All-Stars University

"The practice match will begin in thirty seconds! Ensure all components of your tanks are activated and prepared!"

Switches were flipped, knobs were turned, and levers were pulled as both teams began to bring their individual tanks to life in preparation for the start of the first practice match of the day. This match would be one of only three practice matches for the day. This match was taking just after breakfast, and the next ones would be after lunch and after an earlier dinner, respectively. Normally, there was supposed to only be one practice round per day, but considering the fact that their next match was tomorrow, and they had visitors who were going to fight with them, it was necessary to give them an opportunity to learn and get well-acquainted with the team as much as possible, otherwise they wouldn't perform as well, due to being unfamiliar with the All-Stars style of fighting. The battlefield, a mix of hilly terrain, flat grounds, and forests, one of three fields owned by the university, the others being desert and a special grounds where it snowed and proved perfect for snow combat, suited the Sturmi's crew, who, although best at operating in the snow, were also masters of these grassy, green fields. A large portion of the school had shown up to spectate, joined by their Headmistress. Alice, too, was on the field, this time fighting alongside Jouko in order to give her less of a burden, as the Bermuda Trio on the opposing team, and they could pack a deadly punch on a massive team, even if by themselves. In the moments preceding the match, the Sturmi crew were getting themselves ready, though it was evident that, with new, unfamiliar opponents, they were going to be in for a different, far different style of fighting than before.

"You think we got this, Jouko?"

"Don't worry, Frisell, if we can fight Alice to a draw, the others won't be too much of a problem."

"You never know, man... besides, we're dealing with people who have ten times the skill as the high schoolers do! Don'tcha think this'll be a lot harder than during the tournaments?"

"Match begins in fifteen seconds! Start your engines!"

The roar of over a dozen tanks starting their engines at the same time was deafening, to the point that the other side could hear it from where they were once the sounds of their own dozen-tank roar had subsided.

"Yikes... that's loud... As I was saying, not to mention the fact, Hanny, we know almost nobody here. For all we know, their whole team is probably composed of snipers."

"It's fine, Lofstrom. Plus, Alice gave us free reign to do whatever we want, since she probably knows that's our specialty."

"Five... four..."

"Alrighty, then... let's do this."

"...three... two... one! Panzer vor!"

In an instant, two groups of fifteen tanks each began hurdling towards one another, the sounds of rumbling engines ringing throughout the air as the ground shook beneath them. Almost immediately, the Sturmi diverted away from the main group, accelerating and moving to the right to act as, at the very least, a distraction to disrupt the enemy formation to allow for the others to take advantage and work their magic. Alice, however, was staying behind with another tank as the others advanced. Being a more strategically-minded person, she would only get involved if the numbers and circumstances demanded she shift to a more tactical mindset, a stark contrast to the "get-in-and-get-dirty" style that was the Saariselka Style. However, it was quickly proven which was the safer approach, for as the Sturmi rumbled towards the enemy's flank, moving along the edge of the battlefield's forest, three tanks from the enemy team diverted to meet it. Peering through her scope, Jouko could see markings that distinguished the three tanks from the others. One of the tanks had a yellow diamond on its turret, another a blue triangle, and the last a red square. No other tanks bore such markings, leading Jouko to deduce that this must be the Bermuda Trio that Alice and everyone else at the university had talked about. They had a fearsome reputation, to say the least, but then again, the Sturmi crew had just fought the best tank commander to a draw, so this probably wouldn't be as bad. If it was a fight they wanted, it was one they were gonna get.

"Get ready for anything, Hannes!"

"Reflexes are more than ready, captain!"

Jouko kept a steady gaze on her opponents as she got her fingers ready on the cannon's trigger, Hannes accelerating as the distance between the Sturmi and the Bermuda trio rapidly closes in. However, Jouko has found a shot. Identifying the red square as her first target, she prepares to fire, confident in a hit, but just as she is about to jerk the trigger, the three tanks, like a blooming flower, split off in multiple directions, beginning their fearsome Bermuda Attack. The tank with the blue triangle performs a drift, maneuvering to a position right in front of the Sturmi in order to throw it off-balance, and it forces Hannes to slam the brakes. But Jouko, having recovered from the initial shock of what just happened, pulls the trigger as soon as the tank is in her sights. One large explosion later, and Rumi is knocked out of the match. There's no time for celebration, however, as the other two tanks settle from the drifts, and have their guns trained on the Sturmi's rear. Hannes slams the accelerator, turns the Sturmi to the left, and manages to evade the oncoming shells, one ricocheting off of the tank's left side. Performing a wide turn, the Sturmi once more faces its remaining adversaries, who were now winded by this sudden reversal of their fortunes, but forming back up to try another approach. Although they remained a clear and present danger, it was clear that Jouko had managed to mess up their plans at least a bit, and with one down and two left, this encounter would hopefully be a lot less difficult, though with this bunch, it was easier said than done.

The Sturmi again charged forward in another pass, as did its two opposing tanks, though for the Sturmi, this was effectively suicide, as one couldn't expect to win a head-on, one-on-one attack against two tanks. However, Jouko and Hannes swiftly devised a plan, and didn't hesitate to put it into action. Just as it seemed the tanks would fire, Hannes turned the tank to the left right as the two enemies fired, barely missing their target, before switching to reverse and reversing to the right, making the Sturmi once again face their opponents, before switching back to drive and charging forward at high speeds, completing the classic three-point turn. The two tanks, which had shot past the Sturmi, had been caught off-guard by this maneuver, and were in the process of turning around to try and go for another pass when the Sturmi barreled in, knocking out the tank with the red square with relative ease. The yellow-diamond tank, having witnessed both its colleagues get knocked out in somewhat quick succession, probably seeing that it wasn't worth fighting this, attempted a getaway, hoping to make it back to friendly lines to stand a better chance. However, Jouko wasn't going to let them get away so easily, and pushing Hannes to the limit, sent the Sturmi shooting relentlessly towards the remaining tank, which was turning its turret in an attempt to fire back and hopefully score a knockout blow on the Sturmi, but just before it could get its sights on the white-colored vehicle...

*BANG!*

And just like that, the Bermuda Trio, All-Stars' best crews outside of Alice, had all fallen victim to the Saariselka Style.

"This is Frisell, we've knocked out the Bermuda Trio! We're coming to reinforce you now!"

"Woah..."

Alice was pleasantly surprised at how quickly and efficiently the Sturmi had eliminated the Bermuda Trio. Smiling as she had observed the match, including the entire encounter between the Sturmi and the Trio, from her position, she decided that, thanks to the enemy having their best tanks now be knocked out, it was time to join the battle in person and finish off the remaining enemy tanks, as there was no longer any hope of victory for their side. Joining forces with the Sturmi, the two engaged the enemy. With two powerhouses teaming up together, there was no conceivable way the enemy could win now, and it wasn't long before they were all knocked out, the match ending in a complete victory for Alice's team, though it hadn't come without its fair share of losses, that being four tanks, most of which were lost int he opening salvos of the battle. Still, it was another great showing for the Sturmi crew, who had once more proven its remarkable talent in this art of the tank, in front of the best of the best tankers of the art, no less. Although there were the usually jealous crew members here and there, either envious that they would never meet the skill level these girls had, or their perceptions of being some of the best tankers in Sensha-do being shattered, the general consensus was that this Sturmi crew was just on a whole other level, a force not to be reckoned with, and that any who tried to mess with them wouldn't be coming out of that engagement alive.

"Well, that was pretty... uh..."

"Nah, one wrong move and it would've been all over for us, Luffy."

"Come on, Han, you gotta admit they weren't seeing that coming."

"Really? I mean... it was just a standard three-point turn..."

"Since when did tanks ever do three-point turns in open field combat?"

"Yeah, I suppose you're right."

"Uhh... hate to break the conversation, but... ahead of us?"

"Frissy? Oh."

"Oh, no, not this again..."

Returning to the hangars, Jouko and company were almost immediately met with a swarm of hundreds of fangirly All-Stars students, the screams reaching peak-Beatlemania levels of loud to the point that even if Jouko covered her ears or put on the most effective noise-cancelling earphones, she could still hear them clearly. Under threat of being mobbed or crushed to death should their feet touch the floor, and with the crowd surging forward and climbing their vehicle, and with there being no security to escort them, they didn't see any other option but to use the crowd itself to get out, and, as risky and disrespectful this would be, they didn't have any other choice. After spending a couple seconds cleaning the soles of their shoes to as squeaky clean as they could get them, the four began to run on TOP of the heads and shoulders of the students, screaming apologies profusely as they ruffled the hair or stained the uniform of whatever girl had the misfortune of being stepped on by the four crew members. So thick was the crowd that it was pretty easy to walk on top of them, and once they had managed to reach one of the exits that wasn't being swarmed, the four friends, running for their lives, sprinted as fast as possible to the dormitories which weren't too far away, with an army of screaming fangirls following them. Pushing themselves to the limit, the four managed to outrun the army following them, before locking themselves up in their room, just before one of their followers was able to grip the handle and open the door.

"Hahh! Man… never doing that again."

"I need water… but I'll lie down first…"

"Lofstrom! Not… not on the floor…"

"You think I have strength left, Friss? A little dirt… never hurt anyone…"

"Same… I'll take the floor…"

"Jouko…! Not you... too…"

Panting and sweating beyond control, taking dozens of deep breaths every minute to refresh their lungs as the chaotic situation outside continued to disrupt the atmosphere inside of the room, the four friends either leaned against the wall or dropped onto the floor to get their much-needed rest at the first opportunity. After a while, deciding not to take any risks with having what happened to them a few weeks ago happen again, they got up, with some difficulty thanks to their exhaustion, grabbed towels from their suitcases, and quickly dried themselves up, some like Lofstrom needing a hand due to being too exhausted to do it herself, and drank a lot of water, before changing into their spare clothes, that is, their regular Continuation uniforms, and dropping like a falling anvil onto their respective beds, before quickly drifting off to sleep, even with the commotion still going on outside as chaotic as before, though it didn't matter now, as their bodies too tired to continue registering everything. In fact, so tired they were, that they ended up missing lunchtime, which required a team of normal-minded All-Stars students to push their way past the crowds that were waiting at the door, also dispersing them with a great deal of force. Given what the Sturmi crew had had to go through, they weren't going to have such a scandalous incident happen again, as it was not only an embarrassment for all involved in the incident, but it also ended up damaging the school's reputation, as it painted the students as an unruly, chaotic mob.

Once the time had come, the students who had spent the past several minutes forcibly dispersing the dozens of fangirls waiting at the door woke the students up through… somewhat… interesting means.

"Hey… what's that…"

"Sounds like… HEY! IS THAT OUR-"

"WHAT ARE THEY PLAYING?!"

"NO! THAT'S OUR OLD KINDERGARTEN CONCERT! THAT'S NOTORIOUSLY GARBAGE! NO!"

"JOUKO, WAIT FOR US!"

Jouko didn't even mind the fact that she still felt tired from her nap. Throwing open the door, she refused to even acknowledge who it was on the other end, screaming in desperation,

"TURN IT OFF! I BEG YOU!"

Jouko immediately began reaching for the phone to turn it off herself, not willing to be humiliated any further in this manner, to which the student holding it promptly held the phone back just to tease her, before obliging to the desperate girl's request, after which Jouko regained reason in her mind. Once this had happened, her demeanor instantly changed. Her face turned whiter than snow, realizing who it was she had just yelled at. As soon as the shock had subsided, and the blood began rushing back to her facial area, Jouko's face became crimson red, much to the amusement of the three figures standing right in front of her.

"Heh… I knew it would work."

"R-RUMI?!"

"Rumi-what?"

"R-R-Rumi-san... sorry... f-forgive me…"

"No worries, I also ask your forgiveness as well."

"Yes, yes, it's all fine."

"Rumi-san, I think you went a bit too far with that."

"I mean, what else could I do, Megumi-san? She's obviously sensitive to her old footage, though, to be fair, who isn't?"

"Well, we can't stay here long. Long story short, Jouko-san, the Headmistress is waiting for you in her house. They want you to have lunch with them, given what happened earlier."

"Yeah… the cafeteria will explode when they notice you, and given you just escaped that chaos earlier, it's a much better idea to just eat with Shimada-sensei. Besides, she cooks very good food. Much better than the food you'll expect at the cafeteria."

"Yeah," continued Azumi. "Trust me, I've eaten it, and I felt like I was in heaven."

"Uh… A-alright…"

Meanwhile, the rest of the Sturmi crew was up and about, trying to figure out what on earth was going on.

"Hey, what was that noise?!"

"C'mon, Jouko, it's not that- oh?"

The other crew members had also managed to get off their beds to find the Bermuda Trio waiting for them. After they, too, had received their briefing, they quickly got to work getting themselves ready, helping each other in fixing their hair, dusting their shoes and clothes, and washing their faces to cleanse themselves of any dirt or grime that may have accumulated on them. Once they were done with their preparation, they locked the door, joined the Bermuda Trio outside, and walked down the halls of the dormitories, moving through passageways that were more scarce of students and other people that walked the halls in order to avoid getting any unwanted attention, and thus have a situation similar to what had happened at the hangars a few hours earlier. Making their way to the first floor, they arrived at one of the emergency exits, where on the other side of the door, a transport truck was waiting outside to take the group to the Shimada residence, which wasn't too far off. Once all had been loaded in, the vehicle soon got underway, going along the most unused roads so as to not be spotted. Upon arrival, they were quickly smuggled in, not wishing to take any risks lest one of the students spot what was going on and alert the others. Should that happen, well, Chiyo wasn't going to be happy having her private residence get flooded with thousands of noisy, erratic, squealy girls trying to get inside. Stuffing the Sturmi crew in duffel bags, they carried them to the front gate of the house before allowing them to climb out, having reached the safe point. From there, it was through the halls and to the main dining room.

"Oh my... I believe that's it for me."

With Chiyo's capture of Alice's rook with her knight, she had widened her advantage in material, but also blundered into a forced mate in three. Left unable to do anything else but use her two bishops on the other side of the chessboard to move back to block the queen and delay the inevitable, Alice quickly captured both of the pieces in quick succession, and with a final check to the king that left it indefensible, Alice emerged victorious, and Chiyo couldn't help but lightly tap her hands together to show her appreciation. A few moments later, as they were in the process of clearing the table of the chessboard, with lunch ready to be served, having been cooked, as always, by Chiyo's own hand, the Bermuda Trio arrived, politely interrupting the moment for a little notification, while also carrying duffel bags, for some reason.

"Chiyo-sensei, forgive us for the intrusion, but-"

"No worries, Rumi-san. It seems you've brought visitors in a rather... interesting manner."

"We didn't want to take any risks, Chiyo-sensei."

"As you should, Azumi-san. Do keep in mind the dust will have to be cleared."

"Oh... right... we'll..."

"We'll get to doing that."

"Very well. You may let them out."

"Right."

As the Bermuda Trio opened the duffel bags, the four crew members emerged alongside a cloud of dust, coughing and hacking and dusting themselves off as their dusty selves emerged from the worn bags they had previously occupied. Once they sufficiently cleaned themselves up, of course, with their hosts' help, the group proceeded to lunch, where Chiyo left to grab the servings. You could smell the scent from the table, and it was truly mesmerizing, the crew struggling not to salivate as their desires to dig in quickly increased. Once Chiyo returned from the kitchen, carrying the large dish containing the food, however, the dam was broken, and liters of saliva began freely flowing down from the four girls' mouths, quickly creating quite the liquid mess on the floor, which obviously disgusted the hosts, though, having understanding, they didn't mind it too much, instead actually getting a little chuckle out of it. Once lunch was served, and permission was given to begin eating and making merry, the server quickly grabbed a towel and dutifully wiped off the mess of spit left on the floor before joining the table, only to find the crew had already consumed a third of the food, five minutes not having passed yet.

"MMM! THIS IS GOOD STUFF!"

"This is as good as Maina's cooking, right, Jouko?!"

"Yeah, Friss... the nostalgia's hitting me now... man, this takes me back!"

"I don't really scream... but WOW! I LOVE THIS!"

Lofstrom's sudden out-of-character screaming gave everyone a pleasant surprise, but the sentiment was shared, and much to the delight of their hosts, the Sturmi crew continued to dig in with extreme enthusiasm, stuffing their mouths and gulping down large amounts of food at a time. Meanwhile, in stark contrast to the crew, Chiyo and Alice were taking their sweet time, calmly and delicately placing their spoonfuls or forkfuls of food in their mouths and gently chewing for a few seconds before swallowing, occasionally using the napkins to the side to wipe off any remnants left on their mouths. With this large meal, it would take them around half an hour to finish at their current rate, allowing their stomachs to work steadily and in a more relaxed manner, as they maintained a steady rate of function as the food kept coming in at regular intervals. In contrast, by the end of the meal, the crew's stomachs were left in pain as, passing the thirteen-minute mark, they had eaten the last morsel of food on their plates, leaving their stomach muscles stretched to the point of pain, a testament to the dangers of eating too much food in too little of a timespan. Clutching their bellies, the crew was quick to regret their greediness. Soon enough, their stomachs began to urge them to vomit, being left with too much food to comfortably break down. Chiyo, guiding them to the bathroom in case they would have to let it all out, was quick to point out the lesson learned.

"Now, I'm not the least bit angry, don't be worried. Just be sure to take care of yourselves next time in regards to eating. Take what you think is enough for you. Don't take too much, and don't be too fast. Alright?"

"Yeah…~" was the collective groan from the crew. Once they had arrived at the bathroom door, Chiyo ushered them inside.

"Here you are, just take your time. I'll expect you at the living room, we're going to discuss the match tomorrow."

Once the crew had finished their business, remembering to let it all out into the toilet instead of the sink, they filed out of the bathroom with now-emptied stomachs, watery eyes that had already gotten their clothes covered with tears, and not too great amounts of energy, a lesson having been learned. Fortunately, Chiyo had prepared much lighter plates for them, far from the grand feast they had all mercilessly gobbled up earlier, but just enough so they wouldn't be going throughout the rest of the day hungry. Once they were done consuming that food and drinking some water to soothe themselves, the six sat together on the living room sofas as Chiyo began to play the Beethoven concertos that she, Alice, and the orchestra had recorded the year before, having deemed their Rachmaninoff recording to be too chaotic for the setting. As the music played, Chiyo began her friendly interrogation, as, seeing how upbeat the crew seemed to act since their arrival in the university, it aroused her suspicion, given how friendly Jouko was reported to be with Miho and many others whom the University was about to fight. To find them in this mindset was rather concerning, so it felt right to question them on their feelings, and test whether or not they were founded on an authentic understanding of things, or left misinformed and filled with a false sense of hope and security. Maybe they were plotting something against the University... but that wasn't like them. They would never be like that. There was only one way to find out what they were up to.

"You all... seem to be upbeat. Pardon me if I may be intrusive here, but... why the happiness? I thought you all were on very good terms with our opponents?"

Jouko, being the one who had come up with a good reason, spoke up.

"Well, I talked with Miho last night and reassured her that everything would be okay, win or lose."

"Oh?"

"I told her that if she wins, well, Ooarai stays open. If she loses, then many people will be up to go to bat for her and Ooarai, either through financial methods, legal methods, or... a repeat of whatever that incident at the MEXT Headquarters was."

Chiyo spent a few moments looking down, knowing that this reassurance wasn't going to work. By no means would she call it dumb, but, being a top Federation member, she knew the ins and outs of how things worked. Once she had gathered her thoughts, she gave her rebuttal.

"On the contrary... and I mean no offense here, but that won't work."

Sounds of surprise came from the crew, but Chiyo pressed on.

"If there will be crowdfunded financial support, that effort is indeed commendable and worthy of the highest commiserations... but funding to operate a full school carrier? Everything? One would need the most dedicated and wealthy fans and sponsors... and unfortunately, you know how things are here. Lots of people are only interested in lining their own pockets, perhaps they'll try to exploit Ooarai for their personal gain... it's all a mess. As for me, well... while I do have the deep pockets necessary to give funding... one has to prove themselves worthy. If they lose, then I cannot give the funds. If they win, I'll more than happily do it. There is no middle road here, only victory or death. I don't know any other alternatives either. I'm not sure if Shiho-san will be willing to give her funding, as she's already diverting a majority of funds to maintain Kuromorimine, and compared to Ooarai, that's much more expensive. The Federation's budget is also being rather strained at the moment, which is why we're... considering certain changes to the sport's events, but that's besides the point.

If you do pursue the legal method, then I'm afraid you'll find little, if any, success. MEXT is a government institution. It has access to the best lawyers in the nation. There is little to no chance somebody will be victorious in court against them. And in regards to that incident... well... Let's just say that the Self-Defense Forces won't be as lenient to the perpetrators as last time. Besides, that's already been causing quite the big scandal in the upper echelons, and has turned government opinion in a slightly more negative favor of Ooarai. Should that happen again, there's no doubt in my mind that Ooarai will remain closed. It seems there is no other option but for Ooarai to win this match. I'm sorry."

"B-But..." Hannes attempted to reason. "Can't you just let us skip out?! I mean... sorry to yell, but... I don't think we'd be willing to fight this!"

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that. The contract has stated that no matter which enemy we face next... you will fight with us."

"But our friends... everyone..."

"I know... and... I... I'm sorry."

As those last words escaped her mouth, Chiyo appeared to be hurt. Everyone could tell that she was regretting her decision to invite the crew to the duel a week before, and regret it she did. As much as she wanted to go back on her word and let the Sturmi crew off for this match and allow them to fight another time, she knew that they didn't like dishonesty and her going back on her words, and being their host, she wanted to give them a good experience. On the other hand, however, if they would be forced to fight, that wouldn't really be her being the good host either. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and that got her stress levels rising as she struggled to find an out. Her folded hands, normally relaxed and formal, were starting to become stiff and shaky as her emotions threatened to overpower her. Her head was bowed to hide her facial expressions, and her chest was starting to inhale and exhale at a faster rate. Alice, seeing the state that her mother was in, quickly stepped into the fray, drawing near and lovingly wrapping her arms around Chiyo, to comfort her in the best way she knew possible. Chiyo, locking eyes with Alice, smiled, and exchanged the embrace, before looking back up at the crew, who were still trying to come to terms with this new reality check, though she could see that they understood, thank goodness.

Chiyo observed as the crew were trying to talk amongst themselves, discussing whether they would disobey the contract and sit this battle out, or fight anyway, knowing full well what they were getting themselves into. Ultimately, however, Biblical command won out, all four finding reluctant agreement on the issue, and just before Chiyo could try to give them a reassurance, Frisell was the one to give that reassurance instead.

"We... will obey the words of Paul. We'll fight with you."

Chiyo's mind eased, and with a pleasant smile, nodded, with an exciting proposition in her mind waiting to be given, hoping to lighten the mood before it got more gloomy.

"Then, in that case, I'll see you on the field tomorrow. By the way, if you'd like, I can have you and Alice practice together in my private training field. Not in the usual field everyone else uses, due to what happened to you earlier, of course. Is that okay with you, Alice?"

Alice's face, hearing this exciting proposition, instantly brightened and transformed into a very warm and happy smile, nodding furiously whilst bursting with excitement. Chiyo didn't need to ask again.

"It seems she's much in favor of it. How about you?"

The crew exchanged looks, and agreed almost immediately.

"Sure, we'll do it," said Lofstrom. "After all, we'll need to blow off some steam after this."

As the crew left with Alice, however, Chiyo decided to give them one last surprise.

"By the way, if you'd like, you'll be rehearsing with me and the orchestra tonight. You may also perform with us tomorrow after the match. We've started Beethoven's symphony cycle just last week. We'll be doing the Third, by the way."

Training Field, St. Gloriana Girls' College

"We'll try to pierce their defenses. Wedge on me and attack their left flank. Our allies will cover the rest. Anchovy-san, infiltrate when able."

"Gotcha, Darjie! Alright, girls, full speed, and let's get ready to do some sabotage!"

Sensing victory, Darjeeling decided that now was the time to strike, and she needed to strike hard. It was the perfect time. With Chi-Ha-Tan's forces scattered and virtually annihilated thanks to their usual recklessness, and with Pravda's forces too pinned down and heavily suppressed to help their allies, Kuromorimine didn't have much of a chance, unless, of course, Maho could pull a victory out of her panties, somehow, but time was running out. St. Gloriana's tanks now began their assault as half of Saunders' forces and Continuation provided support, with Mika's BT taking several great risks by performing caracoles, that is, moving towards the enemy, firing, and moving away, dealing varied amounts of damage with each run, though failing to knock out one of the tanks, a testament to Kuromorimine's superiority when it comes to its armor. Surprisingly, however, despite this, Kuromorimine's defenses weren't as strong as usual. Their coordination wasn't as smooth, and their movements were more sloppy than expected. It was so bad, that even the CV.33 had managed to slip past without much trouble. It seemed that Kuromorimine's students had gotten all of their lifeblood drained, or they had greatly underslept, and this was highly unusual of a school like Kuromorimine, built on strict discipline and high efficiency. Darjeeling was growing suspicious as Kuromorimine's positions began to fall apart, St. Gloriana's offensive overrunning them. This performance was nothing like Maho, whom she knew was commanding Kuromorimine... or was she? Was she really okay? Was she even present on the field, or had she snuck away just before the match began for some reason? What on earth was going on?

"Alright, all elements, all-out attack. We've got them where we want them."

As the last remnants of resistance were wiped out, the complete defeat of Kuromorimine and its team was accomplished in a much easier fashion than expected. This, of course, prompted great deals of questioning at what the heck just happened. Students from both sides began to descend on Kuromorimine, asking them with concern what had happened there. They didn't go that far with that approach, however, as all of the answers they received from them were either equal confusion or being pointed to Maho. Very few had the guts to try to confront her, leaving only the commanders themselves to try it, and no commander was more willing to try than Darjeeling herself, who was by far the most concerned out of everyone. However, Maho couldn't be found anywhere. As the tanks were hauled back to the hangars for repair and maintenance, preparing them for the big day tomorrow, Darjeeling walked around, trying to find where Maho was, searching through Kuromorimine's ranks, asking anybody she came across for the commander's whereabouts. However, she got nothing but the same "I don't know" and "Somewhere over there" without clarifying or specifying which place she may have gone. Not even Erika or Koume could drum up a clear response, though they did point out that they saw the Tiger I driving back to the hangar, but beyond that, they didn't know much else. Seeing this go little more than nowhere, Darjeeling decided that she would just look for herself. Taking one of the transport vehicles, she drove back to the tank hangars in the hopes that she could find Maho there, if she even was still there.

At first, she met little success, the hangars crowded with students and tanks milling about. The Tiger I was sitting there, but there was no Maho to be found. More questioning followed, only for Darjeeling to meet the same result. Realizing that Maho wasn't likely to be found in the hangars, she decided to look elsewhere. In the distance were a patch of hills, untouched during the battle, with a small, blackish dot moving up one of them. Realizing who it may be, Darjeeling summoned a driver to drive one of the transport trucks towards the hills. The girl obeyed without question, and with all due haste drove the truck towards the hills. The closer the truck got to the hills, the clearer the figure became. Soon, there was no need to question any longer, as Darjeeling finally knew who it was. Disembarking the vehicle and instructing the driver to wait there, she began to walk towards Maho, who was now lying down on the grass, staring mindlessly into the sky, with a downcast look streaked across her face watching the few clouds above drifting past, some passing by quickly, others slowly, even fewer barely seeming to move. She didn't even seem to recognize Darjeeling, which prompted the braided blonde to simply join her fellow commander in lying down and staring at the sky as well. For a few minutes, there was silence from both girls, neither side wanting to break that silence, being restricted to just their thoughts and the calm, peaceful, silent atmosphere around them, the only sounds being their breathing and the occasional gust of wind that blew past. Soon, though, the silence had to be broken, and it would be Maho who would break it.

"So… what's your business coming here?"

"Oh… I'm just interested in the clouds, like you. It is a beautiful sight, really, as well as a bit of fun formulating all these shapes."

"Yeah… you can make out anything, objects like planes… tanks… buildings, countries…"

"I can almost make out a teacup… funny…"

"And I can almost make out a hamburger… Erika will love it…"

"Hmhm… I can imagine…"

"Well… what's your reason for coming here? I know you're not here just to look at clouds all day.

"I'm just checking on your well-being… after… well…"

"Don't mention it… I… urgh."

"Don't worry, it's just the two of us. You may produce your words."

"It's just Miho, and some other stuff. I'm just scared that if we lose, Ooarai's going to close down, Miho's going to lose everything that made her happy and be sad again, and she'll be coming back to the school that pretty much ruined her life for a month, or what else might happen to her. Plus, you know what happened when the news came out that Renta-san went back on his word. I'm just scared it may happen again… just on an even worse scale. I have… very close people at that school, and I don't want them to get injured, imprisoned… or worse..."

Darjeeling, listening in silence, was about to make a snarky comment to point out how Maho, the usually-charismatic and confident commander, was being so skeptical and unsure, devoid of any optimism or enthusiasm for the match, but, knowing that such a comment was inappropriate for the current situation, she held her peace.

"Plus, we're going against the best of the best. They've been called that for years now, and what are we to them? It's like a cockroach going against a highly venomous spider. To the spider, the cockroach is just food. One severe blow and its all over. Not to mention we're going against, well, one of the best tank commanders and crews out there, maybe on par with Shimada-san. How do you think we'll fare against them? I'm telling you, Darjeeling-san… I don't have hope."

"Even in that case… we must try our best. Look at Jouko-san, even though she drew with Alice-san, she still received the reward, even when it technically shouldn't have counted. All we need to do is prove ourselves enough, and maybe Shimada-san will be merciful enough to help Ooarai's funding."

"You can say that… but even then, that's just a hypothetical. If Shimada-san says no, even if we manage to give them a run for their money despite our loss, or we get so badly annihilated they don't even suffer a scratch, then it's over for Ooarai. With all that said… I don't know if it's even worth fighting this match."

"Come now, this is not how a Nishizumi acts… You have many of the best schools fighting with you, and you have the tanks that almost gave you a ten-year winning streak at your disposal. Surely we have a chance, if not to win, at least convince Shimada-san of our worth."

"We're facing people with twice our experience and skill, Darjeeling-san… We're worms compared to those hawks… plus… I don't feel that I've mastered the Nishizumi Style yet, believe it or not. I feel as if I still have a long way to go..."

Darjeeling sighed, refusing to accept this petty excuse of a claim, much less coming from the mouth of the heiress to the Nishizumi Style herself. To think that she, having been raised to near perfection by her family to this unique style of Sensha-do, was now doubting her own abilities, this was something Darjeeling would now allow herself to hear. Standing up and blocking Maho's view of the sky, the red-clad girl grew very serious, the mood was now completely shifted. Shaking her head, Darjeeling expressed her utter disappointment at how one of her biggest rivals was seemingly now giving up so easily.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing from you, Nishizumi-san... I watched you at the Finals. I saw you manifest the Nishizumi style in its fullest form, even if you did lose at the end. I'd say you've perfected it and given a masterclass on how it operates. Aside from Miho-san, you're the most adept at it than anybody else can even hope to be... which brings me to my next point...

...what is your Sensha-do, Nishizumi Maho?"

"What sort of question is that, Darjeeling-san? Of course, it's..."

"Spare me the details, I already know. Move forward, no fear, pure discipline, rely on your armor, the things I've heard your mother say a hundred thousand times before. What I'm trying to say here is... I think you've proven yourself beyond a shadow of a doubt that you're worthy to be the next head of the style... and the thing is... shouldn't you now be the one to decide where this style goes?"

"What are you trying to say... is that..."

"Don't tell me you haven't perfected the Nishizumi Style when you OWN it. You have the power to make it what you want, once you become the head, that is. One can often break tradition and help that to be a force of good for the world. Besides, can something really be perfect if you can find ways to improve it? I'm not saying that your perfection of the Nishizumi Style is incomplete, I'm.. well... I mean no offense, but, I'm implying-"

"That the Nishizumi Style is imperfect. I know. I think that, too, sometimes."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I'll keep those words in my mind moving forward... though... Going back to the original purpose of this conversation, what about the match? Do you think it's still worth it, or are we just going to be fighting a losing battle, and that it won't be worth it either way?"

Darjeeling sighed, seeing she was running out of options. Without anything else, she decided to go for the argument that would hit Maho the hardest.

"You know… through your concern for Miho-san… it turns out that you're only hurting her. Do you know that?"

Maho sighed, knowing full well what Darjeeling was about to say, and she couldn't really beat that argument.

"Yeah, yeah… good point…"

"Besides, she won't be happy if you abandon her at her time of need. Always remember that it isn't always about you, Maho-san. You have to think of others as well."

"I'll… I'll talk to Miho about it. I… still need to think."

"Very well… Shall we drive back now? Everyone will be waiting."

"I'll… wait here for now. Tell the driver to pick me up in a couple hours. I think I'll nap here, it's pretty good."

"Alright."

As Darjeeling left with the transport truck, Maho relaxed herself once again, closing her eyes, allowing as much of her body to be against the ground as possible, and allowing herself to be absorbed by her surroundings. She was not too keen on spending any more time mulling over the whole conversation she just had for now, instead just putting it off until after she woke up from her nap. After all, with her feeling completely tired after a long day, it didn't take long for her to drift off to sleep, and soon, she was snoring louder than a tank engine, her mind now cut off from reality, and now shifting into the world of fantasy and the supernatural, even if it would all be a mere dream. A few seconds after she had passed from one world to the next, she woke up, finding herself in an empty warehouse of sorts. Getting up, she looked around, though the place was dark. There were only two chairs that she could see. One was dark, and one was bright. Feeling drawn to the dark seat, she sat down on it, and waited for what could come next. Soon, she heard footsteps, prompting her to start looking around. A few seconds later, a figure emerged from the darkness. She couldn't fully make out who it was exactly, but she bore a similarity to herself. She was wearing a uniform, however, it bore a different appearance from the Kuromorimine uniforms she wore, though at the same time similar. She also appeared to be about a year her age, with a larger concentration of hair at her scalp. Was this an older version of Maho, or was this someone playing as Maho? Just before Maho could open her mouth to question this stranger, however, the figure spoke first.

"Your gall coming here amazes me… To think that someone like you would dare think of facing me… I may as well worship your courage."

"Skip the pleasantries, who are you?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves… Allow me to pick at your brain for a while, as it is the most necessary course of action for now."

As the figure took her seat on the darker-colored chair, Maho decided to accept the challenge.

"Well, then, let's see what you know. Who am I?"

"Hmhm… too easy. Nishizumi Maho, eighteenth of your name, daughter of Shiho Nishizumi, who is at present the head of the House of Nishizumi, and the older sister of the… formerly-disgraced… Miho Nishizumi, now of Ooarai Girls' Academy. Chief commander of Kuromorimine Girls' Academy's… how shall I put this… formerly-prestigious Sensha-do program, and.. heh… two-time runner-up in the national tournaments. A disappointment to the two previous commanders, if I may say so myself."

"Those losses weren't my fault. You've already gotten it wrong."

"On the contrary, they were, indeed, your fault."

"Explain, then, if you know so much."

"It's simple, really. As to the first defeat, your indecisiveness revolving around the situation with your sister and Akaboshi Koume resulted in the loss. Your failure to properly signal for a pause in the match, or to take swift action with the flag tank, or any of the like, caused Pravda's dishonorable action of firing at a defenseless enemy."

"What was I supposed to do? I… was frozen in place, I couldn't decide if it was right to go and help, or try to win the battle as Miho jumped to save it. I-"

"Hmph. And they commend you for your quick-thinking, your intuition, your reflexes. Where did all of that go?"

"It was a situation I had never encountered before! I… was incapacitated by fear-"

"And yet your younger sister acted faster than you, jumping into the river as you merely there, looking on, as still as a statue, doing nothing to contribute to either situation, as if you were but a helpless, poor bystander. Pitiful."

"I wasn't a… ugh. Fine. You have a point… but you still have yet to answer my qu-"

"Oh, don't worry. I'll get to that. I must pick at you some more, however, as I would like to fully dissect your thoughts, and find a way to hit you hardest."

"What? What motivations do you have?!"

"Calm down, calm down. Now, let's keep this going. My next question… What is your doctrine when it comes to protecting those you love?"

"And I thought you knew me. You tell me, oh all-knowing one."

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't mock me so, but oh well. Allow me to tell… You see, as a Nishizumi, you believe in strength in numbers. Strength in superior firepower, strength in superior armor, strength in superior maneuvering, strength in superior discipline, strength in many things. Without anybody, how will those strengths come to be? Go ahead and answer, if you know."

"It… it cannot."

"Precisely, which leads me to another point… a point that points out another of your miserable failures."

Maho began to clench her fists, tired of this mysterious girl and her mental games, and just wanting her to get to the point, not knowing that she had already fallen into her trap. A switch had appeared next to the figure, causing Maho a deal of anxiety at what it might do.

"I hear you are about to fight a battle, aren't you?"

"Well… I'm… still…"

"You won't go. I know you won't."

"What makes you think that?"

"I thought you spoke to Darjeeling, saying that you weren't interested in Sensha-do?"

"I did… but she brought up good points. I said I will talk with Miho about it, so I can-"

"You never will. You'll just wake up forgetting the whole conversation ever happened and move on with your life."

"Will I really?"

"Of course. Somebody will tell you some bad news, that will demoralize you again, and then… Miho will be left to fend for herself, alongside what other help she may get. After that, well…" the figure paused, smirking.

"Well, what? Finish the sentence! I'm done with this madness!"

"Heh."

The figure pulled the switch, causing a few lights of the warehouse to turn on. Transforming her anger and annoyance into shock, disgust, abhorrence, and stupefaction, the new sight that met Maho utterly destroyed her.

"Wh-what the… No…"

Rows upon rows of pale, limp bodies were all strung up to nooses lined the warehouse. Maho, seeing this, found herself running towards them, wanting to see exactly who or what they were. Some of them wore uniforms that were so familiar to her, but she couldn't remember where they came from. They appeared to have a sailor-like structure, like many other highschools in Japan, having a white top with a green scarf, and Maho only knew one school who had that uniform, intensifying her dread. However, as she drew near in order to confirm her suspicions, she almost tripped over. Recovering her balance, she looked down, wanting to know what had made her trip, only for her to meet another gruesome sight.

Lying face-down in a pool of blood emerging from his stomach was a man of graying hair. Lying next to him was a woman of about equal age, having hair reminiscent to that of Koume, with blood pooling from her neck. Before Maho could run away, unwilling to look any more, her eyes, looking back up, saw a pair of feet. Stepping back to see who it was, Maho's face transformed into pure anguish, knowing who it was hanging herself. Hanging from the roof of the warehouse was the body of a girl with fluffy hair, having the exact same looks as one of Ooarai's students. A tag was on one of her toes. Examining it, Maho read the name, "Akiyama Yukari." Turning around, even more hanging bodies showed up, such as one Reizei Mako, and three girls bearing the same hairstyle, quickly proven to be the members of Ooarai's Mallard Team. It was seemingly unending.

"They… they are all."

"Yes. And it is all because of you."

The dead bodies now began to speak, their heads mechanically turning towards Maho, staring at her with their lifeless expressions, their mouths opening subtly, but their voices being well-heard.

"You… didn't help us…"

"If we had had you there… we would still be alive…"

"Why had you abandoned us… at our moment of need?"

"What, will you apologize to us now, because you see what you did?"

"Or rather… what you failed to do."

"It is because of you, that we have all been ruined."

"All of us."

"Leave us be, do not trample us any more."

"Join us if you wish… you will live with this realization for the rest of your life."

Maho, clutching her head, shut her eyes tight again, wishing to see nothing but darkness, shaking her head vigorously, refusing to acknowledge all of this. However, as the voices stopped, one spoke up, one too familiar to her to not recognize.

"Onee-chan?"

"Miho!" Maho's eyes opened wide. The bodies, the nooses, the blood, it was all gone. There was only the figure of Miho in front of her now, clutching a Boko bear, holding it tight against her bosom. She seemed scared, frightened, helpless.

"Miho, Miho!"

Maho began walking towards Miho, outstretching her arms to hug her tightly, but as she drew near, Miho turned away, refusing to see her. Maho, hurt by this, attempted to hug her anyway, but the younger sister moved away, trying to avoid the older sister. Maho, growing ever more desperate, tried to call out to Miho, to get her to come back. However, the response was enough to utterly devastate her.

"Don't call for me! You aren't my Onee-chan!"

"What?! Miho, please!"

"No! A real Onee-chan helps their sister when she needs it! But you?! You… You weren't there! You weren't there to help me! You weren't there to save me! It's because of you that I'll never see my friends ever again!"

"Miho, what do you-"

"Yukari-san, Mako-san, and so many more… they killed themselves… and it's because of you! You abandoned us to our fate instead of helping us! And for what?! You think I would care about your rejection to the university?! Why did you let that be enough to stop your pathetic self from coming to help me?! You hate me, don't you, you sad, selfish, self-seeking worm?!"

"Miho… what are you-"

"Don't speak to me anymore! Go live your stupid university life! I don't want anything more to do with you! You've ruined everything! You might as well go to hell!"

"Miho, no! Wait!"

But she was already gone, vanishing into the depths of the darkness that surrounded them both. Now, Maho was back at the two chairs. The once-light chair was now dark. As for the darker chair, it now appeared to have stains of blood. The figure was smiling, almost cackling at seeing Maho's devastated appearance.

"Hahah. Look at you. Helpless, huh?"

"Sh-sh-shut up! Just shut up! I don't want this anymore!"

"Ah, but you were the cause of all this, weren't you?"

"Just… no! No! Tell me who you are! I will not play any more of these games of yours! Show yourself! SHOW YOURSELF! I BEG OF YOU! SHOW YOURSELF!"

The figure merely shifted to maniacal laughter, appearing very entertained by this spectacle. Maho was groveling at her feet now, drooling and thrashing and crying her eyes out, the once-stoic persona having left her.

"STOP YOUR LAUGHTER! TELL ME!"

"You fool… Who but I could know as much about you as you do? Who but I could come up with the conclusions you failed to come up with? Who but I knew in hindsight your greatest mistakes, in detail, with perfect recall? Who but I know who I really am? Tell me, Nishizumi Maho! Tell me! WHO AM I?! WHO?!"

Maho stopped her crying, and looked up, directly at the face of the figure. Her blood ran cold as she instantly recognized its facial features. Shaking her head, she denied the obvious truth that was being revealed to her.

"No… no… you're not… you are not in yourself! No! NO!"

"WHO AM I, NISHIZUMI MAHO?!"

"YOU ARE ME!" cried Maho, as if she were possessed, "ME! ME! ME!"

Maho paced around, clutching her head as she shook it this way and that, shouting "ME!" at the top of her lungs, over and over again, a tortured soul being forced to admit what their sin has been, being forced against their will, their mind and strength completely and utterly destroyed, unable to resist the mounting pressure of the interrogator, before she tumbled to the floor, letting out a painful scream, followed by a complete stillness, and pure silence.

"Leave me… leave me… you who destroy my mind with your presence in it!"

Suddenly, there was another voice.

"Maho! Maho!"

"No! Stop! LEAVE ME!"

The figure spoke again.

"It isn't me, you fool! It is your friends… they have come to extract you from this place! Answer them, lest you wish to set your dwelling-place here!"

Maho opened her eyes as wide as she could, breathing heavily and at a quickened pace. As she collected herself, she looked around. The warehouse was gone. The darkness was gone. The chairs were gone. The figure was gone. Now, there was the purple sky, the scattered stars, the green hills, the distant lights of the buildings, and… Darjeeling? Kay? Anchovy? Nishi? Katyusha? Mika? As well as Erika and Koume?

"Huh… what… bfwuaah!?"

"That should be it."

"Finally! Turns out cold water always works, doesn't it Mika? Now, don't be scaring us like this, comrade Maho!"

"M-Mika? K-Katyusha…?"

"Kommandant! What the heck was that?!"

"What… what do you- Koume?"

"Commander, please, tell me you're alright…"

"I… I'm fine… oh? Darjeeling-san?"

"Maho! Oh, thank goodness," spoke a relieved Darjeeling.

"Sheesh, you good, girl?" asked a worried Kay.

"By the kami," exclaimed Nishi, "What has cursed you, Maho-san?!"

"Oh don't think that stuff, Nishi!" rebuffed Anchovy. "Come on, Maho, do you need anything?"

"I… water… please…"

"Oh, umm…"

"MIKA! WHY DID YOU WASTE THE WHOLE BOTTLE?!"

"Relax, Katyusha-san… the… the wind always finds a way…"

"Oh, to hell with your stupid windy mentality! Ugh…"

"Katyusha-san, let's not… Here, I have some water."

"Thank you… Darjeeling… Thank you, everyone, for… your help…"

Maho gulped the entire bottle in only a few seconds, and that was enough to rejuvenate her. Getting up on her feet, supported by her comrades, she walked back towards the truck that was waiting to take her and everyone else back to the station for the buses to pick them up and take them to their apartments. However, Maho's troubles wouldn't end yet, as Erika, getting her attention, gave her a note, claiming it was from Shiho. She didn't seem to know the contents of the note, so Maho didn't know what it was about. However, as she tore off the seal and unfolded the letter, her eyes beheld the bad news that she was warned of in her dream.

Dear Maho,

I have recently been informed that the Niedersachsische Universitat has decided to deem your application as insufficient. Despite your good grades, they say that due to your lack of grades in other fields necessary for acceptance, they will not accept you into the university. I am trying to fight this with them, but at this rate, I am sorry, but it seems that you will not be able to be accepted. In the meantime, although I will still try to secure your application, I will try to find you another university, in case my efforts will be unsuccessful. Focus on the task at hand, the Nishizumi will stop at nothing but victory.

Sincerely, Shiho

Maho's heart sank. Niedersachsische was, by all means, the perfect university for her. Isolated in nature, a healthy, peaceful atmosphere, with a strong camaraderie among its alumni, priding itself as one of the most prestigious universities in Germany, with all of their successful lawyers, politicians, economists, scientists, all of them, it provided a bright future for Maho. Now, because of her over-emphasis on Sensha-do, she would never be able to be accepted into the university. Her doubts began to return. Now that her focus on Sensha-do ended up ruining her chances of future success, would it still be worth it doing Sensha-do? Was it doing more harm than good? Why continue? Besides, the match tomorrow wasn't likely going to end well, so what was the point of fighting something that will end either way, whether she fought or not? Shaking her head, Maho buried her head in her hands, tossing the note aside as she returned into her thoughts. However, the moment her eyelids touched, they sprang open, realizing the mistake she was making. Jolting awake with a shout, she refused the temptations which would end in the horrors she would see.

"NO! I WILL NOT!"

This sudden shout surprised everyone else.

"Kommandant, what the?!"

"Nishizumi-san, are you okay?!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" replied Maho, panting.

"You are not fine, Kommandant! Calm yourself down!"

"Yes, yes, I will… water, please…"

Erika swiftly handed her commander the water she needed, and within seconds, Maho had gulped down the entire bottle. Feeling better now, she leaned back as everything returned to normal. Maho, now knowing the choices she had to make, resolved within herself to go and help. Even if it would never allow her to join the Niedersächsische, it was always better to look after others' well-being than her own. As long as Miho would be free to have her own way, as she had promised herself she would work to have, she would be happy, for Miho's happiness would be her happiness, and her sorrow would be her sorrow. That was going to be Maho's mentality, whether she liked it or not, and she would resolve that to be her mentality, thick and thin. Although it was to be a heavy burden, she was going to deny herself, and take up the cross, so help her God.

Author's Note: Well... uh... that was... something... kudos to Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamazov for helping inspire that scene with Maho's inner battle, and thanks, many thanks, as always, to florentinomain00f's suggestions for the conversation between Darjie and Maho before that scene. Check out his fic, Boots on the Ground, and give it your support.

Next chapter is the big day. I may spend two chapters going over the events, since the battle is on such a large scale. Stay tuned, and be sure to give me suggestions in the comments.

man im drained after this... and you probably are, too, sorry if i ruined your day

belated merry Christmas, everyone, wishing nothing but the best for you all, as always