Finals battlefield

For a month, over a dozen different girls' schools had fought each other for the mastery over the others. Some matches had been a clean sweep, others had been neck and neck. There were predictable results, and surprising upsets. But what wasn't expected by anybody was that one particular school, filled with absolute beginners, was somehow almost at the very top. Saunders, Anzio, Pravda, three prominent schools had fallen to their shells and unique tactics. Now, it was time for them to face Kuromorimine, arguably the strongest school in Sensha-do, and a school built on countless victories over the generations. Defeat was an almost nonexistent word in their vocabulary, reemerging just last year. While Ooarai had pulled off upset after upset throughout this tournament, surprising the entire Sensha-do world by their stunning victories, Kuromorimine was still the strongest school, having beaten their competitors to get to this point, the finals. There was more to this match than one could think. Not only was this to be sibling against sibling, there also was much that was at stake: Miho's future in the family and the prospect of being disinherited, and Ooarai's future existence due to Renta's decision.

Miho spent little time speaking to her crew as they drove to the match grounds. Her mind was preoccupied with these thoughts, worries of the outcomes, what possible events could happen during the match. She had studied the map well, and was aware of several places in the map where she could commit to some advantageous plays on Kuromorimine. For one, there was a bridge, which could be used as a chokepoint, but Miho knew that her numbers were too few to really mount a successful defense; she was still facing odds of over 2-1. There was, however, a town, abandoned and annexed by the Federation to use as a battlefield. Considering how her match with St. Gloriana had gone, as long as Ooarai didn't get itself into a similar position as in the match with Pravda, their guerrilla tactics could prove to be the deciding factor in her fight against her former school. St. Gloriana hadn't been used to unconventional street fighting, so it was easy for Miho and the others to get some easy kills. Kuromorimine was always about formations and discipline. Surprise them and do enough damage to them and they'd be having the same problems as Gloriana.

Slowly, however, after remembering the words and advice that her former rivals in matches past had given her minutes earlier, her mind returned to that final group devotional the night before. Just as it had been winding down, and all members of the crew had finished asking their questions and having those questions answered by Jouko, Jouko, to Miho's delight, taught them a new hymn, "Have Thine Own Way, Lord." Jouko, as much as she was a devout Lutheran, had a liking to hymns that originated from different denominations, whether that be from the Presbyterians, the Baptists, the Puritans, you name it, and wanted to share as much hymns that she knew as she could to help Ooarai. Following the singing of those hymns that the crew had learned before, such as that hymn they sung during the battle against Pravda, "I Serve a Risen Savior," and another hymn they had learned not long after, "My Hope is Built on Nothing Less," Jouko had decided that now, it was time for yet another new hymn, giving a brief introduction to it. Miho could freshly remember those introductory words from Jouko, as she was speaking before her own big battle hundreds of miles away, commenting on the hymn's story and origins, as well as giving her own interpretation of it.

"Over a century ago, there was a woman named Adelaide A. Pollard. She greatly expressed interest in doing missionary work in Africa in the 1890s. However, she became distressed and depressed after she was unable to raise the necessary funds to embark on that missionary journey. In 1902, she attended a prayer meeting, and was deeply moved by an elderly woman's prayer at that meeting. The elderly woman prayed that no matter what God would do with their lives, whether He wanted to reward them, or to give them trials and tribulations, she just wanted God to have His way, submitting herself fully to God's will. Mrs. Pollard was, as I said earlier, deeply moved by this prayer, and went home later that night pondering on that prayer. Meditating on Jeremiah 18, she began to write the words of this hymn, expressing that God would be the one to mold her life, and she would accept whatever God wanted her to be, whatever the intention for her life would be. Later in life, she ended up becoming a missionary to Africa prior to the First World War, which fulfilled her original wishes. Now, for the meaning of the hymn.

The lyrics might as well explain the meaning. I'd interpret this as that we must lay our problems and burdens on God, trusting that He'll be able to help you with whatever you need, and leave it all in His hands. With the blessed assurance that the future is in God's hands, we can go out with confidence to do the things that we need to do in our lives. I'll emphasize here that faith will play a big part, so be sure to have lots of faith when you go face Kuromorimine. I'll leave you Matthew 11:28-30, that famous verse that Jesus promised, saying, 'Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.' I can assure you that that promise has never failed my friends and I, and I'm sure, Miho, you've been taking this to heart, and I'm glad to hear how better you've been doing. I, as well as my friends, will all be praying for you, as well as the rest of your team and all of Ooarai. I'm rooting for you, and I know how much this match will mean for you. Just keep in mind what I've told you, and never forget it."

Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way. Have Thine own way. Have Thine own way. Those words were embedded in Miho's mind, and the message touching her heart. She lifted her head to the skies, repeating those words, hands folded in prayer.

"Miporin, we're here..."

The tank had halted. Looking outside, Miho could see the other tanks, including the new additions that were the Tiger (P) and the Type 3 Chi-Nu. The Tiger (P) was a wildcard, having the potential to deal and take a lot of damage, but at the same time having an abysmal engine that broke down every four minutes. The Type 3, while likely not a bad tank, didn't have too good of a crew. Not only was it the most undermanned, having only 3 of 5, it was also made up of gamer girls that knew nothing outside of their videogames and whatnot. Nobody could be too confident in their abilities, but Miho had faith in everyone, and in light of that final Bible study, she had Someone to put all her worries on. She didn't worry too much, but spent some more time in prayer to give her a better sense of comfort. Eyes closed, she muttered out loud some of the Psalms that, with Jouko's help, she had memorized, before saying her own prayers. The rest of Anglerfish wanted to inform her that it was time, but remained silent out of respect for their commander, patiently waiting for her to finish before they exited the tank. The rest of the team was waiting outside for their commander to emerge, no doubt wondering what was taking her so long.

Prayers finished, Miho gave a deep breath, and exited the tank in order to hold the pre-match formalities with her opponents. Jumping from the tank, she was caught by her teammates, and engaging in some light chatter to try to lift their spirits a bit, began making her way to the center of the battlefield for the formalities. Her mind was racing with thoughts of the upcoming match, what tactics or maneuvers she could expect from Kuromorimine, what would be the best opening move, and whatnot, but she soon came to realize that she hadn't received any replies from Maho ever since she had introduced Jouko to her. That was weeks ago, and despite trying to get Maho to reply, nothing. Miho wondered what had happened on Maho's end, trying to suppress thoughts that were too negative for her liking. As she arrived at the appointed place, where Ami, Kanon, Remi, and Hibiki, the primary judges of the match, were waiting to begin, she could see Kuromorimine's students starting to near the spot as well. Behind her, she heard nervous chatter, pointing out how much Ooarai was outnumbered by Kuromorimine, and the intimidating sight of it. Miho's eyes focused on only one thing, however, and that was Maho.


At first, Maho attempted to restrain herself, wanting to maintain her stoic appearance that she was known for. She walked at her usual calm pace, her face remaining iron-like and emotionless. Her comrades were following close behind, walking in step, Erika visibly eager to start the match and humiliate that pesky auburn, Koume appearing rather uncertain, and the others keeping a good eye on their dear friend. Kuromorimine's spirits were mixed. Although a typically motivational address from their commander just before their departure filled them with good spirits, the same couldn't be said for the commander herself. Looking at her back, or from a distance, you could hardly make out any emotions that Maho was having, but a good look at her face would paint a vastly different picture of Shiho's pride and joy. With each passing step, her usual seriousness and stoicism was wearing away. Her lips were starting to quiver, her eyes beginning to twitch, her mind fighting an inner battle of self-control and utter excitement with the latter side gradually gaining the mastery, though self-control was still putting up a good fight. Maho's eyes were squinted at Ooarai, trying to make out which one of them was the one she was looking for. Each individual grew more identifiable the closer she got, their appearances more easily seen, until finally, she saw her.

MIHO! AT LAST!

It was nigh impossible for Maho to hold her peace at the sight of her beloved sister. For weeks she had never contacted her, unable to do so after the confiscation of her phone, and now, not only would she be able to speak to her once again, it would be face to face, something Maho wanted to do ever since their last such encounter at the cafe. Her heart rate accelerated to fast speeds, her pulse now beating harder than usual; beads of sweat were starting to form all over her body, her walking was speeding up to big strides, to the point of almost jogging, and her eyes were beginning to well with tears. It felt like it was the greatest day in her life, all negative thoughts being instantly banished from her mind from the utter joy of seeing Miho once again. It hadn't been too long a time, but to Maho, it had felt as if decades had passed since they last met because of the stress Maho had gone through since Miho's departure. Such was the great magnitude of euphoria that bore down on Maho that she almost fainted, her vision growing more blurry, unfocused, and dark, her pace gradually slowing because of her exhaustion, and her movements becoming more wobbly, inconsistent, and awkward, the utter happiness and joy she was feeling being unable to be processed in her mind from just how unspeakably glorious and abundant it all was.

Soon coming to, still on her feet and running towards Miho, her brain activated her adrenaline, and with full vigor and energy, Maho ran straight into the arms of Miho, her cap being carried away by the gusts of wind as she wrapped her arms around her, tightly embracing her and allowing the tears to flow freely from her eyes. Such was the force of her stride that both were knocked into the ground. Miho was surprised, but Maho didn't care at all, even with her face dirtied on the grass, she didn't lift it up from the ground, sobbing and crying, bellowing joyful cries of satisfaction and happiness, as if a chest full of despair, anxiety, depression, and anger were opened, every sob and jerk and cry releasing a portion of it into the dirt, never to occupy her again, being intensified as she felt the soft, warm feeling of a warm pair of arms being wrapped around her as well, and Miho's head brushing against her lovingly. Even as she felt being tugged by both Miho's teammates and her own. hearing the shouts and screams of struggle coming from them, she refused to let go, refusing to hear all their cries and threats, keeping her arms tightly wrapped around Miho, and it felt like Miho didn't want to let go either. It was a moment they wanted to cherish for eternity, and it felt so as both cried into each other's arms, sobbing and weeping over so much precious time to spend together, how much precious memories to retain in their minds had been lost.


The judges, who had been watching the entire affair happen before their eyes, were consumed by doubt and uncertainty as to how they should react. Not even Ami was acting, which prompted Kanon, arguably the most dedicated of the judges, to call for action.

"Ami-sensei, I think we should intervene."

"I agree with Kanon-dono, this may get rowdy!"

"Remi-dono is right, we can't risk the participants-"

Ami moved her hand to silence them, before pointing to the crews of both teams.

"Let the commanders be, but make sure the crews don't get involved any more in what's going on. This is something that I shouldn't disturb."

Immediately, all three judges began to blow their whistles and do their best to restore order, moving the crews away from the scene as the embrace on the ground continued. As for Ami, she still stood at her place, watching as her judges diligently did their work, and as Miho and Maho, separated for months ever since that disastrous match exactly one year before, were finally reunited. She allowed the scene to move her, considering everything these two had went through for a year, being separated for so long and being forced to attend different schools, and how much it meant for them to finally be reunited now, the rush of happiness and euphoria that was going through both sisters, and the thought of Miho's journey to this Finals match, a journey which she had helped kickstart, leading to this happy reunion, the happy aura was too much for Ami's stoic, composed self to bear.

Forming a smile, she allowed her tear-filled eyes to release their floodgates, a sentiment shared by her fellow judges as they, too, watched the happy scene.


Shiho watched the large screen from her completely isolated position as the two sisters joyfully met, Maho losing all sense of control and stoicism as she ran with all speed right into Miho's arms, causing the both of them to tumble into the ground. While she felt anger that they were both happy, instead of Maho treating her sister like she expected her to, with her signature coldness and uncaring attitude, there was some sense of softening, a softening she tried to resist, but felt unable to. For some reason, even if they were kilometers away, Shiho could feel some warm aura, a strange and unexplainable feeling of happiness as well. No matter what negative thoughts or Nishizumi things she tried to give supremacy in her mind, she was unable to drive off those happy thoughts, and the more she tried to get rid of those thoughts, the more exhausted her mind grew. And when someone's mind grows exhausted, certain things are bound to happen, and as Shiho's efforts began to wane, and her struggle going against her, no matter how much doctrine and teachings she recited repetitively in her mind or out loud, the sight of her happy daughters refused to leave her mind even when she closed her eyes, her mind began to wear out, and she heard voices calling out to her, calling her out on her life.

"What's with you, Shiho?"

"Trying to drive away happiness from your life, are you?"

"Why try to suppress what makes your life good, Shiho?"

"How's that Nishizumi doctrine helping you out? Bad, huh?"

Shiho, even when her mind was worn out, maintained her composure, replying softly, yet sternly against the voices in her head.

"Do not question me... my cause is just..."

"Is it? Is disowning your daughter for doing something good what you'd call 'just'?"

"Shame on you if you go through with this decision, you should be proud of Miho, not antagonistic."

"Imagine all the people who will turn their backs on you if you make that decision."

"She has dishonored me! And she is now dishonoring the family by following that monotheistic superstition!"

"It is illogical to ruin a girl's life for saving the lives of other girls."

"Not just a girl's life, your OWN DAUGHTER's life!"

"If anything, you are dishonoring your family name by doing this."

"Enough from you all... let me be at peace."

Shiho, feeling exhausted and weary, sat on the grass, hands rubbing her head, trying to push the voices away from her mind. She couldn't take them anymore. She felt ready to faint, and although water was nearby, she didn't seem to have the strength to go move to that water. Just when she thought it was over, thinking they had granted her request for silence, as she hadn't been spoken to in a while, they came back again, now with demands and conditions.

"You seek water?"

"Yes... but leave me alone."

"If you want your water, do not go through with your disownment."

"Reconcile with Miho and show her your true love for her."

"It is what a true, loving mother would do."

"You... and your nonsense..."

"Then your water will not be given you, if you are so hard-hearted."

"I will die... before I decide... to give that... dis-honorable brat... any sense... of mercy..."

"As you wish," said all voices in unison.

Shiho soon began to black out. Her vision failed, her mind shutting down, her surroundings disappearing and her awareness decreasing. Collapsing onto the grass below her, Shiho lay almost completely still as the sound of footsteps shuffling towards her and voices shouting grew faint and hushed.


All-Stars University

"This is it, Jouk... you still feeling bitter?"

"A bit, Hannes... but I'll try to manage."

While they spoke, cameras were filming the Sturmi crew for the big audience waiting to see the action as part of the pre-match coverage. What they said could be transmitted to where the large Leopold screen was broadcasting the footage, and played to the audience. Usually, it was to hear some of the opposing sides' strategies or plans for the match, to try to give the audience an idea of how the match could go to allow them to try to compare and contrast both sides' strategies, to hopefully get them excited to see how maneuver countered maneuver. Here, though, instead of finalizing or discussing strategy, Hannes went for a completely different topic altogether.

"Say, shall we sing a hymn before we fight this?"

Right before anyone else could give a suggestion, Lofstrom beat them to the punch.

"Ein feste Burg, of course."

Ein feste Burg, or "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" in English, the "Battle Hymn of the Reformation." Composed by the great Reformer, Martin Luther himself, it was composed shortly before the pivotal Imperial Diets of Spires and Augsburg in 1529 and 1530, respectively, that solidified the Reformation in Germany with the princes of Saxony, Brandenburg, Hesse, and others taking their stand with the Reformers, with the presentation of the Augsburg Confession taking place in the latter Diet. The hymn's text was paraphrased from Psalm 46, which described God as "our Refuge and Strength, a very present Help in trouble." And if there was such a message the Sturmi crew needed now, this was it. However, there were still some problems Frisell had to point out with this decision.

"If we sing that, it might be like we're singing against Shimada-dono, and that's the last person we want to offend here."

"Not to mention she's already considered helping Ooarai, we don't wanna ruin that proposition."

"Jouko-san, what say you, then?"

"We'll just sing it in Finnish, and pray we don't get found out."

So, naturally, without any other objections, and audible to the waiting audience which included the Head of the Shimada Style and many other legends, the crew began to sing the Battle Hymn of the Reformation in their native tongue.

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
our helper he, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe does seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing.
You ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he; Lord Sabaoth his name,
from age to age the same; and he must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God has willed his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him.

That Word above all earthly powers no thanks to them abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; the body they may kill:
God's truth abideth still; his kingdom is forever!


The sudden singing from the Sturmi crew surprised the spectators, not just because it was a tune they had never heard about before, but that they were also singing in some strange language. Naturally, everyone began to try to find answers.

"Shimada-dono, what song is that?"

"I wish I could know, Earl Grey, but unfortunately I do not."

"That song sounds rather familiar... if I can remember it..."

"Ekaterina-san, you know it?"

"I remember it from one of Mendelssohn's symphonies, Chiyo-sensei... just which one was it..."

"Symphony No. 5, the Reformations-Sinfonie," whispered a student next to her.

"Ah, right! Mendelssohn's Fifth! It uses the tune of 'Ein Feste Burg,' or, 'A Mighty Fortress,' composed by Martin Luther during the early days of the Protestant Reformation, around the 1520s or 30s."

"So that's what it is..."

"Ekaterina-san, you have an idea of the text?"

"I haven't seen the lyrics yet, I've just heard the music."

"I'll be sure to search it up later, I like the tune."

"Of course, Chiyo-sensei!"


"You think these Finns will be any problem for us, chief?"

"I'm positive, Chuzika-san. I've seen how they fight, and at the very least, it is somewhat concerning. This will definitely be harder than before."

"Even against the adults?"

"Maybe... I can't really describe how they do it..."

"Don't worry, Alice-sensei, we've fought and won countless battles, I'm sure we can win this one as well."

"I'm in agreement with Mizuzika-san. But, we must not underestimate them. Their style differs from opponents we have previously fought against."

"Does it really matter, though? Them Finns may be the best high school fighters on the planet, but we sure can give them a good fight!"

"We'll just fight it out. There aren't any stakes here, besides our reputation, possibly."

"Even if our reputation takes a hit, Alice-san, it will still be a fun match anyway."

"Especially since we'll have something different than the norm, as well as the fact it's apparent you're growing bored of our practice matches, anyways."

"Yeah... I hope. Chuzika, what time is it now?"

"Eleven forty-five A.M., commander. We better get going now."

"Okay. Mount up."

Within seconds, the crew were in their spots. After all the necessary actions had been done to activate the Centurion, Ruzuku pressed down on the accelerator, and with a rumble, the tank drove out of its hangar, heading for the center of the battlefield for the formalities. Alice's mind was usually on Boko during this period to pass the time, but on this particular journey, she couldn't stop thinking of her dream the previous night, the story of Easter as retold by her opponents and the profound effect it had on both her and her mother. She couldn't get it out of her mind, the vivid detail and accuracy of the dream of the Crucifixion which had happened exactly as the Sturmi crew had told her, only she was witness to it. She also pondered about that Man whom she had spoken to in the dream, the wounds matching exactly as described by the crew, and His apparent love not just for her, but all mankind. She still couldn't understand it all, finding it difficult to comprehend, and so immersed was Alice in her thoughts that she never realized that the Centurion had reached its destination. Her crew were waiting for her to give the order to dismount, but Alice's head was still bowed, deep in thought. Chuzika gently nudged Alice to let her know that they had arrived. Transported back to real life, Alice peered outside of her cupola, seeing the Sturmi crew waiting outside, and Chitose, the referee for the match, as Ami was off officiating the Finals.

"Disembark."

Climbing out of the Centurion, the crew quickly formed up behind Alice, which was mirrored by the Sturmi crew behind Jouko. The atmosphere was quite friendly, for as soon as the two teams met, they began to share some small talk, chuckling at a joke or a funny story, exchanging interesting tales of their pasts, and generally enjoying each other's warmth and liveliness. Even Lofstrom was warming up more than usual, and Chitose was also joining in on the fun. The casual conversations could've dragged on for hours, but Chitose was quickly reminded by Chiyo, through an earpiece, that she had to start the match, much to Chitose's mild disappointment. After engaging in some mild banter with Chiyo, she quickly got the two teams' attention, informing them that it was now time to begin the formalities. Checking her watch, it was 11:59am, meaning that the five-to-ten minutes or so of conversation caused the starting time to be pushed back to around 12:05pm. Embarrassed by this screw-up, Chitose, visibly sweating, quickly organized the two teams into their respective formations. As soon as the clock struck twelve, Chitose gave the order for both teams to bow.

"We wish you a good match!"

With that, both teams were dismissed, and sent back to their tanks, which drove off to their starting points to begin the match. Chitose, meanwhile, as she was walking to her judge's personal vehicle, was adjusting her collar and wiping the sweat off her face using a handkerchief, hoping Chiyo wouldn't be too upset with this minor error.


"...we commend our battle to Your hand, o Lord, to Thee alone be all glory, laud, and honor, amen."

"Amen," was the reply of the other three crew members.

"You sure you wanna sit with us, Frisell? You won't be doing anything except stare at metal or watch us in action."

"Better to be with the team than just sit with a bunch of people I don't know."

"Touche, then. Well, today's Easter Sunday. Everyone's listening to us right now, so, might as well send them the old greeting?"

"Of course! Gotta tell that good news after all!"

"I'm with both of you on this one."

"As am I."

"Alrighty."

Taking a deep breath, and seeing the small drones flying around her tank, microphones attached to them to broadcast the crew's dialogues, and with the other crew members popping out of their hatches to be able to belt it out as well, Jouko and company shouted out-in Japanese-the Paschal greeting, the joyous declaration that formed much, if not, THE basis of the Christian faith, a faith that many saints and martyrs had died believing and declaring, no matter what others had said or done to them. And since it was Easter Sunday, there was not a more appropriate time to say the greeting.

"Christ is risen from the dead!"

"INDEED, HE IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD!"

Once more, Jouko cried out the greeting, and once more, her crew returned the response.

"Christ is risen from the dead!"

"INDEED, HE IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD!"

A third and final time, the greeting was shouted aloud, and this time, Jouko gave this final cry her all.

"CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD!"

"INDEED! HE IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD!"

The moment the final word exited their mouths, the signal was given to begin the match, a white flare fired from a distant Bofors gun. Without wasting another moment, and caught up in the adrenaline of the moment, Jouko shouted out her next order.

"TANKKI, ETEENPÄIN!"

Hannes instantly slammed the accelerator, and with a jolt, the Sturmi bolted forward, charging directly at its opponent, who eagerly did the same. The duel had begun.


Tournament Finals

"Miporin, it's not worth it losing them!"

"Just go for it, Miho-san!"

Miho, however, was hesitant. Although she cared deeply for her friends, her fear of the rushing river seemed to overcome her. Although she was strapped to a harness connected to the Panzer IV, intending to connect it to Rabbit Team's M3 Lee to allow them to tug it to safety across the river, she remained uncertain of whether she would succeed in this effort, or die trying to. Memories of the year before were flooding back into her mind, and even when the time for action was beckoning her to save Rabbit Team, that same fear and anxiety of losing her two classmates in Kuromorimine caused her to resist this plan. Even with her crewmates calling to her to jump across the tanks and rescue the six girls, the trauma of her debacle at the previous Finals restrained her, almost to the point that she stood still as a statue, with her small breaths and her organs' functions being the only movements in her body. She was frozen by inaction and indecisiveness, even as she watched the M3 Lee slowly sinking, with its crew doomed to a similar fate as the two Kuromorimine students unless she acted. Yet she couldn't. She was deaf to her friends' pleas, and seemingly blind to her teammates' predicament. In a sudden moment, her mind beckoned her to pray. Without skipping a beat, she folded her hands, closed her eyes, and began muttering a prayer for help.

Suddenly, Miho was jolted by a strange voice. Time seemed to slow to a halt, and her surroundings were suddenly enshrouded by brightness. She couldn't hear the rushing water, or her teammates anymore. The voice called to her from... somewhere.

"Miho."

It wasn't Hana, or Saori, or Yukari, or anybody from the team for that matter. It didn't sound like Jouko either. It didn't even sound female.

"Miho, are you there?"

It was a man's voice. A voice that contained authority. Great authority.

"W-Who are you, where am I...?"

"That doesn't matter. What matters is what I'm going to ask you."

"Wh-what do you wish me to do?"

"Go save your friends."

"B-but... the water, and the-"

"You will be safe. I will make sure of that."

"But there's no way I can jump across the gaps between my tanks! I want to help, but... I'm afraid, for what if the water almost kills me again?"

"I will keep you safe. There is no need to fear when I am with you."

"Who are you anyways, why are you talking to me-"

"Miho, why doubt Him who has done countless wonders for you and many more?"

Miho was stunned, and all of a sudden, she felt dozens of memories and reminders rush to her mind at once. She remembered all the instances of similar episodes in the Bible, of many testimonies and stories Jouko had relayed to her containing the same or similar events. Realizing exactly Who it was that was speaking to her now, Miho instantly prostrated, overwhelmed with the sudden realization, and the powerful aura that accompanied that realization. She was speechless, unable to make a sound as the voice spoke again.

"Miho, I'm asking you again. Please, save your friends. I will be with you. I have helped you and your team in every match you fought in, and I'll be happy to help you now. You can reject Me, if you want. I won't be hard on you, and I'll respect your wishes. But, before you decide, I'll leave you with this:

Greater life hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

Miho was struck with the reminder of the verse that had caused her to commit to her action in the previous Finals, the action that had kickstarted a chain of events that had led her up to here. Now that she had to do it again, she was initially hesitant, even after the Voice had revealed Himself, but a final time, He spoke.

"Miho, you love them dearly, do you not?"

"I... I do..."

"Then do what is right, and save them. Be not afraid, for I am with you."

Feeling a sudden surge of comfort course through her, Miho rose to her feet, and with renewed confidence, proclaimed that she would go save Rabbit Team.

"I'll save them! I'll make sure that all will cross the river safely!"

In an instant, she was transported back to the match, at the exact time she had been whisked away from it. Invigorated and determined, and grasping the tow cable in her hand, she said a quick prayer, dashed forwards, and leaped to the next tank. To her surprise, her leap felt more powerful than usual, allowing her to comfortably cover the distance needed between the tanks. After a brief hesitation to compute this sudden discovery, Miho quickly snapped back to reality, making the next leap. Landing on the next tank, she leaped again, and again, sticking the landing every time, until she finally reached the M3 Lee. After confirming everyone was safe, she swiftly attached the tow cable. After accepting Rabbit Team's gratitude, Miho leaped back to the Panzer IV, making a safe landing. With the team under fire from Kuromorimine, who had just arrived and begun firing at them, Miho hastily shouted orders to start moving again while the turreted tanks provided covering fire. One by one, the tanks made it across the river, and as the M3 Lee reached the riverbed, Rabbit Team quickly restarted their engine, and got it running again.

As Ooarai made a safe and orderly withdrawal, a lull once again came over the battlefield. Amidst this silence, Miho, relieved and grateful, once more folded her hands in prayer, this time, to give thanks to the One Whom she knew had helped her. As Miho prayed, she could make out the same Man from before calling out to her.

"Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

This time, a sense of peace and accomplishment came over her, and Miho couldn't help but reply,"And thank you, Thou loving, patient, and wonderful God."

Saori, who had overheard Miho say this, raised the obvious question.

"Miporin... who exactly are you talking to?"

Hana interjected as well. "Yes, Miho-san, I hope you are not hallucinating right now, especially since we are in the middle of a decisive battle!"

Miho, flashing a smile to them both, replied,

"I'm just talking to my new, and permanent, Best Friend."

Miho looked towards the city that would be their final chance at victory. It was all or nothing now, but Miho had faith. Faith in a God that a year before she had despised. Faith in a God Whose Book she had defiled. And that faith was giving her confidence and hope like she had never seen before. She couldn't fully explain it, but there was something to it that gave her positivity no matter what. And she was going to trust that Being that she encountered earlier, as He had proved that He could help. Now, to win a battle everyone thought impossible, but a battle Miho knew that this God could win without breaking a sweat. A battle that, if the things she had read in the Bible were to be believed, were already decided long before it even began.


All-Stars

Jouko's eyes were dead set on the oncoming Centurion. It was driving furiously towards them, moving neither to the right or left, as if it wanted to fight this out like a joust. However, Jouko knew that Alice and her crew were full of surprises, and that she wouldn't be so "conventional" in her initial approach, so she gave a quick word of advice to Hannes.

"She's not diverting yet... I'll get ready to fire. Hannes, be ready for anything, and I mean anything."

"Affirmative."

The Centurion drew closer and closer, slowly, then rapidly increasing in size as both tanks rapidly closed the distance. Jouko prepared to fire, fingers slowly clenching the trigger, eyes dead set on her target, which was now in comfortable range to take a shot which she estimated was around 75 yards.

Suddenly, just as Jouko was pulling the trigger, the Centurion drifted to the Sturmi's left. The shell that was subsequently fired simply shot off aimlessly into the distance, landing and exploding in a place hundreds of meters off-target, counting another miss in Jouko's records. As soon as Hannes saw the Centurion starting to drift, instinctively and without warning, she abruptly stopped the tank, causing Jouko to lurch forward, and almost fall out of her seat, though she quickly recovered, settling back into it. Switching into reverse gear, Hannes slammed the accelerator, sending the tank shooting backwards, before turning the wheel to have it face the Centurion. Jouko, focus restored, once more took careful aim, and as soon as the Centurion was in her sights, fired a second shell. At the same time, the Centurion fired.

The Sturmi crew felt a hard impact, and the sound of crumbling concrete came with the usual ringing of metal. Once she had recovered, Jouko peered out of the cupola, trying to gather what damage had been caused both to her and to the Centurion. As the smoke cleared, she felt the tank start to move, which brought relief that they hadn't been knocked out, though it was evident that the Sturmi's concrete armor had once again cracked and shattered. What was also evident was the fact that the Centurion, too, was on the move, and as soon as Jouko heard the clunk of the shell being inserted into the chamber by Lofstrom, she shot back down and took aim once again, peering through her scope. The Centurion was turning its turret to its left, charging towards the Sturmi, while Hannes, switching the gear from reverse, got the Sturmi moving forwards, intending to do another joust. Jouko, however, realized what Alice was attempting to do, and without delay barked orders at Hannes, hoping she wasn't too late.

"Don't move forward! Reverse, reverse, reverse!"

"Alright, alright!"

Hannes, surprised by the sudden order, temporarily lost her composure, struggling to make the correct movements with her arm and fiddling it about the gearshift in a panic. But, after composing herself, she managed to grip the gearshift and swiftly switch the transmission back to reverse gear as the Centurion drove itself towards the Sturmi's left, its cannon pointed straight at them and turning to its left. It was getting dangerously close, and you could sense how close it was to firing. Bracing herself, Jouko prepared for the worst, closing her eyes and clenching the cannon's grip, hoping to avoid that shell, or at least get a light punishment from it.


Alice watched as the Sturmi began moving forward, surprised that they weren't seeing this move she was making, intending to use the Sturmi's disadvantage of not having a turret to her benefit. Meanwhile, Mizuzika had been getting ready to fire, ready to hit the Sturmi on its side, confident that its 76.2mm cannon would punch through the wood on its sides, and as soon as the Sturmi got in sight, she fired a shell. But the crew heard no explosion, at least, one they should've heard right next to them, which caught them off-guard, and when Alice looked outside her cupola, she didn't see the Sturmi right next to them, but instead saw an explosion in the far distance, an explosion which she was fully expecting to have happened mere feet away, and where the Sturmi was supposed to be, there was nothing but the vast expanse of the battlefield.

Just as Mizuzika had fired her shot, the Sturmi had begun reversing, moving backwards just in time for the shell to barely miss it by inches. Without hesitation, Chuzika loaded another shell, and Mizuzika began to turn the turret once more in order to bear on the Sturmi and get that match-winning hit. Ruzuku was maintaining the same speed as the Sturmi, intent on preventing it from escaping her sights again. Meanwhile, Mizuzika had gotten the turret turned appropriately to bear on the Sturmi, and was now preparing herself to try another shot at it. Clenching her fingers, and eyes dead set on the Sturmi, which suddenly stopped, she fired again, launching a shell right at it, confident in a hit, but likewise, heard no explosion. Only the sound of them passing by something. It was another miss, the Sturmi had once again evaded them. Easily frustrated in the heat of battle, Mizuzika let out a huff of understandable annoyance and frustration.

"These Finns are as good as we've seen on TV..."

"Don't worry about it, just stay focused and we'll win this, Onee-san."

"Right."

"Alice-san, where's the Sturmi now?"

Alice looked behind her to see the Sturmi making a drift to bear on the Centurion. They had clearly read her book.

"Behind us, Ruzuku-san. Turn us around and make us face towards them. We'll try to do the same maneuver we did earlier, with some changes, so be ready."

With Alice quickly transmitting these orders to Ruzuku, the Centurion broke its trajectory and drifted to face the Sturmi as a shell whooshed by them. Mizuzika began to turn the turret once more as the two tanks now faced each other, approaching in a joust, just like they had at the start of the match.

Ruzuku prepared once more for her commander's next orders as she got the tank charging towards their opponent, muscles ready to act accordingly. Just as the Sturmi was in front of her, Alice gave the order, and Ruzuku adjusted the levers accordingly, only to feel a sudden impact. The crew was shuddered, as if they had just hit a rather large rock, but quickly recovered and resumed their duties. The Sturmi had fired earlier than in the previous bout, but they had moved far enough so that the shell had no effect, other than stunt the speed of the Centurion. Ruzuku quickly got the tank moving again, knowing the Sturmi was going to try to shoot them in the back, but before the tank could regain its momentum, another shot hit them. It was a bit harder than the last one, which got them worried. Was it a knockout blow? Alice looked outside, seeing smoke, but when no white flag was visible, she let out a sigh of relief. That meant that they were still in the match, for now. Sitting back down in her seat, she ordered Ruzuku to have the Centurion run away. She wanted to see if the Sturmi would fall for this next move.


The stands were breathless as the fighting continued, silent enough to hear someone else's heartbeat. It had been less than five minutes, but some could sense that this could be the final act of this long-anticipated play. The two tanks danced around each other, dodging and eating shell after shell, trying to outsmart the other, only for the Sturmi to get two hits on the Centurion during a pass, two shells that came within the span of three or four seconds, something which impressed many of the students, and flabbergasted many more, and soon the previously-silent stands gave way to a mix of applause, most of which came from the loaders who were clearly amazed by the performance, dialogue and chatter to discuss what on earth had just happened there, and sounds of gasps and other sounds of shock and awe. Most had expected Alice to get a quick victory, yet the Sturmi was doing well in holding its own.

"How fast was that?!"

"I swear that reload was as fast as a heartbeat!"

"That loader's good, I'm telling you..."

Chiyo was watching as well, but her response was, as usual, more muted. She was already impressed that the Sturmi crew was still at it, but she had seen equally impressive actions before in matches past, even being the brains behind some of them, so this wasn't really anything new, but it was refreshing to see a team that, even though junior to everyone in All-Stars, was arguably at the same league as Alice or some of the top performing students at the University.

"Chiyo-sensei, their style seems very similar to yours, yet... what's so different about it?"

"It is evident that we share similarities, yes... but they seem to be more... shall we say... improvisatory, making up new ideas and maneuvers as they go along."

"'Improvisatory...' is that even a word...?" Ekaterina muttered under her breath.

"Look! The Sturmi is making a move!"

All eyes returned to the screen as the final chapter of the match began, just as the runtime had hit five minutes.


Tournament Finals

The final act of the tournament had finally arrived. The spectators were at the end of their seats, Shiho had recovered, back on her feet after being taken care of, subsequently missing through the match until the battle for the city had begun, and everyone's eyes were glued to what was about to happen.

Having made its way to the city, the battle had become a nightmare for Kuromorimine. On the field, they reigned supreme, their discipline and use of formation annihilating opponents and giving Ooarai little room to maneuver. But in the city, everything was densely packed together, and much harder to fight in, given how many streets, intersections, and junctions there were that could be used to ambush and surprise them. And Ooarai used that advantage to the full. Granted, Kuromorimine's Maus had almost obliterated their chances of winning, but teamwork, as well as a good old suicide attack, gave it the death blow, and now, the stage was set for a final showdown. All but two of Ooarai's tanks had been destroyed: the Panzer IV, and the Tiger (P). Miho had a plan that had high stakes, but if successful, would win the entire tournament and save everything. It was all or nothing, but Miho was committed to this plan, and so was Leopon Team.

Evading Kuromorimine's forces and chasing Maho's Tiger down the streets of the abandoned city, Miho arrived at an abandoned complex which only had one entryway. Leopon, who had been chased by the rest of Kuromorimine, rendezvoused with Miho, and with perfect timing, drove into the entryway just as Miho and Maho passed through it, blocking the way to the inside of the compound. Making its stand, Leopon fired back at Kuromorimine's tanks, knocking out several of them while simultaneously taking a number of hard hits, but due to its armor, it withstood its punishment longer than Erika would've hoped. But the main focus of the battle was shifted to the inside of the compound, where the two sisters were battling it out through the streets and alleyways of the compound. Shell after shell passed through the openings between the buildings, but none of them hit anything else except the buildings, missing their intended targets, some by inches. Maho was focused on Miho, but her intentions were not to knock her out, for she had several good opportunities to land that knockout blow, but reasons only she and her crew knew, never took them.

Maho breathed a sigh of relief as each of her shells missed Miho, but also a sigh of frustration every time Miho missed hers. Unbeknownst to her mother and the rest of Kuromorimine, she wanted Miho to knock her out and win, but she didn't want to make it too obvious, and she was hoping everyone else watching far away was buying that. She wanted Miho to win, and she knew Miho had to win, and she was not going to let her mother ruin everything for her again. It had been too long of a time that Maho and Miho met, and Maho was not willing to undergo that time of trouble again. She knew that even if she were kicked out, it was miles better to be with Miho than with her mother, though she still held some hopes that a compromise could somehow be achieved in some way. But Maho had to put those worries aside, for the match was more important.

Arriving at a point in the compound, an open square with a stone pillar at its center, the two tanks faced each other, pausing in this brief lull, a lull which Maho used to talk to Miho one last time, before the final bout. Eyes locked with her sister, Maho readied herself for what Miho might have in her head, while at the same time hoping that Erika could take longer to get there, as she had just beaten Leopon and knocked them out, and was making her way to the courtyard to support their commander, and knock out Ooarai's flag tank. Maho watched as the Panzer IV rolled forward, accelerating and moving to her right. Maho, knowing Miho's intentions, rotated the Tiger to keep facing the Panzer. A shot from Miho glanced the Tiger, to which Maho responded with a shot of her own, which tore some of the Schurtzen off of the Panzer. This did not deter it, but instead, it began to drift. It was here that Maho gave her next orders, this time to her gunner.

"Start turning the cannon so that you bear on the Panzer, but stop and fire at my signal."

Both the tank and its turret rotated, keeping up with the Panzer as it drifted around them. Maho's eyes and mind were focused, hoping to fire at the appropriate moment. The Panzer drifted closer and closer, its tracks being ripped off from the stress of the drift, and more of its Schurtzen torn off. Grinding to a halt exactly at the Tiger's rear, the Panzer was fair game. The turret was still turning, but when the gunner was supposed to fire, Maho waited half a second longer, then gave the order. At the exact same moment, the Panzer IV fired its shot, straight into the rear of the Tiger, shaking Maho somewhat, almost causing her to lose her balance. A terrific explosion temporarily blinded her, followed by choking, thick black smoke that temporarily obscured the view. The impact was hard, and to Maho's relief, the distinct sound of a white flag emerging from one of her hatches greeted her ears. But her relief wasn't complete yet, for she needed to make sure Miho had escaped unharmed. Erika and the others were close by, and ready to support their commander, but were stopped when they saw both tanks fire. All that was needed was for the smoke to clear, to confirm Maho's hopes.

For an agonizing nine seconds, Maho watched with bated breath as the smoke dissipated, hoping, praying that her shot missed as she intended, that Miho had managed to get that knockout hit and survive. Maho's worried face transformed into one of happiness, as anxiety to give way to absolute relief. Miho's Panzer had ended up suffering superficial damage to its right corner, mangling some of the armor, but, thankfully, not enough to knock it out of the fight. As her eyes turned from the damage, hearing the distinct squeak and sounds of the white flag being activated next to her with her ears, Maho's eyes rested on Miho, nervously peeking over the cupola, only the upper half of her face visible. Finding enjoyment in seeing this cute moment from Miho, Maho flashed a smile of satisfaction, relief, and amusement, not minding the white flag fluttering next to her, or the celebrations that erupted from the Panzer IV, or Erika's subsequent shouting and ruckus, for she didn't care about any of those things now.

Kuromorimine may have suffered a second consecutive defeat, but to Maho, it was the biggest victory she had won in her whole life. And what was more, she saw Miho happy. Like it was always meant to be. Emboldened to leave her tank, Maho jumped onto the Panzer IV, and in full view of everyone, once more hugged Miho, and this time, Anglerfish joined Miho in returning the gesture. Even Erika was dumbfounded, and silenced by it. Many tears of joy were shed in that compound, and Miho and Maho, by far, shed the most. Maho didn't consider this a humiliation. With Miho, it was a dual victory, and one that they desperately needed.


Miles away, Shiho watched the celebrations. She didn't know what to feel now. Should she feel anger that Kuromorimine's reputation was further tarnished by this loss to a no-name school? Should she feel resentment towards Miho for facilitating this defeat? Or should there be admiration, a sense of redemption on Miho's part, that she had found her own Sensha-do? The thoughts of those voices from earlier were still fresh in her mind, but now, she considered them, rather than contended with them. A concrete opinion hadn't been formulated, and she was still struggling to come up with one. But, at the end of the day, Miho had stunned the world, and being a Nishizumi, was bound to attract positive attention and feedback, people singing the praises of Miho, the Nishizumi who defied all odds to win something thought impossible for a school like Ooarai to win. And in the end, Shiho wanted nothing but the Nishizumi family to be elevated in prestige, and with Miho proving herself against Maho, Shiho considered that maybe it would be best to not disinherit Miho, though all these controversies and problems in her mind would have to be dealt with later. Now, was the time to give Miho that which she truly deserved.

Shiho was never present at the stands when the champions' flag was awarded, but standing far away at a distant hill, she couldn't help but give her applause as well, smiling with satisfaction at the redemption of her younger child, though still troubled by what on earth she was going to have to do now.


All-Stars

"Lofstrom!"

"Loaded."

"Firing!"

With a bang, the cannon roared to life once more. But just before the shell could meet its mark, the Centurion moved out of the way, and seemed to start making a run for it, turning its turret around. Hannes immediately gave chase, intent on running it to the ground as Lofstrom punched in another shell. Jouko took careful aim as usual, calculating her shot, but just before she could fire, the Centurion fired, prompting Hannes to quickly move aside to avoid impact. The shell nicked the logs to the side, causing the Sturmi's speed to stunt somewhat, but it didn't take long to recover, though the distance between the two tanks had increased. Recollecting herself from the impact, Jouko prepared herself to fire the cannon once more.

"Loaded."

"Firing!"

Another powerful burst from the cannon sent a 75-millimeter shell shooting straight towards the Centurion. Jouko fully expected a good hit, but at the last possible moment, the Centurion turned slightly, and the sudden angle caused the shell to ricochet. But the turn diverted the Centurion's path in the process, allowing the Sturmi to close the distance. Jouko was impressed by that reaction time, temporarily distracting her from the match to grasp what just happened, but a couple of seconds later, she came back to her senses, just in time for Lofstrom to finish loading another shell.

"Loaded."

"Firing- wait... is it..."

Just before Jouko could clench her fingers, the Centurion suddenly started to grow in size, enlarging itself faster and faster as the distance suddenly closed rapidly, and the full proportions were more visible than several seconds before. Jouko, realizing Alice's intentions, gave Hannes her orders as fast as she could.

"HANNES! DRIFT!"

Without hesitation, Hannes turned the steering wheel all the way to the left as fast as she could, twirling it with her right hand, and setting the Sturmi on a drift. Jouko's eyes were glued to her gunner's visor, not minding the sudden turning about of the tank, muscles ready to pull the trigger once the Centurion came into view. Seconds that felt like eons passed with no sign of the Centurion, but Jouko retained her anticipation, staying ready to fire, eyes peeled for that distinct shade of light green at any point in time.

As soon as the colors abruptly changed, Jouko's fingers pulled the trigger.

At the same time, the Centurion fired.


The stands collectively squinted to see the results of the match through the screens, waiting with bated breath for the smoke to dissipate. The Bermuda Trio, especially Rumi, were pushing for the smoke to dissipate faster, while Chiyo appeared very patient, while the other students, like Earl Grey and Ekaterina, couldn't help but wonder who had won. That answer would come seconds later, as the smoke became more and more transparent, revealing the remains of both tanks, unveiling their damage and impact sites, showing both of them wrecked and badly hit. But what caught the attention of the audience was the moment both white flags emerged from their hatches. They emerged at the exact same moment, which got the previously-silent crowd in a flurry of chattering and discussion. Who had won? Who had lost? Would there be a draw? These questions were on everyone's tongues as they, along with it, discussed the match. No celebrations or reactions to either scenario were heard, only talking, conversation, and otherwise silence.

"Chiyo-sensei, who do you think won?"

"Well, Earl Grey-san, my money's on the Sturmi crew, they really put up a good fight."

"Oh, come on, Ekaterina-san, at least give some support to Alice-san!"

"Sorry, Megumi-san, but as a former student of Continuation I am compelled to support my former subordinates."

"You should be proud of them, Rumi-san, you got a good bunch of foreigners to add to your school. Meanwhile... mine was cursed with the most insufferable people I've ever seen..."

"Don't mind it, Azumi-san, at least you're free of those divisions now."

"Yeah, but back to Chiyo-sensei."

Chiyo was still gazing at the screen, watching the two teams meet and converse, while Chitose arrived to gather their input. A couple of minutes later, Chitose gave a signal, and began to speak into her microphone, attached to the speakers.

"PER THE AGREEMENT OF BOTH CREWS, IT HAS BEEN DECIDED THAT THE MATCH HAS ENDED IN A DRAW!"

A mix of groans, cheers, and applause was heard throughout the stands. Some were amazed by the spectacle, like Earl Grey, others disappointed that neither side won, like Ekaterina and Rumi, and others content with the results, like Megumi and Azumi, happy that neither side lost, even if neither side won. As for Chiyo, she gently clapped her hands as well, pleased with the performance from both sides, and a great display of Sensha-do.


The shell's impact rocked the Centurion, throwing everyone inside off their seats. Once the ringing died down, Alice staggered back onto her seat, and took a glimpse outside the cupola. Ruzuku was trying to re-activate the engine as fast as she could, only to receive no response, which they knew only meant one thing. The crew's suspicions were confirmed once they exited the tank. Alice was the first to see it: the small white flag fluttering next to the hatch, the dreaded signal of defeat. Taking a glimpse at the Sturmi, however, quickly changed their mood, for it, too, flew a white flag. Jouko was also sticking out of her cupola, and the two locked eyes. Both knew what these circumstances meant, Alice from knowledge of the rules, and Jouko from her experience one year before: unless they agreed otherwise, the judge would have to review the footage to the minutest frame in order to determine which tank had gone down first. And for Jouko, she was not willing to stress herself out waiting for the match results like that match against Saunders. So, just as the referee, Chitose, arrived at the scene to determine the commanders' wishes, Jouko, who had been watching Chitose arrive beforehand, turned to Alice, and shouted a single word:

"Draw?"

Alice, already impressed by the Sturmi crew's ability to counter her every move and ability to hold their own against her, disagreed, but not to what conclusion Jouko was expecting.

"Of course not! I'll have you win!"

Jouko, ever the humble girl, didn't want a victory from this, so gave her own counter.

"No, no! You fought well, you deserve the win, or we can do a draw! Draw is the best compromise!"

"But don't you want to win? I mean, it is a big honor to beat me!"

"No, I don't mind! You can have the win if you'd like!"

Alice, getting the memo that Jouko was happy to relinquish a victory in favor of defeat or a draw, and not wanting to disappoint either side too much, smiled at Jouko, and agreed to settle the match as a draw. Climbing fully out of their respective tanks, both crews met each other on the ground, exchanging handshakes, pats on the back, words of encouragement, and compliments, talking about their stories in the match, and joking about how Frisell did basically nothing the entire time, to which the subject took no offense, sharing a good laugh with the others. After a while, Jouko and Alice told Chitose of their decision to declare the match a draw, and watched as the signal was given to play the appropriate animation for the big screens situated miles away, letting the audience know of the result. After that, they waited patiently for the transportation vehicles to arrive to take them back to their hangars, still engaged in blissful conversation for the rest of the journey, with Alice in particular inquiring Jouko into more of what Finland was like, but moreso what Christianity was.

"So... there's snow, a lot of forest, everyone is big, what else?"

"Well, since you're interested in my religion, Christianity, we're mostly Lutheran, that is, those who follow the teachings of a German priest called Martin Luther."

"Martin Luther... I read of him in my textbook, he was the one who started what is called the 'Protestant Reformation', right?"

"The same."

"What more do you know about him? Was he good? Was he bad?"

"Some of his beliefs... well... are disputable, to be the most generous. But, he is the man who kickstarted the biggest religious divide since 1054 AD."

"Religious divide? 1054 AD?"

"Oh, that's when Catholics and Eastern Orthodox split. You can find churches of both those denominations in Tokyo and everywhere else in Japan, though you'll see a lot more Catholic than Orthodox."

"Denominations? What are those?"

"In a nutshell, denominations are, you can say, different forms of Christianity which have differing interpretations of Scripture."

"So, they're like mini-religions?"

"Not really. They're just parts of the overall single religion. A few denominations I can remember are the Catholics and Orthodox, which I mentioned earlier, Lutherans, hello, me, Reformed, which is Lutheranism with some major differences, Baptists, and a few other denominations in Africa which compose the Oriental Orthodox, that's all I know so far."

"That's... a lot... Why so many? I mean, you all have one Book, surely that's what should define your faith."

"Well, that's where the word 'interpretation' comes into play. This denomination has one certain interpretation of the Bible, this denomination has a different interpretation. Some compromise, but overall, we hold to, more or less, the same doctrines and beliefs."

"Wait until you get into the heavy theological stuff, it's a lot to take in!" Hannes interjected.


The crews continued to engage in conversation as they were driven back to the hangars, with Alice asking questions and receiving whatever answers Jouko could give her, showing an increased interest in Jouko's Christianity. But the conversation inevitably had to be shut down as they finally arrived at the hangars, greeted by hundreds and thousands of thronging students, excited to see the combatants of the match, and singing and chanting the praises of both crews. There was a sizeable amount of pushing and shoving as both crews tried to maneuver through the sea of students around them, trying to get to a private place to get some much-needed rest. It took a few well-bodied students to escort the two crews, who struggled to speak to one another given the deafening commotion around them, they couldn't even meet Chiyo or Rumi or anybody else because of the size of the crowd. It took a sneaking into the Headmistress' personal vehicle to get them out of the hangars, the driver speeding away before the crowds could catch them, transporting them to the dormitories, where they quickly made their way to the Sturmi crew's room and secured themselves there, allowing everyone to finally breath a sigh of relief.

"Say... how did the Finals go?"

"The Finals! Of course! Somebody, get the remote!"

"Yeah, Ruzuku-san, turn the TV on, I'm sure it's still going!"

"On it, Mizuzika-san!"

"Quick! We can't miss this!"

Ruzuku grabbed the remote and switched the channel to where it was covering the Finals match, Kuromorimine vs. Ooarai. The Sturmi crew, previously exhausted from the match, had their energy instantly restored as they sat in rapt attention, eyes glued to the screen, especially Jouko, rooting for Ooarai as they battled the most powerful school in Sensha-do. Both crews watched mostly in silence, too overcome by tenseness and fear to give any sort of reactions or sounds of support, or, in the case of Alice and the Centurion crew, quietly observing Ooarai, and wanting to know how they had gotten to this point in the tournament. They watched together as Ooarai's flag tank was nearly knocked out, only to be saved by the accidental reversing of one of their tanks, Miho's rescue of Rabbit Team, which undoubtedly made Jouko proud, and finally, the hair-raising final duel between the two sisters, and the Tiger (P)'s final stand. The room was absolutely silent as both flag tanks fired on each other, and the scene became obscured with smoke. The rest of Kuromorimine was about to round the corner, stopping just short of the turn to verify the result, and whether they had been defeated, or were victorious.

As the smoke cleared, the judge gave the announcement of the results. Certain vague white pixels were visible on the Tiger I, while the Panzer IV had no such features. That only meant one thing, that Kuromorimine had been knocked out, and that was confirmed by the subsequent announcement.

"Kuromorimine's flag tank has been immobilized! Ooarai Girls' Academy is victorious!"

The collective mood of the Centurion crew was impression and amazement, erupting into light applause out of respect for the underdogs, while the Sturmi crew collectively sighed in relief, offering thankful prayers and praises to God for this amazing victory. Jouko knew how high the stakes were that Miho was taking a risk with, and had been up against for the past several weeks, and the relief that she felt that she had managed to do what seemed impossible was immeasurable, even more than the other Sturmi crew members. She couldn't wait to talk to Miho after this, wishing so much to know how Miho felt and thought during the match, and how she had won against her sister, but knew that she would have to wait until the next day, as Miho was still going to participate in the closing ceremony and parade back to Ooarai the morning after. Nevertheless, it was the best news Jouko had received in a long time, and she couldn't help but keep saying "Thank you" in her prayers.

The festive mood was brought to an abrupt halt, however, when Jouko's phone suddenly began to ring. Excusing herself to the bathroom, she checked who was calling, and found it was Linder. Quickly answering the phone, Jouko heard the sense of defeat in Linder's voice, and, remembering what state she had left Continuation in, expected that news which she had been fearing the most.

"Jouko... it pains me to tell you... that... we got a new tank."


JGSDF East Fuji Maneuver Area

"There's a few minutes left, Nishizumi-dono. We'd better get ready to go."

"I know... just-"

Miho's trance was broken by the sight of a distant jeep driving towards her. It bore the insignia of Kuromorimine. Recognizing a distinct brown-haired girl in one of the vehicle's seats, Miho immediately began to run towards it, leaving Yukari and her team in the dust, trying to catch up to her, as they noticed their victorious commander having left them. It didn't take long for Miho to catch up. The vehicle slowly ground to a halt, and moments later, out jumped Maho, running towards her dear sister for yet another embrace. The two collided and tumbled onto the ground, happy to be in each other's arms once more, laughing heartily and shedding more tears. After recovering and standing back on their feet, they began to walk around, talking and sharing a longed-for moment with each other.

"...So, you've really done it..."

"I have... and I'm happy!"

"You should be. Your team really improved from over a month ago."

"I know, I couldn't have done it without their cooperation..."

"Your leadership..."

"Yes, that as well... and... um..." Miho was visibly blushing, worried and anxious over what to say next.

"Miho, are you alright?"

"Y...yes... I am..."

"You look afraid. Do you need to tell me something?"

"N...not really..."

"Miho, come on, I know this attitude. You're hiding something, aren't you?"

"N-no! I'm-"

"Just tell me, Miho, I won't get mad or judgmental, I promise that."

Wrapping her arm around Miho and rubbing her shoulder, Maho reassured her sister that she was in safe ears, and motioned for her to relax, to calm herself, and just let out what she needed to let out. Taking a few deep breaths, Miho looked at her sister, exchanged smiles of reassurance, and continued.

"During the match, when we were crossing the river and Rabbit Team was stuck... I don't know if I passed out, or something, but everything just went completely white for me, as if I was dragged to a different dimension... and there was this Man who was complete light, and He was telling me to rescue them, because I was frozen scared at the time. I was scared at first, but He kept telling me that all would be well, as long as I trusted Him. So, I did, I was 'transported' back to here, and... later, the Man's voice congratulated me, telling me I had done well, so... I thanked Him back."

Maho, her mood transformed into a state of surprise, and a mix of worry, didn't take long to respond.

"Miho... did you encounter one of the kami...? I mean... you haven't been diagnosed with schizophrenia, or anything similar to that, and your last checkup was right before last year's finals!"

Miho's heart now began to beat, knowing that the answer she was about to give could very well end the relationship right then and there. Caught in the stress of the moment, her mind unable to properly remember her previous lessons, Miho tried to lie her way out of it.

"Y-yeah... it was... uh... one of the kami! I-"

Maho saw through it.

"Are you sure? Your face seems like it's hiding something again..."

"I-I promise, Onee-chan! It's-"

"Miho... did you already forget what I told you earlier?"

"Y... Sorry..."

"Don't worry about telling me, Miho. I'm not Okaa-san, far from it."

Miho nodded, and with a sense of fear, began to let her heart out.

"I don't believe in kami anymore, Onee-chan... I spoke... I spoke..."

"To God, yes, I know Him."

"Y-You do?"

"Jouko-san told me of Him weeks ago, and He just clicked into my mind after you said you don't believe in the kami anymore."

"Y...yeah... He was the One I talked to during the match..."

Maho took a while to fully process Miho's testimony. Taking a deep breath, unable to really give a response that wouldn't hurt Miho, she simply nodded to show she had heard, and, smiling once more, wrapped her arms around her sister in a tight embrace once more. Miho happily did the same, and the two stood silently, interlocked with one another as their respective teams began to surround them, looking on with affection, and the sun set in the far distance, marking the end of not just the tournament, but the final blow to Kuromorimine's reign, and the beginning of Ooarai's return to Sensha-do.


Author's Note: Sorry to have kept you all waiting, school really brought out the big guns in the fourth quarter, giving me lots of work and stress that I didn't have much motivation to write, as well as manually migrating this entire fanfic into AO3, in order to make sure I don't lose all this hard work. But, with school done with, finally, I'm free at last, I was able to spend the last 4 days mashing my keyboard and getting this chapter done and dusted, and after a month of waiting, chapter 15 is complete!

Given how fried my brain is, the writing isn't good in several parts, sometimes its muddled and wandering into Wattpad-level writing (sorry Wattpad fans), but I tried my best, maybe I'll come back at a later time and make a few re-edits, who knows. But for now, we have a new chapter, and I hope you'll enjoy it. Peace be with you all, and for you Catholics out there, since this is June, happy Sacred Heart Month!

(By the way, I know I mentioned this before, but please don't forget to give florentinomain00f's works a read, he's a very talented writer who I've been interacting with over the past couple of months, and he's a very nice fellow and a wonderful writer, so both of us, especially florentino, would love if you gave his fanfic, Boots on the Ground, a review and some kudos, he deserves it a lot for his amazing work; he also posts on FFN, so be sure to check him work out there as well)

Until next time, Panzer vor!


Next time: Ooarai celebrates a hard-earned victory, Miho makes the biggest decision of her life, the Nishizumis deal with the aftermath of hte tournament, and Jouko and company leave All-Stars to a turbulent scene at Continuation.