"Yellowfang killed Spottedleaf and took the kits!" Kiara shouted thinking that Tomori was behind the murder. To Miho, this made no sense. She didn't see Tomori with any weaponry or anything. Stephanie coughed a couple drops of blood from her mouth while the Ooarai students were doing their best to stabilize her. For the Cedar Lake students, they wanted revenge.
"I knew we shouldn't have let that mangy old lady into our ranks. She knew how to stop Saunders and decided to attack us when our backs were turned." Rowan growled. She knew that the old lady was behind the attack and the potential murder of Stephanie. Ayami looked up as the storm gathered around. A flash of lightning was spotted as rain began to come down. The Ooarai students were doing all they could to help Stephanie out as she coughed up a little more blood.
"If Yellowfang had killed Spottedleaf and took the kits, I wouldn't hesitate to hunt her down without mercy. Even though she has proven her worth, I can't say if she got my trust to stab us all in the back." Ayami sighed and explained that justice needed to be served.
"I knew that she couldn't be trusted! We need to find her!" Satsuki shouted.
"Not in this storm, Saunders could possibly still be in this forest and driving them away yesterday means that they have another chance to attack us even though we only have a single casualty, I am not ready to risk more lives. I'll send Whitestorm out with a patrol once this storm is over, then we can talk about satisfying our lust for blood." Ayami explained to the group that they will have their chance, they were just going to have to wait for the time being if they were going to get the chance. "If Saunders has the kits, they will come to no harm to Kay. I bet Kay is willing to brainwash them into having a turn against us or as hostages to get our school shut down. I'm not exactly sure."
"Can we track her down in this weather?" Chelsea asked if they were going to find Tomori in the storm.
"Like I said before, it's best to strike after the storm, not during it. She might have the rain mask her scent and we stand a better chance after the storm. For now, I would like to speak to my deputy. The Ooarai girls will take care of Spottedleaf." Ayami explained. She walked away with Rowan following her. Miho felt grief for Stephanie, why did someone have to go out of their way to hurt her. She wasn't capable of harm. Ritsu walked over and placed a shoulder on Miho.
"I know your pain that I went through when Chika ended up hurt. But we can't stay curled up and grieving. I sadly can't do much to help." Ritsu tried her best to explain. Ritsu, much like Miho, felt defeated knowing that she couldn't do much. The Ooarai girls began to get Stephanie's body onto something and began to drag her away.
"Farewell sweet Stephanie." Miho told herself as the rain continued to pour down onto her. Rowan passes by a couple minutes later as Ayami walks up to Miho.
"Firepaw, I know you're upset over this but I wish to speak to you." Ayami expressed to Miho as she took her off. Miho followed, still almost in tears over the loss of Stephanie. Miho arrived inside of Ayami's cabin as Ayami needed to speak to her. "Firepaw, where is Yellowfang?" Miho stood there silent. Ayami meanwhile needed to snap Miho out of it and figure out what was going on. "Firepaw you must save your grieving for later. Now tell me, where did you see Yellowfang last?"
"I saw her exiting the camp from the tunnel. Do you know that she could have killed Stephanie and took some of the first years?" Miho told Ayami that was where he saw her last. She then asked if Tomori was capable of murder.
"I do not know. Firepaw I am going to give you an important task, find Yellowfang and bring her back alive. I want to know the truth of what happened." Ayami explained to Miho what her quest would be if she was going to be able to work this going forward.
"You're not sending Rowan?" Miho asked Ayami if she was sending her deputy out to go find her.
"Tigerclaw is a mighty warrior and the best tracker I have the privilege of meeting. But her loyalty to the school might cloud her judgment. If she gives the school the vengeance it truly desires, she will bring back Yellowfang's body. I want her back alive to figure out what happened. If Yellowfang truly is a traitor, I will kill her myself. But, if she isn't, I would want to see an innocent person die."
"You're right. Rowan really does want vengeance." Miho replied. "What if she doesn't come back?"
"She will if you convince her to. I am assigning you this important task instead of Tigerclaw. You're the only person who can convince her to come back. I know you can." Ayami explained to Miho that she was the only person who could convince Tomori to come to Ayami and tell her what happened and who actually did it. Miho had to give in.
"Yes Ayami." Miho replied that she was going to have to do it.
"Go, you will be out there alone and at risk of Saunders patrols. I will send Whitestorm with a patrol of her own after the storm has passed. Be careful." Ayami told Miho to make haste and look for her friend. Miho nodded before she walked out of Ayami's cabin.
Miho was walking alone in the storm when she overheard two students chatting.
"But Tomori knows medicine, it isn't clear that someone would have told her that we would have had someone to help her." Annabella explained to her friends. Miho turned her head to see the four girls chatting among themselves. Kiara knew who it was.
"I knew someone had been working from within the group!" Kiara shouted, unable to keep her rage contained over the fact that someone killed a friend and took those she was caring for.
"Have you heard about what Rowan has been saying about Mio, who else would have helped Tomori if she could." Lexi explained that someone must've been undercover and feeding them information.
"I knew that we shouldn't have had a traitor in our ranks!" Kiara shouted. Miho knew that Mio was in danger, and she needed to find some way to help her.
"Yeah, it's clear that she is no longer welcomed." Annabella explained. The three girls were suspicious about Mio. Miho was worried that the other students of the school were turning against Mio. Ritsu then appeared as the girl ran over to Miho, the mud clinging to her shoes.
"Miho, are you feeling better?" Ritsu asked for her friend. She wanted to see how Miho was doing.
"A little, I'm preparing to search for Tomori as Ayami has requested me to do." Miho explained to Ritsu what her plan was and how she was going to carry this out.
"Alone? Surely you don't think of going through that storm by yourself." Ritsu explained to Miho.
"I must, it's Ayami's orders. She wants to know what happened." Miho explained to Ritsu.
"What?! Why you?" Ritsu asked as she was wondering why she was following orders from Ayami.
"She thinks I know Tomori the best and has sent me out to go looking for her.
"Why can't Rowan do it? She's the best tracker we have in the entire group." Ritsu explained to Miho that they should have let Rowan go find her.
"Rowan might not bring her back." Miho explained to Ritsu. Ritsu seemed concerned.
"How?" Ritsu asked.
"Rowan might give the group the revenge it desires, that's why she doesn't plan on bringing her back." Miho explained. She wanted to know the truth unlike Rowan. "If Rowan got what she wanted, Tomori would be killed."
"But if she killed Stephanie and took the first years, doesn't she get what she deserves?" Ritsu asked, she wanted to figure out the truth to all of this and it seemed to be more murky than it seems.
"Finding the truth is more important." Miho explained to Ritsu that they needed to figure out what happened before drawing any sort of hasty conclusions.
"Do you think she is innocent?" Ritsu asked Miho if she trusted Tomori so much to figure out the truth.
"I don't know but neither does Ayami, she wants to figure out the truth as this could make a decision for her." Miho explained. "That's why she's sending me instead of Rowan."
"But if she ordered Rowan to bring her back alive…" Ritsu tried her best to explain as the voices of an angry Kiara and a scared Mio were heard.
"What are you doing here you freak? Can't you see that the first years aren't going to like you!" Kiara shouted at Mio that she wasn't welcome in this neck of the woods.
"I was only coming around, why are you mad at me? What did I do?" Mio timidly asked, she wanted to figure out what was going on.
"GET AWAY YOU TRAITOR!" Kiara shouted at Mio, her voice echoing around the area. Mio shrieked before she ran off.
"What was that about?" Ritsu asked, she was curious to see what the shouting was about.
"Mio's in danger." Miho began. "I was talking to her the night before and she says that she witnessed Rowan attacking her friend. We need to get her as far from here as we can."
"Where should she go?" Ritsu asked Miho if she had any ideas of where they could have Mio be safe if it meant getting away from there. Miho began to think about this for a moment as she thought of where they were going to take Mio if she was to be safe.
"Remember Violet, the girl who saved us, I was thinking we take Mio to her in the hope that Rowan doesn't find her." Miho explained to Ritsu that was where she was going to take her.
"What about Tomori?" Ritsu explained to Miho.
"There's no time to explain, you have to trust me on this." Miho told Ritsu. She turned and headed over to Mio who was sitting in a corner and felt depressed.
"Hello Miho." Mio sighed.
"Follow us." Miho told Mio.
Miho, Ritsu and Mio pedaled in the rain as they felt the rainwater hitting their clothing. Miho was taking the lead as the three girls raced their way through the forest, mud splattering their bikes as they went. They had all of Mio's belongings packed as they were going to try to find a home for her. She wanted to explain what they were doing to Mio.
"Mio, we're taking you to Violet." Miho explained to Mio.
"Violet, why?" Mio asked.
"You're no longer safe in the school, you need to be somewhere where the others won't find you." Miho explained. Ritsu seemed a bit confused about why they were taking Mio away from them.
"Is there something going on? I feel like I don't know anything about this." Ritsu asked, she still seemed to be curious. Miho had to explain as the three girls thundered their way across the bridge over an overflowing creek,
"I heard Rowan tell Chelsea and Satsuki that she wants to get rid of Mio when I went to go get the Wild Garlic, have you noticed how off Rowan is? Only Mio knows Rowan is capable of hurting others to get what she wants. Rowan sees Mio as an obstacle and one that is willing to snitch behind her back to prevent her from achieving her goals. Mio also slipped the tongue to me that Rowan had managed to hurt Hikari when the three were in their old school as Rowan isn't going to let any barriers block her path." Miho explained to the others everything she knew about what happened. Ritsu seemed more or less confused and muttered something she had read from a book.
"But it wasn't her that managed to hurt Redtail, it was Oakheart or something…" Ritsu tried her best to explain. Miho went over and grabbed Ritsu by the collar of her uniform.
"Come on." Miho explained to her.
The three girls were near the town entrance as they had spent a good hour getting there. The lightning and thunder cracked overhead. Miho wasn't sure about what to do next.
"We can't take you any farther, Mio. We have to go back and find Tomori before the storm passes and Ayami sends out her patrols." Miho began explaining to Mio. "Do you know the way to find Violet?"
"I believe so." Mio replied. Ritsu walked over and gave some advice to her.
"Watch out for Saunders students." Ritsu told Mio.
"How do you know that Violet would welcome me?" Ritsu asked as Miho and Ritsu passed her belongings to Mio.
"Just tell her that you caught an adder once." Ritsu told Mio to say something silly like that.
"Now go, I promise I will tell everyone that you didn't betray Cedar Lake." Miho explained to Mio to not make haste and try finding Violet before the storm cleared.
"What if Rowan comes looking for me?" Mio asked with worry. She thought that Rowan was going to figure out that if she caught on that she was missing, she would clearly go looking for her.
"She won't. I shall tell her that you are dead." Miho told Mio that death was the only excuse that she could think of to get Rowan to forget Mio and Mio could find her way to safety. Mio went up and hugged Miho.
"No friend can ask for people like you. Thank you." Mio muttered to Miho that she was more than thankful for this.
"Until our paths cross again in the future." Miho explained. Mio stopped hugging Mio before hugging Ritsu. She went over and hopped onto her bike and began to pedal away. She turned back and spoke one last thing to her friends before her departure was permanent.
"I'll see you guys. Good luck with finding Tomori." Mio told her friends before she pedaled off into the city. Miho and Ritsu got back onto their bikes and headed off, they were going to look for Tomori.
The storm had mostly passed an hour later but it was reduced to a drizzle. Miho and Ritsu were busy looking for a trail that could lead them to their friends. Miho noticed something on the ground, it was a tuft of ragged gray hair.
"This must be her, she went this way." Miho told Ritsu. The two of them continued to make their way through the woods in their effort to find Tomori. Ritsu seemed more or less curious about this part.
"Do you think everything about Saunders is gross?" Ritsu asked Miho about what exactly was going on. Miho paused before she decided to take some time to decide.
"Not really, it all comes down to how you view them. Most schools don't really like them." Miho explained to Ritsu. They continued to travel down the path in an effort to find them.
"Why?" Ritsu asked.
"I'm not sure. Most schools don't like them due to the fact that they aren't as respectful as they once were. I'm not sure who is causing such disrespect." Miho explained as that was something that she wasn't entirely sure of.
"But if they are lenient with their grades and party all the time, what makes you say that? I learned that from some of the students that used to go there." Ritsu asked before adding on where she got that from.
"It's because the most respectful students are indeed the most frugal and ones that have been raised in harsh conditions where stuff is hard to come by. Saunders immense wealth and consumer culture is nothing but poison to the schools." Jake explained to Ritsu and Miho. Jake appeared from the bushes with a bike of his own. He was more or less curious to see where these two girls were and how they managed to get out here.
"Jake, what are you doing out here? Are you looking for Tomori?" Miho asked Jake much to her relief that someone was out there looking for something.
"That I am, I'm sure you two also got the memo." Jake replied. "It's only logical that since we have the same objective and I thought we can do it together."
"You're right. We found some of Tomori's hair and we believe she's in this area." Miho explained to Jake. Jake nodded as he looked around.
"She must've gone this way, follow me." Jake told Miho as he began to guide the two girls behind him. "Are you scared about infiltrating enemy territory? My mother always warned me and Dmitri about trusting the wrong person, Americans especially are considered very untrustworthy."
"My mother never said anything about trust, I guess I must've been lucky." Miho explained to Jake as they continued into what seemed to be Saunders controlled land. The girls looked up at the sky as they continued their patrol through, the clouds were moving away and it looked like the sun was setting. It was going to get dark.
"The storm has cleared, Ayami will be sending out that patrol." Ritsu explained that to Miho and Jake.
"I'll go look for the patrol, you two go look for Tomori, she must be around here somewhere." Jake told Ritsu and Miho. He split off from the group as he went off to go look for that patrol. Miho and Ritsu continued the trail to find Tomori. They continued on for a few more minutes as they were having no such luck.
"I can't find her anywhere." Miho began. What she didn't know was that Tomori was hidden in plain sight. She leaped out from her cover and tried to tackle the two girls down. Miho and Ritsu dodged this and were starting at Tomori.
"I knew Cedar Lake would blame me!" Tomori shouted in anger.
"Tomori, calm down, I know you seem to be innocent, we wanted to know what happened. Stephanie has been hurt." Miho tried her best to get her friend to remain calm.
"Stephanie has been hurt?" Tomori asked, and she was shocked with disbelief. "How would someone do something to her?" Tomori asked as if she felt guilt running through her veins. She didn't know what happened.
"Then why did you do it?" Ritsu asked, jumping the gun, Miho placed her hand forward and lowered it down, telling Ritsu to back off.
"I didn't! And I didn't take those first years!" Tomori would say. Miho pushed Ritsu back a bit as she decided to be the one to integrate Tomori.
"I know it wasn't you and what Ritsu is saying makes no sense. Why did you leave then?" Miho asked Tomori if there was a reason she fled.
"I fled the moment that Kiara said the first years were missing." Tomori replied on why she was in such a hurry and left the scene without having them know. Ritsu stepped forward to Tomori as she had something to ask.
"How do we know that you're telling the truth?" Ritsu asked Tomori if she knew anything about it.
"I know who took them, I spotted her with them when I was on the porch and I went after her." Tomori explained that she knew exactly who was responsible for the kidnapping.
"Then I may ask who? Who took those first years?" Miho asked Tomori if she knew anything about what happened to them.
"I know who took them and who harmed Stephanie." Tomori began. "It was Alisa, one of Kay's loyal followers, and I know for a fact that as long as those first years are with Saunders, they are in grave danger."
"But surely schools like Saunders wouldn't harm other students." Miho stated that harming others was against all schools and Sensha-Do policy.
"Don't be so sure." Tomori growled at Miho. "Kay wants to use them for her own Sensha-Do team. Or to round us up if she is to replenish her ranks."
"That's insane, many students I've heard reports about come here to get away from Saunders and Sensha-Do which is being told that they can operate war machines for fun and shoot military style rifles with the potential of splitting skulls open like they are toys. Many of us will be turned off by this and we would want to come here to live and learn in peace." Ritsu explained that was the one thing that the students were capable of doing and being told that military style weaponry was used for fun was something that only the insane would do. "Doesn't the schools have rules that you need to be disciplined to handle such weaponry like using the tanks under supervision?" Ritsu would ask.
"That hasn't stopped Kay from bending the rules to make her American friends happy. She's willing to pressure students as young as 11 to join the Sensha-Do team against their will and send those to America to become brainwashed when they try to break the system. Some of those students managed to escape and now their lives are being threatened." Tomori explained as her voice continued to growl with uncertainty.
"Kay says that the students have freedom in Saunders, it was clear that many said that was a lie." Ritsu added that she was finally realizing the danger the first years being captured were going to pose.
"I see. It's the reason why Rosie ran away from Saunders in the first place. If something happened with her over in Saunders that has caused her to come here. We might have to figure out a way to rescue them and figure out how to get Rosie somewhere safe. Even some of the students here aren't entirely safe however." Miho told Tomori and Ritsu that everything was starting to make sense now. Rosie needed to be questioned if they were to figure out what exactly was going on.
"Kay has plenty of students to spare and if Saunders runs out, she can steal them from other schools." Tomori told them as her voice hissed that she knew that they needed to rescue those kids if they could. "After all, we're talking about a school leader and Sensha-Do commander that nearly killed students from her own school."
"What?! Killed her own students!" Ritsu shouted, she seemed shocked about hearing about this. The raw reaction this interned made her frightened about what happened.
"If Kay nearly killed students from her own school, why wasn't she punished?" Miho asked Tomori if she knew the answer to that.
"She managed to scapegoat those that were disloyal to her, her American business men bribed Renta Tsuji to cover it up so no one heard about it. I certainly did from a few students that told Kuromorimine about it and Kay bribed them to have them kick me out." Tomori explained that she lost her job by speaking the truth about what happened.
"Is that why you were driven out of Kuromorimine? You need to come to MEXT and tell them all about this." Miho asked Tomori if that was the reason why she lost her job. Tomori cuts them off as she had one thing she wanted to do.
"Not before we rescue those first years. They're not safe in Saunders." Tomori explained. Miho heard someone was coming and Tomori raised the alarm. "Student patrols are coming this way, we can't stay here."
"I still can't wrap my mind around that, how can a school president kill students from her own school?" Ritsu asked as she seemed to be baffled by this information, why was Kay doing this?
"It was all because Kay wanted to make the tanks a sport and the purpose of it was to have fun. When Pravda decided to go to battle with Saunders, she said they would win but it became a struggle just to hold the Pravda light tanks back. Many of them looked already dead when the dust settled. They bore the injuries a soldier would go through. There was nothing I could do. When MEXT came to the school, Kay paid them off to have them go away and not know about this." Tomori explained as she began to weep. Sniffling as if she was going to break down trying to recount the entire event.
"Why didn't you tell MEXT about what happened at that time?" Miho asked Tomori why she didn't tell them the truth.
"Because if I did, The investors would be charged with corruption and Renta would stop making money, Shichiro says that the man tried to shut down schools so he can use their assets to keep other unprofitable schools alive that were still loyal to him. It's the reason why MEXT is in a mess at the moment." Tomori explained as Miho knew everything was making sense now.
"We'll rescue the first years. Tonight. We can't stay here, the patrol is very close. If Rowan is among them, you don't stand a chance. She'll kill you before we can explain your innocence." Miho told them that they needed to get themselves ready if they were to rescue the first years and get them out of there.
"There is some Peat moss behind us, hide there and we'll figure out a plan." Tomori explained that there was some place to hide. Miho, Ritsu and Tomori hid in the moss.
"There are several people in the patrol, coming this way fast. They seem to be from our group." Miho explained what she was able to sense.
"Are we going to attempt to rescue students from Saunders alone? We're mere apprentices." Ritsu explained. Tomori placed a hand on Ritsu's shoulder as she may have an idea.
"I might be able to find some help inside of Saunders. Many of the students aren't loyal to Kay and might be on the verge of rebelling themselves. Some will stick with her until the end but others want her deposed." Tomori explained her plan to get students from within Saunders to help them out.
"When Kay became leader, she tried to brainwash those not loyal to her with American values, the brainwashing isn't working, and many students are beginning to question their own motives. There are students who play by the rules, they might help us." Tomori explained that the plan of brainwashing and hazing was falling apart, and many students were questioning their loyalty. "And I might be able to persuade the patrol to help us too. I need to make them believe my story. Miho and Ritsu, wait by the dead ash until I return."
"Do you think we can trust you to bring back help?" Ritsu asked.
"We are the first years only hope, you must trust me, I will return." Tomori explained as she dashed off to go find help. Miho turned to Ritsu and began speaking to her.
"We can trust her, she saved the first years before when Saunders can do it again." Miho explained. "If she wanted to hurt them, she would have."
"So… have we done the right thing?" Ritsu asked if trusting Tomori was the best plan they could have done.
"I don't know, if we have then the first years will be saved and we will be heroes. If not and we were wrong in trusting Tomori, we're as good as dead." Miho explained to Ritsu that the plan of rescue was going to be risky, but they needed to pull it off.
The sun turned into twilight as Miho and Ritsu were still in the same spot that Tomori had left them in. It was becoming clear that the student patrol that was heading this way was nearly there.
"I see Addisyn, I think she's coming with a patrol." Miho explained that the long awaited patrol was nearly there.
"Is Rowan with them?" Ritsu asked if their enemy was among them. Miho decided to take a look.
"I… don't think so." Miho explained to Ritsu. Addisyn appeared as she approached Miho, she was surprised to see her and Ritsu deep behind enemy lines.
"Firepaw! She told me I might find a friend out here!" Addisyn began as she was surprised to see Miho. She must've gotten Ayami's message and mission. "Now I understand what Bluestar meant." Hailey, Chelsea, Mikasi and Emiko formed one group. Jake appeared moments later with himself, Dimitri, Brook, Nina, Alina, Azusa, Aya, Akebi and Anteater Team in the second group.
"We need your help, we have to rescue those first years tonight, are you with us?" Miho asked as if she needed this if they were going to offer their assistance.
"Of course Miho." Emiko replied that she was up for it.
"It would mean raiding Saunders camp." Miho explained about the mission and what they were going to do.
"Can you lead us there?" Mikasi asked if Miho knew the way to their base.
"No, but Tomori can." Miho gave her answer that she couldn't do this on her own. "She's going to find some friends that can help us."
"You two found Tomori?!" Hailey asked as she was shocked by this revelation.
"I don't understand, the traitor is going to help rescue the first years she stole?" Addisyn asked Miho if there was any clarification that she was going to provide.
"Tomori didn't hurt Stephanie or kidnapped those first years. She wants to help us bring them home." Miho explained to Addisyn about Tomori and why she believed she was innocent. Addisyn began to think about it for a moment, trying to think of what to decide on. After a moment, she decided to make a decision.
"If you're sure, Miho." Addisyn explained. "We will help you." The students waited around as some of them were growing impatient, what was taking Tomori's time.
"What's taking her so long?" Mikasi asked with impatience. She wanted to figure out when Tomori was going to be back.
"We don't know how far it is to the Saunders camp, she's taking her time." Miho explained that Tomori is coming. "She's on her way back now."
"Or she must be happily giving information to Saunders regarding our location and Kay is preparing another force to finish us off as we sit here like fools waiting to be ambushed." Ritsu explained. This earned her an elbow to the side as Miho didn't believe that.
"She'll come, I know she will." Miho explained to Ritsu to not judge someone that harshly. Has Tomori broken a promise, that is something Miho doesn't know. Then Miho heard some footsteps coming in her direction, she turned to see Tomori, she had come back as promised.
"Well said young Miho." Tomori explained to Miho. Miho turned her head to see Tomori.
"Tomori, your back!" Miho said with excitement. Tomori smiled as that wasn't the best part.
"Don't worry, I brought help." Tomori explained to the group. Ten girls wandered out of the bushes as they seemed to all be from Saunders. Miho could recognize a few of them from their faces. "These were the most willing to risk it all if it meant getting rid of Kay."
"I sensed that many of us had answered the call when it came to finally getting rid of that monster. No matter how hard we try, she's only going to come back. It's time we set aside our differences and get rid of our tormentor. There was a time when Saunders was respected by the use of the rules and their loyalty to their leaders, now it's just replaced by fear, lust and hatred." Naomi explained that she was willing to go out of her way to topple her. Helmet Chan stepped forward.
"I've lost two friends before I came to Saunders and my little brother. Kay doesn't seem to care for the bottom line of our lives. The school has been through a lot in the past four years and we just want a day of peace. We are counting on your Miho." Helmet-Chan would explain to Miho that them leading into the camp and breaking the first years out was going to be on her.
"What's in it for you?" Chelsea asked the group of Saunders students what the plan was.
"If you help us, we promise that we will leave you alone. We will only come here in peace and not for bloodshed." Naomi explained that there could be peace between the schools.
"So it's that simple, we drop into your camp, rescue those first years, drive Kay and her group out and get on back?" Mikasi would ask if that was the plan.
"You would not meet as much resistance if you think you would, most of the students are fed up and Kay is only going to pour more into these attacks. Most of us are considering defecting and joining the enemy. We can't keep fighting like this." Naomi explained that resistance was going to be weaker than anticipated.
"We can't let the lives of any more innocent students get ruined. We must save those first years." Helmet Chan added.
"May's right, what resistance will our school face?" Addisyn asked curiously.
"There are those that Kay considers her inner circle of elite students. They are willing to fight for her. Even as one of her vice commanders, I know most of us fight only out of fear and not admiration." Naomi explained that Saunders students didn't have a sense of loyalty but they didn't want to experience the consequences if they didn't.
"Is there a way we can take the first years without alerting the whole school?" Miho asked if they had any ideas on how they were going to win the fight against Kay.
"The First years will be closely guarded, we have to draw Kay and her friends out into the open, once in the open, you will ambush and hunt them down. Once they retreat, loot everything and bring it back to the school. Maybe we can consider getting some students to defect with us." Helmet Chan explained how this plan was going to work.
"Then we must concentrate our attack on Kay and her inner circle." Addisyn explained as she thought that was the best plan they had if they were going to win.
"These ten girls will lead me into their camp, once they said they have captured me. We have to make sure Kay and her inner circle are in the center of the camp. Once they're out in the open, that is when we attack." Tomori explained that she was going to be used as bait and when Kay and her friends were out, Tomori would give the signal to strike.
"Very well Tomori." Addisyn said with a smile. "Please lead a way to the Saunders camp." Tomori smiled as the groups of students departed to find the Saunders camp, they believed the first years were being held hostage.
Tomori arrived first as if she smiled, waiting for the day that this was going to occur.
"Over there is the camp's entrance." Tomori explained. Miho went over as she began sniffing the air. Ritsu did the same but she nearly gagged on the smell.
"Yuck what is that stench?" Ritsu asked as she didn't like the smell.
"It's the diet of Saunders, fried American food and sweets. It's all shipped from the US and it contains a lot of chemicals and pesticides." Chelsea explained. Miho began to think about this and she began to ask.
"Is this all the girls eat? No wonder most of the students in Cedar Lake seem so thin." Miho asked as she made the comment of what she overheard by Alisa.
"It is, and it's not good for us. We tried desperately to reform the diet system but those calls fell on deaf ears. I noticed that the girls in this school are pretty thin themselves. Not to the point where we can see their bones but they are pretty lean as it is." Naomi explained about what exactly was going on with their school and the students of Cedar Lake. Tomori began to speak.
"Naomi and the others will escort me inside, the rest of you girls fan out along the perimeter of the camp. Wait for my signal and you girls jump straight into the camp." Tomori explained that she was going to infiltrate the camp and once inside, Tomori will give the call.
"Okay good." Miho explained. Tomori and the Saunders girls headed for the camp entrance as Miho and the others began to spread out.
Kay and Alisa meanwhile were keeping the first years captive as they were trying to figure out where their friend was and they thought that they might have some answers.
"Where is Rosie?!" Kay shouted at Kate. Kate wouldn't respond. Alisa slapped her, cutting open her cheek.
"I don't know. Why do you need her so badly?" Kate asked as droplets of blood dribbled from her cheek. Tomori entered as Naomi gently nudged her along.
"Move it." Naomi told Tomori. Kay looked at who Naomi brought in as she began to wonder if she had the answer to who she was looking for.
"Alisa, take Kate to the others, I would want to question this girl that has shown up." Kay ordered Alisa. Alisa nodded as she took Kate back to where the other girls were. Kay walked up to Tomori and Naomi. "I sensed you have brought me another prisoner Naomi."
"Yes we found her sulking near the edge of the school ship." Naomi explained to Kay where they were able to find her.
"Good. Now tell me Tomori, where is Rosie?" Kay asked Tomori if she knew the whereabouts of where their student was. Tomori smiled before she began to laugh. This made Kay confused about what was happening. "What's so funny?"
"The funny part about this is I haven't come to answer your questions, but I would like to say that your actions are appalling and this little fun game of yours needs to stop. So why don't you pack up and leave, no students need to be tortured." Tomori told Kay that this little thing of hers needed to end and the fact that the students needed to be spared.
"Don't play with me, I will beat you senseless if you don't give me the answer I need." Kay growled in anger. She didn't want to be angered if she got nothing that she asked for.
"Do you think I will play one of your silly games? I know you're looking for that one girl but we're looking for four and I know you have them." Tomori told Kay as she still had a smile on her face. "I know for a fact that you steal kids from other schools and kill your own for fun. That isn't going to patch together the damage you have done." Tomori explained. She tilted her head up and yowled, something a cat would do. Suddenly, the students in Tomori's group leaped inside of the Saunders camp. Kay looked around surprised.
"You dare bring our enemy straight into our camp?!" Kay hissed when she realized that it was a horrifying site to behold.
"At least Ooarai still fights with honor, not for lust you smooth brain! You have spoiled the school long enough! We used to be respected but now we take orders from you out of fear!" Naomi replied. Naomi tackled Kay down as she instantly attacked her. Helmet Chan walked over and tried her best to reason with Alisa.
"Alisa, can't you see? Kay is corrupt and the school is starving. We can't continue following her, she will only lead us further into the dark." Helmet Chan explained to Alisa that they needed to get rid of a bad leader and try to change things. Alisa's eyes burned with fury almost as if she was angry with her.
"You are my enemy now, May! I won't hold back!" Alisa shouted at Helmet Chan. Addisyn watched as the students went off to pick their fights and decided to give the signal.
"Cedar Lake Academy! ATTACK!" Addisyn shouted, Addisyn ran over and tackled Alisa off of Helmet Chan while the latter got up to go find an easier opponent to fight. She ran over and tackled another student to the ground while Addisyn was scratching up Alisa's face. Mikasi ran over to find another Saunders student before hissing, causing her to run away. She dashed after her. Miho saw a big burly girl in the Saunders team and she dashed over, knocking her to the ground.
Miho tussled with the girl punching and clawing at her face to get her to give up. She wasn't giving into her behavior. She slapped Miho in the face but Miho wasn't going to take very kindly to that. Miho dodged another punch from the girl before she swiftly turned in and bit her wrist, sinking her teeth into the girl's fleshy limb.
"Let me go!" She shouted. Miho didn't listen as she growled, sinking her teeth even further into her wrist. "You must be stupid that I would lose to a girl like you." She yanked herself out as Miho was flung up. Miho stood up, she didn't lose any teeth from that. She was shaken but not beaten. The girl looked at her wrist which she was no longer laughing at, her wrist was beginning to bleed, Miho had drawn blood.
"Let those first years come back to us." Miho demanded.
"What makes you think I will take orders from a stupid person like you?" The burly girl asked. Miho felt enraged by this and charged forward, tackling her to the ground again. Slashing her face with scratch marks by her nails. Some of them were enough to cause droplets of blood to seep from the scratches. The burly girl got up and dashed off. A tiny little girl came up to Miho.
"Fight me Ooarai student!" She said, Miho turned to see who wanted to fight her, the girl looked like she was five at least.
"This isn't your fight, go find your mother." Miho explained to the little girl.
"I'm not scared of you!" She shouted. She tried to tip Miho over but it was no use. Miho turned and began to speak to her.
"You shouldn't be out here." Miho explained to the little girl.
"I should too." The little girl told Miho. Miho hissed and scared the little girl off. Addisyn was in a tussle with another Saunders student before she got the upper hand. Addisyn looked at her.
"You weak excuse for a student! You will pay for the suffering that Kay caused to us!" Addisyn shouted before raking her nails along the girl's face. The girl got up and she began to speak.
"What are you talking about? I haven't done anything." The Saunders Student would explain to Addisyn. Addisyn hissed, ready to fight some more and this caused the Saunders Student to run off. Addisyn went to fight her. Miho watched with amusement as the Saunders students were starting to retreat. Alisa meanwhile was sneaking up behind her.
"Miho! Watch out! Alisa is behind you." Emiko shouted. Miho turned and tackled Alisa to the ground.
"YOU KILLED SPOTTEDLEAF!" Miho shouted as her voice was filled with rage.
"And what if I didn't? That good for nothing dumbass couldn't defend herself." Alisa retorted. Miho's anger was building up inside of her as she wanted to take out Alisa herself.
"BUT, SHE WAS MY FRIEND!" Miho shouted as her rage exploded. Miho rushed forward at Alisa. She pushed her enemy to the ground and began beating Alisa up as the poor girl wasn't taking well to the full might of an angry person. Miho then sunk her teeth into the back of Alisa's neck to make her feel the pain she was going through. Addisyn came over and yanked Miho off of Alisa. Alisa got up and ran away. Miho looked at Addisyn with the expression: What the hell Addisyn.
"You're going to kill her, I can see it in your eyes. We do not kill in battle. Don't let your emotions control you Firepaw." Addisyn told Miho.
"But, she killed my friend." Miho tried her best to explain.
"Vengeance is not worth it, an honorable warrior doesn't need to kill to win his battles. Killing Alisa would make you look as bad as her." Addisyn explained to Miho. Miho calmed down as Addisyn had knocked her to her senses.
"I suppose you're right." Miho told Addisyn. Addisyn walked off as Miho turned her head to see Ritsu driving off one of the students from Saunders.
"It's working! They're leaving!" Ritsu called out as the Saunders students from Kay's inner circle were melting away.
"Thank goodness, we're just about ready to leave…" Miho explained before she was interrupted by a growl. It was Jake as he had Kay pinned to the floor. Jake was filled with rage as his mouth bore into a snarl.
"YOU CHANGED EVERYTHING IN SAUNDERS! BRAINWASHING YOUR FELLOW CLASSMATES, MAKING THEM OBSESSED WITH THE USA! Making an innocent little student who wanted to study music be part of the Sensha-Do team against her will and desires! A student shouldn't have to worry about those things like fighting a warrior's battle!" Jake snarled at Kay as he wanted to tell her everything that had happened and why it was bad. Kay wiggled her way before throwing Jake off of her.
"You idiotic man." Kay said with a laugh. "I thought you were to be one that hated Liberty and individual rights. I thought you would have heard what happened to the holy man Grigori."
"You… you killed Grigori?" Jake asked as he seemed to be taken back almost if his own grief began to take over.
"He was a foolish holy man who never had any magic to heal the sick. He was a fraud. He deserved to die to prevent him from getting his hands all over people." Kay explained with a smile. Jake was filled with distraught.
"What about Brook, Trout and some of the students here, did they also need to die if you were given the chance?" Jake asked as tears began streaming down his face.
"They did, if not, another person would have. I was only doing them a favor since they hated America." Kay explained.
"THEY ARE ONLY KIDS!" Jake shouted as he was crying now.
"I should have killed you when I had the chance Jake, I will fix that right now." Kay explained. She drew out a knife and walked to Jake, ready to attack him. Fearing for his life, Miho rushed in, putting herself between Kay and Jake.
"I won't let you hurt him, you will have to go through me." Miho explained to Kay that she was willing to risk her life for someone who cared for others.
"What a foolish idea for you to stick up for this pathetic man. You dare challenge me? Don't waste your time Miho. I will sink this ship if you lay a finger on me." Kay told Miho to get out of her way so she could deal with Jake. Tomori stepped up and joined Miho's side.
"You're not going to be hurting anybody Kay." Tomori spat at her. One by one, the students got together to stand with Miho.
"It looks to me that you're a little outnumbered Kay." Addisyn told Kay that they were going to stand up collectively to help those in need. Even some of the Saunders students that were under her control were beginning to turn on her. A blonde haired first year walked up to Kay and began to speak to her.
"YOU'RE A DISGRACE TO SAUNDERS!" She shouted. More Saunders students joined around her.
"We trusted you but it turns out that was a lie!" Another student told Kay. More students rallied around.
"You don't deserve to be our leader!" A third student called out.
"We're better off without you." Naomi added to Kay that she was ready to ditch her. Brook came forward as she was the last to speak.
"Leave now while you're still alive murderer. You are no longer welcome in any of the schools." Brook commanded Kay to get out. Kay looked around to see most of her Sensha-Do team had turned on her.
"You can run me out of Japan, but I will be back, stronger." Kay vowed that she will be back one day and she will bring a stronger team with her.
"We will be waiting for you when that day arises. We will have the teams unite as one to deal with the threat." Naomi replied to Kay's vow that she was going to be back.
"We won't go as easy on you next time. Now leave." Miho told Kay that she was willing to be ready for round two when the chance arose. Kay was outnumbered and with the school turning against her, she had no choice but to leave.
"This isn't over Nishizumi." Kay told Miho. Kay turned and walked away, she wasn't up for the fight to continue. Miho sighed, it was over for now. Ritsu came forward as she motioned Miho to follow her. Miho arrived to see Kate, Aurora, Tanya and Tia huddling in the corner watching.
"How are they?" Miho asked Ritsu about the condition of the first years.
"They're fine, just a few scratches and all. Kate does look like she has a nasty cut on her cheek." Ritsu explained to Miho. Tomori came forward with medical supplies she found.
"Don't worry, leave it to me to fix it." Tomori explained. Tomori poured some peroxide onto a cotton ball and began to rub the peroxide all over the cut on Kate's cheek, Kate recoiled a bit as the peroxide stung her but Tomori managed to clean the cut off. She got a bandaid and placed it over the cut. "I guess I'm back to doing the job of applying first aid. I see the others are in good condition. Come on, let's get them home." Tomori laughed as she gathered the first years. Naomi rolled up with her Sherman Easy Eight as well as a couple other Sherman tanks behind her.
"Need a lift?" Naomi asked Tomori if she was willing to help out with getting the first years back.
"I would be pleased." Tomori explained with a smile. The students climbed onto the Shermans wherever they could before Naomi began to order the students back home. Azusa looked at Miho and Ritsu, beaten but not defeated.
"Probably the best time I've had staying here." Azusa explained to Miho that she seemed to enjoy the thrill that was rescuing her friends.
"I'm sure we did, now let's get home." Miho replied to Azusa that they shouldn't be hanging out here at the edge of the camp, they should get back to the others.
Ayami was staring at the moon when she heard the rumbling of tanks. She spotted only three of them as Tomori waved to her with a smile. The students that were part of her school marching behind her.
"Miho made it back." Ayami told the others. The tanks stopped as Miho began helping some of the students off of the tank. Kiara spotted the first years and raced forward to them. Greeting them with hugs.
"The first years!" Kiara shouted. She lovingly hugged them all as Addisyn came forth with Tomori to her side. "Thanks a lot for getting them back."
"Miho fought off Saunders with all of her might." Tanya explained about what she witnessed.
"So the first years are alright?" Ayami asked if this was the case.
"They're fine, just a little tired. They had a long day." Addisyn explained to Ayami the condition of the first years.
"Well done Whitestorm, Starclan honors you." Ayami replied as she held Addisyn's hand and gently shook it.
"Thank you, but it's thanks to Miho Nishizumi that we even found them in the first place." Addisyn added to how they were able to find the first years.
"It wasn't anything really. We had to get help from Tomori." Miho explained. Tomori came forth as this was greeted by some skepticism.
"Look, it's Tomori." Annabella told Satsuki.
"What is she doing here?" Satsuki asked, she still didn't trust Tomori, at all. Rowan stepped forward as she had something to say to Miho.
"Why did you bring back the traitor?!" Rowan asked if she was infuriated with Miho's actions.
"Tomori is no traitor, she didn't kidnap the first years or harmed Stephanie, it was Alisa that did it." Miho explained who the real culprit was. The other students gasped as Miho continued to explain. "If she truly was a traitor, would she have risked her own life to go rescue the first years behind enemy lines? It was only thanks to her that we were able to rescue them."
"She didn't kill her?" Lexie asked.
"We were wrong?! She's innocent?!" Kiara asked as well, she couldn't get over the shock of the truth. All of their eyes turned to Rowan who was still defiant about the whole thing.
"What? So she didn't kill Spottedleaf. That doesn't mean she still kidnapped those first years and brought them to Saunders. This most likely would have been staged." Rowan explained that she didn't like what was going on and how this was carried out. She was suspicious about the entire thing.
"Without Tomori, we wouldn't have been able to recover the first years in the first place. It was her that drew up the battle plan that helped us get into Saunders. She was searching for them when I found her. Remember when Saunders attacked us, it was Tomori who protected them. She did it again." Miho explained to Rowan that Tomori was the person that helped them when it came to a mission like this. Without her, there would have been nothing as she didn't do anything. "I can't believe you would blame her when we were able to defeat Kay with her help."
"Miho is right, Tomori is an ally to this school." Addisyn replied with her conclusion. Ayami nodded with this as she began to think about what to do next.
"I'm glad to hear that." Ayami explained to Addisyn.
"Is Kay dead?" Kiara asked if the Saunders commander had been taken out.
"No, she escaped. Many students have defected to our side in the process. We don't know what to do with them." Addisyn explained to Kiara that Kay was indeed still alive. "We hope that she never leads Saunders again. We have yet to decide on a new leader for the school and maybe then they will leave us in peace. Kay's leadership left the school in chaos."
"That was a wise and generous offer to help the school choose a new leader, Whitestorm." Ayami explained to Addisyn. Addisyn nodded before Ayami looked around, someone was missing. "Where's Ravenpaw?"
"Yeah… where is my apprentice? Strange that she disappeared with Kay." Rowan asked that she found it odd that she was absent. "Miho, do you know?"
"Firepaw, are you saying that the young apprentice betrayed her friends to be with Kay? That's outrageous." Ayami asked Miho if she knew anything regarding the truth about what happened.
"If you think that Mio was helping Kay then you are wrong. Mio is… she's… Mio is…" Miho began. She couldn't figure out what to say as she seemed to try finding the right words for it.
"SHE'S WHAT?! SPIT IT OUT ALREADY!" Rowan shouted trying to get Miho to spit it out.
"Mio's dead. She died honorably fighting a Saunders patrol, she was so brave." Miho told Rowan the lie. Miho knew Mio was still very much alive and was in hiding.
"What's going on, Firepaw?" Ayami asked Miho if she knew everything.
"I will explain everything later, Bluestar. Not now as most of us are tired." Miho told Ayami that she will come around to Mio's whereabouts. For Rowan, she decided to say this.
"I never said that Ravenpaw was a traitor!" Rowan shouted as she tried her best to defend herself. Rowan felt herself deflate as she continued to speak. "She would have made a fine warrior; her life was taken faster than I realize. And her loss will be felt by us for a long time." Rowan turned and began walking away. She was beginning to sob about what happened. Miho had deflated Rowan a bit, but she still looked at her thinking her deflation was on purpose to keep her ego intact.
"Liar." Miho muttered to herself.
"We will miss Mio; we may mourn her tomorrow if what you said is true. First there must be another ritual that must be performed. One I know that Ravenpaw would have taken pleasure in. Firepaw, Graypaw, you have shown great courage tonight. Did they fight well, Whitestorm?" Ayami told them before asking Addisyn.
"They fought like warriors Bluestar." Addisyn replied. Ayami nodded before she began to climb on top of the rock to give her announcement. Once she got to the top, she turned and began to give her announcement.
"I, Bluestar, leader of Cedar Lake, call upon our Hyperborean ancestors to look down on these two girls. They have trained hard to understand the ways of the school and the nature that we call home in. I commend them as warriors in their trials and tribulations with what they have done. Firepaw, Graypaw, do you two uphold the code even at the cost of your own life?" Ayami began as she looked down at Miho and Ritsu, they had fought well and the fact that they were ready to complete the ritual to get out of their mentorship.
"I do." Ritsu explained.
"I do." Miho added in.
"Very well, I shall give you your warrior names. Graypaw you will be known as Graystripe; your bravery has been seen and you shall serve us well. And Firepaw, you shall be known as Fireheart, your wisdom, courage and senses of justice has only made the spirit inside of you grow stronger as your willingness to help others is in the blood of a warrior. Tomori is pleased that you have helped us out and Ravenpaw if we do find her will receive her name too. Now that naming ceremony is out of the way, we might as well celebrate." Ayami leaped off as she went off to kick their victory off.
Miho and Ritsu looked at each other. Excited though for them, tonight was going to be something they look forward to.
[A/N]: Haven't written anything in a month but I tried my best to carry on. I hope the length of the chapter makes up for my absence. Hopefully I can get this story finished and move onto other projects I am thinking about. I want to be able to do more short stuff and funny things or maybe move onto doing the old stuff that many of you would recognize or do newer ventures to see where I can break into new ground. Well, I'll be seeing you.