them. Without their little ace crew to help them, I am sure this will be nothing but a pushover."

"I assure you it will be one, Okaa-san."

"Good, now get some sleep, rest is integral to our success. I congratulate you on your convincing victory over Chihatan yesterday."

"They were idiots, Okaa-san, all they know is charging, charging, nothing but charging."

"That we already know. Now, tomorrow, more practice than usual. I don't want any room for error during the match."

"Understood, Okaa-san."

"And about Ooarai... I must say I am both surprised, and deeply worried."

"I understand, Okaa-san. I... will ensure Miho will not grab our title this year."

"See to it that it is so. Soon, I may disown her for being a failure to this family."

Maho could only manage a simple nod to her mother at this.

"Goodnight, Maho."

"Goodnight."

Though, in her heart, Maho was wishing more of a bad night for her mother.