Dust was the enemy of the Panzer. All vehicles suffered mechanical issues related to dust inhalation but German air filters seemed to have an inherent vulnerability to dust as they had learned on the Russian steppes and the North African desert. It wasn't a major issue over the course of a single match but everyone was grousing about the maintenance they were going to have to perform later; replacing those filters, cleaning out the engines and changing the oil. Issues they spoke of as if the match had already been won.

Koume didn't share that confidence.

Yes, they were facing their enemy in the sand rather than their preferred snow. Yes, they had a big advantage in armour and firepower. They were also facing an opponent who revelled in such disadvantages and disparity. Continuation High were considered the toughest of the minor schools due to their sheer tenacity. While other minor schools were resigned to defeat due to their disadvantage in funding leaving them lacking in strong vehicles; Jatkosota considered forcing their foes through a long, gruelling ordeal that left them too exhausted to appreciate their win to be a victory in itself. They even had a leader who was indifferent to winning and truly believed that the experience was everything.

Her Panther was one of four they had fielded today. One on one, they were superior to a T-34 which were the strongest tanks Jatkosota were fielding. But no Kuromorimine driver would dare to pull off the stunts that were typical of the opposing team and that meant they couldn't rely on their powerful front armour when flanking by Jatkosota wasn't just a possibility but a certainty. Even the puny BT-5s would be jumping all over them. Appropriately, like fleas on a cat.

She would have advised caution but she had no intention of sharing that thought with the Captain. Not that it would have made any difference if she had. They had one way of doing things and they weren't going to deviate. Literally because deviating wasn't their style. They set a course and stuck to it regardless of what stood in their patch.

Not that this was a weakness. For all their fancy driving, Jakosota still had to penetrate their armour and that was not an easy task. The Captain's Tiger and the two King Tigers flanking it could shrug off anything the smaller Soviet tanks sent their way and even knock them out just by striking them with their bulk. Their T-26 and BTs could run circles around them; and yap ineffectually with their puny armament. Conversely, the sheer power of an 8.8cm gun meant they only had to score even a glancing blow to knock out those light tanks.

The antics of the light tanks may have been no concern but Jatkosota fielded a StuG III G 'Sturmi' and it was a huge threat to their flag tank. To all their tanks. It might have seemed an overreaction to worry about one tank destroyer when they had brought two that were even more powerful but rumours had been swirling that Jatkosota had a new gunner; a prodigy. Someone who could make a humble StuG into a nightmare.

Koume knew she was worrying too much but as the tournament had already seen a major school go out to a minor and that school didn't have the years of experience tweaking the noses of the major schools that Continuation High did; she wasn't worrying unjustly. Oarai had won thanks mostly to the guidance of Kuromorimine alumni but the majority of their side had still been amateurs in inferior tanks. Jatkosota weren't amateurs; even if they had inferior tanks.

The first indication of trouble was a sudden rain of shells from T-34s, a Panzer III and a T-26. They fired from behind a dune, hull-down and yet still conspicuously firing from the front. For the T-34/85, it was a possible kill to make but they were not going to stop for one T-34. Although they did; to fire a massive volley that choked the Jakosota position in smoke and dust. They reloaded on the move and then stopped to fire en masse once again and the sound of the volley thundered after the shells so that the Continuation girls were struck by two successive roars.

Continuation High's response was to reply with a single shot that slammed perfectly into the glacis of one of their Panthers. It was a knockout blow. It came from the Sturmi.

There was no command given but every Kuromorimine vehicle with a turret targeted the Sturmi for their next volley. None of them found their target but they destroyed the dune cover and when the dust cleared, the StuG G had retreated. It had made its mark but it wasn't the Sturmi they were concerned with.

"Here they come." She spoke to herself and then reported formally. "BT group incoming at three O'clock."

This was what they had been waiting for. The BT-5 and 7 light cavalry tanks had guns that were excellent for dealing with fellow light tanks, and also early-war medium tanks at less than a kilometre but needed to be at point-blank for a Panther to take notice of them. The Tigers could only be disabled by them; not knocked out. But that was the danger because Jatkosota would use the cavalry tanks speed and agility to cripple the big German vehicles to make them meat for the real danger; the Frankenstein's monster of a machine known as the BT-42. The personal tank of Continuation High's Captain. It was also their flag tank.

Not that the latter part would have been obvious as it charged across the landscape straight at the flank of Kuromorimine and then weaved almost lazily to avoid the first shots directed at it. They had all seen this bizarre tank seemingly flying through the snow and now it revealed to be equally comfortable drifting on the sand.

Koume ducked down into the turret and felt and heard a BT shell strike the turret. This was followed by a much louder strike on the forward glacis; a reminder that that Jatkosota's holding division was still out there.

The Jagdpanzer on the flank was knocked out; struck in its helpless flank by the wave of oncoming light tanks. In retaliation, the two Konigstigers sent a BT-5 flailing over the sand, shedding both tracks and several wheels as it rolled multiple times before sprawling in a forlorn heap; upright but mangled. The other BT-5 shattered one of the other Panther's right wheels so that a piece of torn metal sheared into the tread and immobilised the vehicle. The triumphant moment for Continuation was obliterated by a shell from the Kuromorimine Captain's Tiger that would have decapitated the little Soviet vehicle in different circumstances. As the Tiger turned away from the firing line behind the dune, it was shielded by one of the King Tiger's that shrugged off hits from both T-34s.

"Panzer Vier!" Meaning them. "Vorwarts! Fast!"

They obeyed and advanced at full speed and the BT-42 was suddenly in front of them, swerving to avoid a collision. They ploughed onward toward the dune and Koume saw one of King Tigers with them, along with the remaining Jagdpanzer and mobile Panther. They left behind the Panzer III, the other King Tiger, the Captain's Tiger and the disabled Panther to grapple with the BT-42 and BT-7s.

"High explosive shells!" Koume commanded her detachment. "Fire!"

They weren't aiming to knock out the Continuation tanks but instead to smother them with a choking cloud of dust, sand and smoke that would leave them blinded and unable to support their fast movers. Koume peered left and right through the ports of her cupola, the nagging worry that the Sturmi had manoeuvred around and was ready to annihilate either her or the Captain gnawing at her. Behind her she could hear the 45mm guns of the BT-7s yapping at the Panzers and knew they would be circling, looking for an opening. The Captain knew what she was doing. Her detachment fired another salvo of high explosive shells so that the horizon seemed to be a sandstorm from which some wildly fired shots flew high and overhead. Harmless.

"Koume! Behind you!"

"Left!" She commanded unhesitatingly and the Panther slewed sharply around just as the 114mm howitzer of the BT-42 boomed. She saw the shell pass them by and detonate ahead. A moment later, the assault gun followed in its wake, zipping by them with an impudence she could almost taste. They didn't even bother to rotate the turret; they just aimed the entire tank. They flew along her line and then sharply turned at the end, firing once more and eliminating the other Jagdpanzer.

They were alone though. The Captain was coming for them, flanked by the King Tiger and Panzer III, leaving behind the disabled Panther which bellowed a shell at the BT-42 while the two BT-7s smoked disconsolately beside it.

At which point, the two T-34s, Panzer III and T-26 emerged out of the dust.

Her gunner didn't hesitate. She only had to rotate the turret a couple of degrees to bring them to bear on the Panzer III. They didn't even have to speak; they came to a halt, there was a pause to steady their gun and then they fired. It was a clean shot and the Panzer III had no hope of withstanding its younger brother's firepower.

The two T-34s fired on the King Tiger and their shells cracked harmlessly off its turret while a shot from the T-26 hit them. She ignored it. Unless the light tank could plant its muzzle inches from her flanks or rear, it was not a threat to them.

"Eliminate the 85." She commanded, hearing the bellow of the BT-42's howitzer.

The Continuation flag tank was not behaving at all the way a flag tank should but that described the actions of all their tanks. They went to maximum speed and kept just enough distance that they could dodge incoming fire. She had seen them make tanks drift on snow and ice and now they were doing the same in the shifting sands. This was not how Sensha-do was supposed to work! Jatkosota threw the heavy machines around like rally cars and no amount of gunnery training could prepare Kuromorimine for targets that moved like dirt bikes instead of tanks. The one consolation was that the own gunnery was appalling and it was hard to tell who exactly they were aiming at as their shells went wild. Her command was meaningless because now she couldn't even see the T-34/85. She had lost control of her detachment, just as Continuation High wished.

Not so for the Captain who ploughed her wedge of steel through the maelstrom of dust and tanks and left both T-34s in ruins before concluding with a simultaneous thunderclap that would leave the crew of the T-26 having nightmares for weeks. Somehow with just a few commands to the flanking Panzer III and Konigstiger; the Captain brought order to chaos and the Kuromorimine formation was restored.

For all their fancy driving; Jatkosota could not overcome this.

[][][][][][]

The difference between a happy and a distressed Yukari manifested itself as a tendency to flail and motor-mouth in exasperation when others failed to be experts at tanks in the same league as herself. As people were conditioned to believe in this as typical 'nerd' behaviour, Yukari's change in temperament wasn't readily apparent. But after the second practice, Erika saw the rest of giving her looks as they realised she was lacking in that joy that didn't so much bubble as boil out of her. An unhappy Yukari was something they had trouble conceiving of; let alone believing.

They were too polite to say anything though.

Erika thought that Nakajima would say something and she did see the thought, the joke, form in her head that she and Yukari had had a lover's tiff. She also saw that joke die in her eyes before it could cross her lips as for the first time she actually succeeded in cowing the girl with a look. That didn't bode well for any of them, she thought.

Yukari was not in the mood to talk about it. Not yet. When Erika tried to engage her, she heard only 'Mmmm' from her. She could have forced it but she sensed it would lead only to a fight at the moment. Yukari hadn't told anyone. That impulse it seemed had left her. But she did know and they needed to discuss it. When was the right time to talk about it though? She hadn't been able to make that determination in regards to Miho.

Miho. Yukari was brooding, just like her commander, while their Captain was oblivious to the reason why. Miho was living proof that ignorance was bliss. She had come so far out of her shell and now it was Erika's duty to crush her spirit. And yet as with Yukari, she didn't want to force it. Not today. Not while she was dealing with Yukari's reaction to the information. One battle at a time.

She was aware this made her a coward.

It was a good thing she wasn't working that evening because her comments would not have been comically mean. They would have been just mean. Miho had invited her to join Anglerfish team's latest shopping trip and she had declined; citing the need to be responsible and catch up with her schoolwork. It was an easy lie to tell because it wasn't entirely untrue. It was much better than the truth which was that this evening, she wasn't in the mood to be around happy people.

Erika was tempted to have a drink. There was something about the idea of sitting in her apartment brooding with a glass of wine in hand that appealed. Thinking about it, the last time she had had a proper drink was when she and Hana had talked about their mothers. But in her present mood, she would drink hard and then she would have to try and explain away a hangover to the school, and Miho. With all their problems, the last thing they needed was the school probing underage drinking. Even Anzu with her oddly broad powers couldn't sweep that under the rug.

It would have been good to have a little fortification however when she heard the knock on the door. She guessed Yukari had decided she wanted to talk after all and that was good. One unpleasant conversation done with sooner rather than later.

It was not Yukari. It wasn't Miho. It wasn't even a member of the Student Council come to spring some new hellish complication to their insane scheme upon her.

It was Shinobu.

"Hi." The tall girl spoke in a very un-Shinobu manner. "May I come in?"

Erika stepped back and she found herself thinking how odd it was to see Shinobu in a hoody, skirt and tights rather than her customary volleyball uniform. She was wearing her hair loose rather than in a ponytail. It was, Erika realised, an attempt at a disguise. As if a five foot seven girl could possibly blend in unnoticed.

This was the thought she had to avoid the more pressing thought. That there was only one possible reason why Shinobu would be visiting her here and that was because she had heard what she and Yukari had been talking about. Or rather, what Yukari's screams had drawn her in to hear.

"Do sit down." She said with years of ingrained politeness. Shinobu sat and looked around the way all her visitors did. Everyone seemed to expect something. Either something severe or an unlikely soft touch. Which Shinobu found as she located Furan. She wondered what surprised people more; that she owned a stuffed animal or that she left it in a place where visitors could see it. Shinobu seemed to be thinking the latter, which was nice in a way.

"I guess you know why I'm here."

"I have an idea." Erika said drily.

"I heard screaming. And not Akiyama's usual screaming. So I came to investigate and obviously…" She shrugged awkwardly. "Obviously I heard what you were saying. About the school being closed."

And there it was. The words that meant that the cat was most decidedly out of the bag. But Erika did have one pressing question. "So, you overheard that… And you decided to troll us by implying we were… Having a moment?"

Shinobu smiled though only a little ruefully. "I heard what I heard and when you saw me… I don't know… I made a joke. And it made me feel better and then it seemed to make you both feel better too." The typical serious expression of hers returned. "I wanted to tell you I overheard you but I thought you had enough on your plate dealing with Akiyama. And I needed to think. And now I'm here."

That was a lot 'Ands', Erika thought, but the reasoning was sound. Logical. It didn't make her feel better though to know that she had blurted the secret to one of the more unstable people she knew and in the process spread it even further. Though at least it was Shinobu and not one of the other Ducks. "Why were you there? Just you? I thought you had all gone an hour earlier."

"The others had left and I decided to stay a little longer for a little cardio. I heard you thumping away and I guessed you had something on your mind but that's nothing new. I was about to leave when I heard Akiyama and I've never seen her in the gym before so I thought she would say or do something that would be entertaining." Her sardonic expression grew even more self-mocking. "Guess I was right."

"Right." Erika agreed and then could think of no better way of expressing herself. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"

"Don't swear." Shinobu chided.

"Sorry." Erika apologised automatically.

"This is probably an appropriate time for it though."

"Isn't it?" Erika looked at her, met her eyes. Having seen Yukari's spirit severely wounded, the volleyballer's impassive posture was something of a balm. "How are you handling it?"

"It's taken me two days to talk to you."

"And you haven't told anyone."

Shinobu smiled bitterly. "If I told Akebi and Taeko, they would go to pieces. If I told Noriko, she'd probably take our tank to the Ministry and shell the building."

"Really?" She thought about it and considered the little Duck commander's passion. It did seem likely.

"You know what I found funny? Funny about this? You told Akiyama it would take a miracle for us to win at Sensha-do and we joined Sensha-do hoping it would miraculously restore our volleyball club. Now I know there was never any hope for us."

"I'm sorry."

"For what? You didn't choose this." She said and Erika felt she had spoken the same words herself. Shinobu frowned. "You really think it's impossible?"

"The President thinks so. She's actually said to me that even if we do win, it might not mean anything in the long run. If we win the unwinnable, but lose next year; what stops them closing us the year after that?"

"So you know about this. The Student Council. Akiyama. What about the Captain?"

"Miho doesn't know."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to break her heart." Erika admitted. "I've been lying to her for months and now I've broken Yukari. She loves Sensha-do and now she isn't in it for fun and love; she's in it for victory at all costs. And that's what Miho came here to get away from. What we both came here to get away from."

Shinobu squirmed suddenly and Erika realised she was touching her scar. None of them ever mentioned it or asked about it. She didn't even know which members of the team even understood its significance. Shinobu was too polite to ask about it now.

"Miho didn't even want to be a part of this. They forced her into it. They-we kept it from her so she wouldn't break under the pressure. If I tell her now, she'll feel that pressure and feel guilty about any mistakes she feels she made getting us this far because they might have cost us everything."

"But you have to tell her."

"I know I have to tell her!" She didn't care that she clawed her hands at Shinobu in the way Nakajima and Yukari teased her for. "And soon! But where do I begin? And how do I make it not sound like a conspiracy?"

Shinobu had no answers for her. Just as Yukari didn't. She was the commander and it was her job to provide the answers.

"I'll tell her. Soon. Before we face Pravda. And she's the one who decides if everyone else finds out. But until then, this has to stay with us. If it gets out to the club, it'll get out to the school and then they might close us right now to stop the noise." Yukari's shrieking reaction multiplied across hundreds of girls was too hideous to contemplate. "What about you?"

"Am I okay with this? Not really. But what can I do?" Shinobu asked and then shrugged. "This actually helps make a lot of things make sense. I did wonder why the Student Council cared so much about Sensha-do when they're not really any good at it. I thought maybe they were just bored and seeing how much chaos they could stir up before they graduated."

Erika had considered this before but there was nothing the Student Council was doing that would make a difference to the Ministry. Anything that happened on the school ship made no difference to them in the capital. Their scheme was all or nothing. They won the tournament and got national notice or they lost and the matches they won were merely footnotes in the official record and a few stories the teams they had fought talked about next year. "They think an insane scheme is better than doing nothing and just rolling over and letting it happen."

"That's true. That's definitely true." Shinobu stared into the distance and then gnawed on her lip. "We were kicking and screaming during the Saunders match and we didn't even know."

"We had advantages against Saunders. It was the first round and Saunders always won the first round in other tournaments. We weren't being taken seriously and that girl cheating did a lot for us. Anzio was in our league. But Pravda's something else."

"Won't they underestimate us too?"

"Yes. But their tanks have a much bigger advantage over ours than Saunders did."

"How big?"

"Only three of our tanks can penetrate their armour at anything less than close or point blank." Which put the odds at five to one.

"That bad." Shinobu nodded. "But wasn't that true when we fought St Gloriana?"

"And we lost."

"Barely."

Erika peered at her and then shook her head. "Another optimist. Just what I need."

"You have to be an optimist in sports."

"Well, Sensha-do isn't completely a sport. You're not relying on just your body. If we were, I'm pretty sure I could crush half of Pravda with my bare hands. I know I could have managed St Gloriana."

"Now that's the fighting talk we need."

Erika smirked. "It's different in a panzer. And I'm not in a panzer; I'm in a Soviet machine that makes me yell at it."

"You like yelling at it. We all know that. You'd be bored if your tank worked flawlessly."

It was true, but she didn't like hearing it. Especially from a girl who was only an acquaintance. It made her feel vulnerable. The whole team seemed to know her and how she thought and she felt she didn't know them anywhere near enough in return. "It passes the time." She said.

Shinobu seemed to realise she had unsettled her and stood up to leave. But not without parting words. "You have to tell the Captain."

"I will." She said and because the universe had a wicked sense of humour, she heard the sound of Miho arriving home next door.

Shinobu grinned. "No time like the present."

"No. Not now. Not yet."

"And Yukari? People are going to wonder why she's acting weird."

"I'll fix her. I'll distract her somehow."

Shinobu's grin was replaced by a sly smile. "Why don't you kiss her? You make a lovely couple."

"Out." Erika replied and Shinobu laughed as she had in the gym.

When she was gone, Erika was left with the thoughts that there were now two girls who were jokingly shipping her with Yukari and that she somehow had to conceive of a way to tell Miho the truth without the weight of it falling on her from too great a height.

Screw it. She was having that drink.

[][][][][][]

The Automotive Club brought out the turret of the Porsche Tiger from below decks. There wasn't actually a big difference between it and the 7.5cm guns of the Panzer IV and StuG, size-wise. But it had a presence. Even disembodied, the turret was imposing and demonstrated why the Soviets had referred to Tigers as elephants before learning their true name; although Erika thought that the turret lying on the hangar floor looked more like some kind of baleful snake or alligator.

For a good five minutes, Yukari was her old self. Sitting on the turret was obviously a lifelong dream for her and everyone pretended not to see her childish excitement as she lived out her fantasy. It wasn't a Henschel Tiger but it was close enough for her to pretend she was Manstein or Rommel. An odd fantasy for a Japanese girl, certainly. But one she obviously loved.

For five minutes.

Then she returned to her obsessive malaise. She had been over every last inch of their T-50 and the Type 3; now she was going over the StuG. The History Girls, particularly Erwin, were good friends of hers because she was a kindred spirit but even they were alarmed by her dedication; picking apart their machine and polishing and oiling every last component after a thorough inspection for defects.

They weren't sure what to make of her mood. They didn't think she was unhappy now, not after seeing her playing on the Porsche Tiger turret, but they did think she had become peculiarly obsessed with winning the next match. They all had an odd outlook on that coming match, Erika thought. They were all blithely confident thanks to their victories over Anzio and Saunders; especially the win over Anzio. They didn't disparage Pravda but they didn't fear them either. They seemed to think it was possible to beat them, even without their Captain having formulated a plan and instructing them vigorously about the details of said plan. They didn't seem to understand the scale of what they were facing. Fifteen Soviet tanks, almost half of which would be late-war models, crewed by last year's champions and the former reigning champions most bitter and competent rivals. As capable as Saunders were, they had still brought mostly early-war tanks to the first round. They had held great advantages over Oarai and Pravda had the same advantages; but greater. Much greater.

But what was the right mood? Yukari's obsessiveness? Her own pessimistic gloom? The Student Council's seemingly jaunty confidence? Miho's general good humour?

Perhaps the Student Council realised the Pravda question needed to be addressed outside an official commanders meeting and not behind the Captain's back. That was why they were summoning them both at the same time for a change.

It was oddly reminiscent of when they had been press-ganged into service. Except this time Hana and Saori weren't there to hold Miho's hands and Erika wasn't lurking in the background. But Anzu was still lounging in her chair and Momo and Yuzu were still doing their best to look like able minions. They were still failing because Yuzu still looked overly anxious while Momo's Prussian monocle glinting imperiously went too far the other way.

"There you are!" Anzu cheerfully waved one of her sweet potato chips at them and Erika wondered what would happen to her if she was cut off from them. She had a vision of a spitting wolverine. But still with twin tails. "We have some exciting news!"

Miho looked nervous while Erika felt a nasty chill of foreboding.

"Maginot Girls' has reached out to us. They want to have an exhibition match against us!"

Erika heard herself blink. It was a scratchy noise; like a rake on floorboards. As she heard this sound, she also heard Miho speak. "Pardon?"

"Maginot Girls'! The school Anzio beat before they faced us!" Anzu wore a great chirpy grin. "They want to try their hand at us now they've been knocked out of the tournament. We figure our side could use the practice, so we said yes."

It wasn't a scratchy nose Erika heard this time. It was a dull thump-thump.

"You said yes?" Miho asked in her normal nervous tone.

"Yes!" Anzu beamed.

"But we're facing Pravda soon."

"Exactly. We need all the practice we can get, especially for Arikui team and their Type 3. We need to know it works properly before we fight Pravda. Itsumi's told me how difficult it's going to be fighting Pravda so we don't need one of our best tanks breaking down on us because we never got to test it properly."

"When is this match?"

"We'll have seven days before the tournament match."

Erika realised the noise was her own heartbeat pounding in her ears. That definitely wasn't normal.

"Seven days?!" Miho squeaked in the way that only she could.

"That's plenty of time for us to repair any damage we might take."

"Sure!" Erika purred. "If we take a few bumps or scratches… But if we have a gun blasted off and we have to replace it…"

"What are the chances of that?"

Anzu's cheery tone fortunately rendered Erika unable to respond as Miho actually quoted the statistics in reply. She knew them well.

"Nonetheless." Momo used her most imperious tone. "The team needs this practice match if they're to defeat Pravda."

"If we could win against Anzio and Saunders, why would winning an exhibition match against Maginot make a difference to whether we can beat Pravda?" Miho asked in a confused but patient tone. She glanced at Erika and didn't like what she saw.

"Itsumi's been telling us about the strengths of their tanks." Momo replied officiously. "If we have only three guns capable of penetrating their armour at long range, then we need to ensure that our newest team can match up with the other two. Arikui team have never operated their Type 3 in a proper match. They need the experience."

Despite her pomposity and simply repeating Anzu's words in a less concise manner, Momo's argument made sense. It was reasonable logic. Except for the part where it put their tanks in harm's way just seven days before the actual tournament upon which everything depended. Erika found her voice. "Are you insane?" She asked. "Do you realised how hard it was for us to get the Type 3 operational? Do you know how difficult it would be to fix any kind of major damage to any of our tanks in seven days? Armour we can patch up. Boring out broken axles-"

"We can manage it." Momo interrupted tersely. "The entire team wouldn't rest until all our vehicles were operational again."

"What about school?" Miho asked. "People can't spend all day in the hangar working on tanks."

"Yes they can." Momo replied, her tone a slap in the face to Miho. "This is more important than mere classwork."

"It's just Sensha-do." Miho said and Erika felt an odd jolt. The Kuromorimine part of her was not strong these days but it still hissed at this dismissal. They were blasphemous words at Kuromorimine. For Oarai and the situation it faced, they were far worse. "We can't neglect our schoolwork for the tournament-"

"Nothing is more important than this tournament!" Momo snapped and the words were precisely what both of them had heard at Kuromorimine. They were not the words Miho wanted to hear.

"Why? We've done an amazing job getting this far this year!" Miho's tone was plaintive. "With the tanks and experience we have, to reach the semi-finals is a huge achievement. No one expected us to get this far. No one could expect us to get further. Why do you insist we have to?"

Anzu became very interested in one of her tails. Yuzu looked at the ground. Momo met the challenge. "We must win the tournament! You must win!"

Miho stared at her, disbelieving what she was hearing and finding no answers in Momo's flashing eye or Momo and Yuzu's bowed heads. She turned to the only other source. To Erika.

"Get out." Erika said to Momo.

This got both Anzu and Yuzu's attention. In fact, Anzu looked up with the same expression she had worn when the Principal's car had been crushed beneath the tank of the Sensha-do tutor she had hired; eyes wide in a non-verbal 'Oh crap!' They took the hint. Momo did not.

"This is the Student Council chamber! You can't tell us to leave here! You-"

"OUT!" Erika slammed her fist down on the table. "OUT! OUT! OUT!"

Anzu had breezily ignored all of her previous threats but now for the first time, she took the threat of violence seriously. She took hold of Momo's arm with a shaking hand as Yuzu took hold of the other and the two of them promptly steered her around the desk and away from the enraged former student of Black Forest Peak. They let themselves be driven out of their own space.

Something that wasn't lost on the Oarai Sensha-do Captain who stared at her with a mixture of awe and fright. Erika squeezed her fist with her other hand. This was not how she had wanted to do this. Her thoughts for how best to approach this situation with Miho had involved ice cream and lots of it. After botching it with Yukari, she had given the location far more thought. What she would actually say though, she had been thinking about for far too long.

Though where to begin; that was something she hadn't figured out. Not in all this time.

"Eririn?" Miho had adopted her defensive posture and her hands raised together in that fashion gave her angelic appearance which Erika thought was all too apt for the revelation of this Devil's Pact.

"I'm having a very bad week." She said. "I've broken Yukari. I've upset a Duck. I'm definitely going to have to kill the three of them. And now." She laughed suddenly and it was an odd, alien sound even to herself. "Now I'm going to ruin your life."

"What are you talking about?" Miho drew herself into an even stronger defensive position. Erika looked at her and considered the past few minutes from Miho's perspective. She had seen her friend struck dumb with inexplicable rage and then the Student Council had apparently lost their minds before her friend had frightened them away. It was obviously not the day she had envisioned when she had woken that morning.

"Miho, did you ever wonder why the Student Council were so desperate to recruit you?"

"They needed someone with experience to build their team. That's why they needed both of us."

"Not both of us. You. They needed you. Because you're a Nishizumi. I would have been useful but you were the only one that could inspire the others."

"They all want to make you proud, Eririn." Miho assured her. "They know how much you care about them."

Erika raised her left hand. "They needed you to make them believe that winning even the first round was possible. Only a Nishizumi could make them believe fighting against Saunders outnumbered two to one after just a few weeks of training was possible. And you did win. Because I wouldn't have let the team take their phones into their tanks and you didn't care and that let you turn Saunders cheating against them."

"We wouldn't have had the chance to win if you hadn't charged your T-50 into a pack of Shermans. You took a light tank against mediums and you almost wiped them out."

Miho was going out of her way to share credit but only because Erika wasn't getting to the point. "Miho, they needed us because they had to have a winning side and they needed it quick. They need a winning side because they have to win this tournament." Miho's expression was pure astonishment. "They have to win this tournament because if they don't." She punctuated her next words hard. "The Ministry of Education. Culture. Sports. Science and Technology, is going to shut down Oarai and scrap the ship."

Miho dropped her arms. Numb. "…What?"

"They're shutting down the school. That was the plan before we came here. The Student Council thinks if we win the tournament, it would be too scandalous for them to close Oarai. Too embarrassing to shut down the champion school." Miho's eyes always widened in shock and surprise but now her jaw had dropped so that she was looking at Erika utterly aghast. "That's their plan anyway and that's why they've bent every effort into the Sensha-do club. Putting on that ridiculous presentation. Offering all those perks. Hiring a JDF Captain as an instructor. Sourcing spares from… They told me not to ask and I don't want to know. It's best if we don't know. Anzu said that; we win the battles and they take care of logistics. They've actually done a great job organising this insanity… But I never said that... Anzu never really believed in it. When we beat Saunders, it gave them hope but she still doesn't think we can go all the way… But what she really believes…" Erika swallowed. "And I agree with her, is that it's better to do something insane than nothing."

Miho processed this all slowly, mouthing silent words. She took it much better than Yukari at least. There was no screaming. Miho for all her nervous disposition wasn't prone to the same histrionics as she and her gunner were. The question she asked was the one Erika had most dreaded. "How long have you known?"

"I had my suspicions and I talked to Yuzu after our first session. She confirmed what I guessed."

"You've known from the beginning?"

"When you said you didn't want to do Sensha-do, Yuzu said it was all over… It seemed like an overreaction for simply resurrecting the Sensha-do class…" She took her cap off her head and considered the evening she had bought it. Anglerfish and Wolf teams enjoying a meal together. Bantering. It seemed like a different life. "I talked to her and she told me the truth. They never planned to tell us because they didn't think they had the right to burden us with it. And I said I'd kill them if they told you."

"You did? Why? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you were happy, Miho! So bloody happy! What was I supposed to do? Stop you and tell you 'Hey, Miho. You know this school that you love that's full of your new friends? Well guess what, there's a breakers yard in the Philippines or India drooling with anticipation for scrapping it and shattering your happy little world.' How was I supposed to do that?"

"That's why you cried. Because I said I was happy and you… You…" Miho stumbled over the words but purposefully stepped forward to embrace her.

Erika had been the recipient of far too many hugs since she had begun attending Oarai but Miho was different. Miho was not a hugger. Miho didn't recoil from physical contact the way she had once but hugs still took her by surprise. The bear hug she had received from Saunders' Kay had shaken her to her core. For her part, the many glomps Erika had taken from Yukari still hadn't prepared her for this kind of embrace.

"You did an evil thing for a nice reason." Miho said softly, leaving Erika to take a moment to recall their conversation after the Sensha-do club had first visited the karaoke bar. It was a good distraction from the reality that the younger Nishizumi sister was clinging to her. They were two people for whom physical affection was something they could never get used to; no matter how warmly they received it. Miho released her. "But what do we do now?"

"Now? We have to get everyone who knows together."

"Who does know?"

"Us. The Student Council. And Yukari and Shinobu."

"Shinobu?" Miho's nose wrinkled at the incongruity.

"She overheard me telling Yukari. That was only a few days ago."

Erika could see it click into place in Miho's head. "That's why Yukari-san's been so… So…"

"Fanatic?" Erika supplied.

"And Shinobu?"

"She said that it made a lot of things make sense. She handled it much better than Yukari. Fluffy actually started screaming and I had to jump on her." Miho raised an eyebrow. "Shinobu actually walked in then and pretended she thought we were… You know…"

Miho blushed ever so slightly but grinned. "Yukari-san would probably consider that a great honour. Normally."

"Normally." Erika agreed.

"We need to reassure her."

"Are you reassured?"

"No." Miho admitted. "Winning over Pravda… And then…" She didn't need to say it. "But if we know where we're going, we can figure out how to get there."

"Maybe put it in a more stirring way when you tell the rest of the team."

"Do you think we should tell them?"

Erika had given this so much thought and yet the answer wasn't easy. "Not yet." She said. "Not yet. If we have to do this…" She swallowed a string of curses. "This stupid exhibition match against Maginot, we should let them enjoy it."

Miho beamed, understanding. "Let them enjoy Sensha-do one last time without this hanging over them." Her smile became a sly grin. "You're a big softie, Eririn."

"Shut up." Erika said as nastily as she could manage. Which wasn't much now.

"Well… Now I know." Miho said and then shuddered as the terrible weight of it fell upon her shoulders. "We'll figure it out."

"There is just one other thing, Miho."

"What's that, Eririn?"

"I think I broke my hand." She finally let the tears out.

[][][][][][]

Yukari was no fool. When she saw Erika, Miho, the Student Council and Shinobu together, she was able to piece it together for herself. This was a relief because explaining how she and Shinobu knew to the Student Council had irritated Erika no end. It was an odd group gathered together and with the exception of Miho, they all kept staring warily at her hand which she and Miho had wrapped and she was now resting on an ice pack. It seemed unlikely that Anzu would dismiss Erika's threats as mere hyperbole from now on. Momo also seemed to realise that she was dealing with someone who might have been similar to her in many ways but was far more volatile. Dangerous.

"Okay then." Erika felt extremely tired and had no interest in skirting the issue. "We all know what we know. We all know that we know it." She looked at Shinobu and Yukari who looked at Miho before they all looked at the Student Council. "Now's the time to ask any questions you have."

"I have one." Shinobu did not raise her hand. She just looked straight at Anzu. "Why didn't you tell us about this in the beginning?"

"That would have been a great campaign." Anzu replied and for once her cheeky grin was appropriate. "Hey, girls! We need you to join the Sensha-do team today, otherwise there will be noooo tomorrow!' That would have really worked out well."

"We'd have full crews for our tanks." Erika countered.

"And we could have prepared for all of this far better." Shinobu added. "My team would have spent our evenings practicing Sensha-do, not volleyball."

"But would you have been happy?"

"I think we could sacrifice a little happiness for this." The lean Duck said acidly.

"But I couldn't ask you to make that sacrifice."

"But you did. You just didn't tell us."

Anzu considered the truth of this and obviously didn't like the conclusions.

"Obviously, things could have been different if everyone had known." Erika said as diplomatically as she could manage. "And obviously, things could have been worse if they did." It had been some small comfort knowing this while knowing the secret. "Most of the school would fall apart if it got out." Shinobu was far from mollified but she took the point.

"Erika-san and I have decided we won't tell the others." Miho said and this made them stir. "Not yet." She continued quickly. "We will. Before we face Pravda. But we're not going to face Pravda first."

"What?!" Yukari squeaked and then blushed. "What?" She repeated in a more adult tone.

"We're having an exhibition match against Maginot."

"Maginot?" Yukari adopted the owlish expression that Miho had made her own. "Why?"

"Because they asked." Erika explained. "And they answered." She said, glaring at Momo.

"Why would we have an exhibition match right before we fight Pravda?" Shinobu demanded.

"We've been over that." Erika raised her bandaged hand. It wasn't a thorough explanation but served to stop Shinobu and Yukari repeating the earlier conversation. Any objection they might have raised would obviously pale in comparison to hers. "Suffice to say, the Captain and I will work out a way for us to win over Maginot without taking any severe damage. Anything that we couldn't fix before Pravda."

Both girls wanted to press that Maginot seemed very unnecessary but Erika made a point of massaging her hand and they kept quiet. She had a feeling they would be asking her about it later though.

Momo however was quite determined for people to see things her way. "We need to train and Maginot-"

"And Maginot operates tanks in our league." Miho interrupted but with diplomacy. "Maginot operates mostly early-war tanks so our mid and late-war models will give us an advantage."

Erika wanted to counter that some of those French tanks were very well-armoured but it was unnecessary at this point. If anything, it would only serve as an argument as to why they needed to face Maginot. After all, she had belaboured the point of Pravda's armour advantage.

"We have a lot of work to do." Miho declared. "Everyone was already well-committed to the next round so they can handle an exhibition match against Maginot. When the time comes to tell them the truth, I know they'll understand and accept it. We'll get through this. We'll all get through this. Together."

[][][][][][]

Yukari was not a subtle person when she wasn't playing spy, and even then her spycraft involved a lot of refuge in audacity. Her way of apologising for being moody since finding out the truth was to give both Erika and Miho hugs around the middle that knocked the wind from them as well as giving them an uncomfortable moment where Yukari seemed to be nuzzling their breasts with her fluffy head. She was oblivious, as always. When it was Miho's turn, Erika gave her a reassuring look. Miho didn't have the same experience of Yukari's complete unawareness of personal space as she did.

"So how are we going to fighting Maginot?" She asked with her usual puppyish excitement. "You won't let me go to Pravda so can I got to Maginot? I'd love to wear their uniform for a while and to see their tanks up close! I love French cavalry tanks! And they have B1 bis' like we do! And FT-17s! The grandfather of all turreted tanks!"

Not for the first time Erika felt like the parent to a very hyperactive child. "Why do you need to when you clearly already know all about their tanks?"

"But we don't know what strategy they're planning!"

"It's Maginot. Either their traditional defensive tactics or what they tried against Anzio."

Having failed to secure approval from one parent, Yukari turned to the other.

"She's right, Yukari-san." Miho said gently, being transparently afraid of another hug. "But thank you for the offer."

Yukari pouted, an act which she was nowhere near as good at as Saori, and she was obviously caught between her devotion to her Captain and her desire to play secret agent. The devotion won out and Miho flinched slightly as her arm swept up into one of her crack salutes. Then an idea sprung into Yukari's head that made her hair wilt. "If Shinobu-san overheard what we were talking about, why did she suggest we were… Um… You know…"

"Well, Fluffy. Half the class ships me with you…" This made Yukari blush and Miho giggle. "The other half ships me with you, Captain."

The giggle caught in Miho's throat. "Hmm?!" She managed to utter.

"Don't worry. I have enough love for both of you." Erika would have put her arms around them to alarm them but her hand still hurt like hell. It hurt but she felt light for the first time since the morning of her first day at Oarai. She was no longer the keeper of the Student Council's dark secret and she was no longer lying to the two people most important to her. How could she not feel good? Her friends' awed and frightened faces only made her feel better.

[][][][][][]

The news that Oarai would face Maginot in an exhibition annihilation match before taking on Pravda in the tournament's flag battle was met with a mixture of confusion and excitement. With their limited experience of battles against other schools, they thought it was fun to face another. Naturally, there were questions. Erwin asked if it was tactically sound to face Maginot and then Pravda in quick succession, and Miho gave the Student Council's reasoning. From them, it sounded insane. From Miho, it sounded like they had given up any hope of defeating Pravda, so why worry about any issues from facing Maginot first? Erika knew that wasn't Miho's intention but that seemed to be the message she gave the team.

"I suppose it's better than that cockiness they had before."

"Pardon?" Miho asked, unsure if the comment was directed at her.

"After Anzio, they seemed like they were ready to take on the world. I was afraid when we faced Pravda that they were going to go full Chi-ha-tan. Maybe facing Maginot will be a good cushion." She took hold of her hair and pressed it into her face. "Or we'll beat Maginot and they'll all be so fired up from three victories in a row that they'll feel like they could take on the entire league combined without taking a hit."

She could see Miho trying to figure out if she was being positive or negative. She wasn't sure herself. She was feeling very light-hearted at the moment.

"Have you thought about Maginot?" She asked.

"If they entrench, we have the Panzer IV, StuG and Type 3 to rob their advantage."

"And our Captain of Artillery." Erika eyed the B1 bis which despite its frequent bouts on the firing range was spotlessly clean. The three members of the Public Morals Committee were quite committed to the barrels of their tank's cannon and howitzer never looking like they had been used.

"Indeed." Miho said politely. She wasn't sure what to make of Mallard team's self-declared role.

"Maginot brought two B1s against Anzio though. Maybe we don't want to get into an artillery duel."

"Our German guns are guaranteed to eliminate them at range though."

"Indeed." Erika echoed.

"But if they try their mobile tactics again, their S35s are nimble for their weight and they outclass our light tanks. Except yours."

"I'm aware." Yukari had gone into a very excited spiel about the merits of the T-50 light tank versus French cavalry tanks. Their armour was thinner but the sloped design made it stronger and their Soviet 45mm gun had more armour penetration than the 47mm of the S35 and the 37mm of the R35. They were also significantly faster. "Do you think Noriko will get excited when she sees an FT-17?"

Miho grinned. The French tank was the Type 89's parent and it showed despite the decade between their debuts. "You work well together. If they send out their Renault FTs; I'm sure you could handle them between you."

"But they can't tackle the R35s. Or the SOMUAs."

"No." Miho said and then frowned. She looked at each of their tanks in turn and her expression, though she didn't know it, made her look just like Maho. Cold. Analytical. Erika had not seen that look on Miho before though Hana and Saori had both said that their commander looked 'professional' when giving commands in the Panzer IV to them and the rest of the team. Perhaps this was what they meant. "We have a very unbalanced line up." She said, as if seeing them for the first time.

"It's gotten better."

"Our tanks are rather specialised for certain roles though. They don't work well together."

"You've made them work together." Erika told her, wondering where this was coming from.

"Do you think it can work though? Against Pravda?"

"We have to think of our tanks as individuals. They don't. We think about the individual advantages of each of our tanks and crews. They don't. So I think we get more out of our tanks, even though we're outnumbered."

Miho shook off her lineage and smiled at her. "Pravda and Kuromorimine do emphasise the unit over individuality. That is our advantage."

"I think we gave up any hope of working like a cohesive unit when Momo was trying to control our formations with a loudhailer." Erika mused, remembering those chaotic early days with something approaching nostalgia. She had to be mad to have any kind of fondness for when their chances of succeeding at the Student Council's mad scheme had been at their lowest as the girls figured out one end of a tank from the other.

"But we do all work well together."

"I threaten them and they listen to you."

"It's more than that." Miho said. "We're all friends now."

Erika thought of the girls she had driven for during her First Year in Kuromorimine. She could imagine pressing their faces into puddles with her boot until the last bubble went 'bloop'… She could not imagine calling them 'friend'. "They don't want to let you down." She said and Miho actually glared at her which made her grin. "I know. Us."

Miho continued to glare at her. Clearly, the Nishizumi blood was strong today.

"Eight against ten one last time before its eight against fifteen." She mused.

"Unless we form a temporary team for the Tanuki."

"Perhaps we should." Erika considered the training scenario that had put their small tanks against their big tanks. She would not have minded leading a platoon of two 38(t)s, the Type 89 and her T-50 again. "For Maginot. Not Pravda."

"Who do you think should make that team?"

That was easy. "The Gearheads. Put Nakajima in charge of Hoshino and Suzuki and I'll take Tsuchiya away from the bunnies. Then we'll have three tanks with three crew members, which won't compromise the others."

"Do you think Tsuchiya can…" Miho didn't finish the question. Of course Tsuchiya could master driving the T-50 before the match.

Nakajima approved of commanding her own tank in a proper match. She approved of Tsuchiya getting the opportunity to drive after being a loader for Rabbit team. Hoshino and Suzuki meanwhile had a fierce arm wrestle to decide who would take the driver's seat in the Tanuki. It was a long struggle and Rabbit team who Erika had noticed had an odd fondness for card games and gambling actually started taking bets over who would win. Perhaps after being stuck with the Student Council for so long, Hoshino had much greater motivation which lent her more strength. She won out in the end and practically leapt for the Tanuki.

Erika considered that she had made a severe error of judgement. While the Automotive Club were cheerful souls in general, Tsuchiya made Yukari seem dour and lethargic by comparison. Combining the two created a raging maelstrom of squee that made Erika stand in the cupola so that their slipstream muffled the sound as the T-50 sped, bounced and howled to the commands of its new handler.

[][][][][][]

Erika

You were right about Continuation High. They made a mockery of our heavy tanks and they inflicted some serious damage, but they couldn't overcome our firepower or armour. Not in the dunes. I think it would have been much closer in the snow or the woods.

I saw the recording of your match against Anzio. After what we endured against Continuation, no one here can take any shots at you all wallowing in the mud. You say your tanks are weak but that's not the impression I got. They powered through against Anzio and then saturated them in heavy fire. Although, I've never seen Anzio fight so well. They came so close, twice. That must have been nerve-racking. I know that Anzio's being reassessed as a threat now. Oarai too. After facing Continuation again, I think everyone here is thinking we shouldn't underestimate teams with weaker tanks. Though obviously, no one thinks we can lose to them… But none of them want to suffer the humiliation of being one of the Panzers knocked out by their unconventional tactics. Miho seemed to play the match conventionally though. Almost like the Captain, I thought. I think in all that rain and mud; that was the right call. It's funny that we fought in dust and sand while you were in a swamp.

So did you get this mysterious job? What is it? You have to tell me!

There's been a few tantrums here. The first time I thought it was just a girl having a bad day. But after five of them? My parents are nudging me to succeed at Sensha-do but I think with some of the other girls, their parents don't want them remembered as the girls who broke Kuromorimine's winning streak. We didn't take any damage against Chi-ha-tan and that made everyone feel invincible again, but then Continuation brought them back to reality and now we're going up against St Gloriana and we know what Darjeeling is capable of. We know St Gloriana could beat us. Before they would never have considered the possibility but the seed of doubt is there. That must seem unbelievable to you. It's weird to me.

I don't have the luxury of being able to throw a tantrum though. What I have is you to talk to. I'm grateful.

Koume

[][][][][][]

It was a quiet night at work. Quiet meaning that the Sensha-do club didn't show up. By some bizarre quirk of the universe, the regulars had decided this was an ABBA night and while there were plenty of songs in English that were popular leading to many performances in 'Engrish' as the Americans and British called it; a sustained night of it and all sung sincerely was a special kind of hell. She didn't need to think of anything witty to say; the performances mocked themselves. She left gratefully, into the bracing sea air of the deck.

"You sing now."

The voice took her by surprise. It was meant to. They had been lying in ambush for her and knew their words, whatever they were, would be shocking. It wasn't the words that really took her back though. It was their clothing.

She had only ever seen Maho in uniforms.

Erika realised she had never thought of her as a girl. Just the Captain. A figurehead. A presence. A force of nature. Not a girl like her. But in a simple summer dress, the Captain of Kuromorimine's Sensha-do team was obviously a young woman and just as obviously… Human. It was a shock.

"I always sang." She replied. "I'm just not ashamed or embarrassed of it now."

"Frivolity." It wasn't entirely a declaration and not quite a question.

"That's Oarai. We like frivolous things. They make us happy."

Maho smiled at this reproof and this was even more of a shock. Erika quickly pinched herself.

"What are you doing here?" She couldn't make it not sound incredulous.

"I needed to talk to you."

It was like being gutted. "In person?"

"Obviously."

"I know 'obviously'! I meant, why?" She swallowed. "How bad is it?"

"Our mother knows Miho has re-joined Sensha-do. She knows she's leading Oarai. And she knows that Miho is not winning her battles according to the Nishizumi Style."

Erika could merely nod meekly. "That's bad." She understood why Maho was dressed this way. It was a most effective disguise. In her school or Sensha-do uniform, she was one of the most recognisable teenage girls in Japan. In this dress though, she could have been anyone. But who was the disguise for? Her mother? The rest of Kuromorimine? Herself so she didn't feel like she was betraying the uniform?

"She's not taking it well." Maho said and her calm tone made it far more alarming.

"No."

"How is Miho?"

She could tell her. She could give her significant details but not without revealing everything else. What right did she have to do that? "Why don't you ask her yourself?"

"That would not be… Ideal."

"Who cares about 'ideal'? She'd love to see you."

"Would she?" The Captain asked and Erika knew she had spent too long at Oarai because the impassive tone infuriated her.

"Of course she would! She loves you!" She snapped and then flushed at the insubordination before remembering that Maho was not her commander anymore. Maho didn't look surprised. Of course she didn't. "She wants to see you."

"I don't think Miho would benefit from my presence."

"I don't care what you think you know!" Even though it made her heart beat hard and rapid to speak to her in this way, she had had enough of the Nishizumi refusal to acknowledge their emotions. The sickening pretence. The play acting. "I'm the one who's spent all this time with Miho! I'm the one she's talked to about all of this! Have you done that?"

"No." Maho said flatly, unaffected by her tone, volume or the spittle Erika had inadvertently sent her way.

"Then don't tell me what you don't know about! I know! And you have something Miho needs to know! And she… She!" Erika clawed her hands at Maho's face and then tore at her own. "And she has things you need to know! That your bloody mother needs to know!"

This made Maho frown. "Would this be related to your Student Council?"

"Does your mother know we were forced into this by the Student Council?"

"I did inform her. It did not help. A Nishizumi does not allow herself to be coerced." For just a brief moment, she gritted her teeth. "She hoped this experience would make Miho strong."

"It has made her strong! Just not on her first day at a new school."

Maho gazed at her and then gave her another alarming smile. "You've changed, Itsumi."

"Don't!" She raised her hand at her again. "Don't do that to me!"

"You've changed a lot."

Erika swallowed. "Why are you here if you're not here to see Miho?"

"Perhaps I am. Perhaps I wanted you to convince me."

"Did you?" Erika was alarmed at the possibility the Captain might respect her enough to be swayed by her opinion.

"Despite the general feeling at Kuromorimine; I'm not omniscient. I do appreciate input from others. Even though they're all too afraid to offer it."

"I don't think they want to hear that. That you don't have all the answers."

"No. They do not." Maho confirmed with just a trace of sadness. Erika knew a leader's life was lonely but she hadn't considered just how bad it was for Maho. The Nishizumi legacy ensured it.

"I never even thought about not giving suggestions to Miho. Especially ideas she wouldn't want to think about."

"Like treating Anzio to a Somme bombardment?"

"It worked."

"I didn't think it was Miho's idea." This time her emotion, relief, was more obvious. "But charging your T-50 into Shermans? That didn't seem like an idea you would have."

"It was my idea. We had to do something and it had to be spectacular." She blushed furiously. Darjeeling would have described their charge as 'vulgar' while Kuromorimine would have used the far more damning 'unprofessional'. "You told me to look after her and that was the best way to do it."

"I'm not criticising you, Itsumi." Maho said. "I'm just trying to understand things. Sensha-do tournament recordings don't provide context."

"So just bloody ask then!" Her belligerence returned. "Ask Miho what you need to know to placate your mother!" Erika realised now that the disguise was entirely for Shiho's benefit. Plausible deniability. One wayward daughter was embarrassing; two was a disaster. But no one would recognise Maho out of uniform and if anyone did; no one wold believe them. "Because what am I supposed to do knowing she's mad at Miho? What could I possibly do with that information?"

"Be prepared."

"Prepared for what?"

"To give Miho all the help she'll need."

"With what?"

"Your experience."

"My experience? What experience? I've been helping with her Sensha-do from the start."

"I didn't mean Sensha-do."

The cryptic mixed with the stoicism pushed Erika to a further level of fury and yet while she could yell at all the other girls and snarl easily at Miho; it was just too deeply ingrained in her to respect the Captain of Kuromorimine. She couldn't tear into her the way she wanted to. "Then what do you mean?"

Maho sighed and it came from a deep place that rarely got aired. "You're right. I should tell her myself."

"She's out with three of her team right now."

"Then we shall wait for her."

"Ambush her?" Erika asked. "Like you ambushed me."

"If you wish."

"That's unfair."

"Yes, it is." Maho said damningly. "But did you ever believe life was fair, Itsumi?" She asked and she gazed unblinkingly at her. In a previous life, she would have given anything for it and now it thoroughly disturbed her as she felt the Captain's leaden sadness.

Miho was not home yet and Erika let them in using her key. Maho could not hide her joy at seeing Miho's familiar personal touch and combined with her dress, Erika felt as if a foundation of her world had collapsed into a great sinkhole. There was no doubt Maho was indeed human, like the rest of them.

"What is it with the bears?" Erika asked.

"She's always liked them." Naturally, the Captain gave a non-explanation. She supposed the origin was quite lost. The family would remember her first time in a tank and the first time she had wrestled a shell off the ground but not when she had cuddled her first Boko. It was annoying because she would have liked a definite point for when Miho had begun to show a distinctly un-Nishizumi soft side, or at least, a willingness to show it in front of others. It was almost disturbing seeing the Captain holding one of those bears and looking them in the eyes.

"What about you?"

"Boko was always Miho's thing."

"I meant… What's your thing?"

Maho smiled which was unnerving but she said nothing which was reassuring. Had she revealed some gentle hobby, Erika was certain she would have needed to lie down.

"I don't know when Miho will be back."

Maho replaced the bear. "I make you uncomfortable, Itsumi."

"Yes." There was no point pretending otherwise.

"Why?"

"Because you're Nishizumi Maho."

"And?"

"… And? And you're a legend!" She declared and then felt like a complete and utter fool.

"I see."

If the tone had been amused or smug, it would have been bearable. Instead she was completely impassive, as if it didn't matter. It was like meeting a God and telling them they were worshipped only for the God to ask 'Why?', as though they were confused. Maho was an inspiration to all of them but she was only being herself.

That was daunting.

"How is Koume?" Maho inquired.

Erika tried to hide her surprise though in many ways; it wasn't surprising at all that she knew her second-in-command was in continued contact with her. "Surviving."

"Surviving?"

"She's feeling better since I made her and Miho talk."

"It seemed to bring about a change."

"There's not really much opportunity to actually do anything as Vice-Captain at Kuromorimine though is there? How often did we ever divide our forces?"

"Is that a concern of hers?"

"No. It's my thought that she won't have the opportunity to prove herself."

"I think she's proven herself quite well just by returning to Sensha-do."

"And if she hadn't?"

"I imagine she would be here with you… Experiencing the irony."

Erika found herself imagining that scenario. Three Kuromorimine alumni being conscripted into Oarai's insane bid for preservation via Sensha-do. Would Koume have joined her in the T-50? Or been at Miho's side with Hana and Saori? She imagined having both Koume and Yukari's puppy eyes on her. A sad puppy and a happy puppy… They would probably have gotten along ridiculously well to the point that no one would believe they weren't sisters, even without their resemblance. Add Nakajima to the mix and the already rowdy Soviet light tank would have been some kind of chaos dimension with her screaming at them to bring some kind of order.

"Perhaps Koume would be better off with you." Maho continued. "She's afraid of me. She worries too much about what the others think of her. As did you. Though you weren't afraid of me." Maho regarded her steadily. Like her hair, her eyes were darker than Miho's though besides the different shade of brown they were identical. "You would have made a good second-in-command."

"There was a time when hearing that would have been the happiest moment of my life."

"And now?"

"Now it's just good to know that both Nishizumi sisters respect me." How times changed, Erika mused. "Though I wouldn't mind having a few Kuromorimine Panzers in place of some of our more… Interesting machines."

"It is an odd combination of vehicles. And nationalities. Yet the official records show Oarai used a blend of German Panzers and Japanese tanks in tournaments."

"When did you find that out?"

"When I learned St Gloriana was having an exhibition match against a school that hadn't competed in decades and was being led by my sister." Maho almost smiled making this statement. "I was curious what tanks Oarai could manage to deploy given their financial status and I definitely wasn't expecting those six. I can't find any record of a school taking the tanks of four different nations into battle together. Five if you count a 38(t) separately. But there's no public record of all the tanks that Oarai owned. I assume that some of your vehicles are leftover practice tanks. Kuromorimine after all possesses T-34s, Shermans and Cromwells to train against."

"Odd choice of practice vehicles." Erika mused, thinking of the M3. "We've made them serve though."

"Saunders was over-confident. Anzio was in your league." Maho declared. "As arrogant as Pravda have become, it seems unlikely they will completely underestimate you now."

"They still won't know what to make of us. That is our main advantage; we know what we're up against and they don't."

"That seems like an advantage of optimism."

"You said it; Pravda had become very arrogant. If they can beat Kuromorimine, what can some 'no-name' school do to oppose them?"

Maho gave her one of her piercing, assessing looks. "You don't like your chances."

"I'd be foolish if I did." Erika realised she was being cagey. There was a lot of context she could provide to Maho but if somehow they did beat Pravda, it was certain they would face Kuromorimine. Maho didn't need to know everything about them and how they were feeling. "I do want to face Pravda again though."

"Have you given much thought to the consequences if Oarai does defeat Pravda?"

"Too much."

There was a brief moment where Maho acknowledged that she had thought about how it would mean fighting against her own sister. Very, very brief. It was not something she wanted to think about and Erika was reminded of all the times she had thought about the Nishizumi awkwardness. Miho questioned the affection her family had for her and here was Maho in denial that she would have to fight her.

This painful thought occupied Maho for several minutes, leaving Erika free to further observe her former Captain. She carried herself differently compared to Kuromorimine. She was relaxed here but at Kuromorimine, she was taut. As if at the school she was carrying the weight of command for all to see. Erika couldn't think of any other Captain who looked this way. Kay was bouncy and cheerful. Darjeeling was prim and proper with wry humour. Anchovy was all bombast and exuberance. Maho was always cold and professional. She took the mentality of Kuromorimine to an entirely new level. But here she was casually dressed and worrying about her little sister and looking very much like she could do with a hug. Maho needing a hug? Miho had said that Erika looked like she needed hugging most of the time and Miho had that moe quality in spades that made everyone want to hug her. Was it contagious? Did everyone who came in contact with Miho end up looking like they needed a comforting embrace?

"Miho's coming."

Maho frowned. "How can you know?"

"I know." Nothing called to her senses nowadays quite like the impending crushing of Miho's spirits.

Miho was understandably apprehensive coming home to find the light of her apartment on and said 'Hello?' as if she was worried she had entered the wrong one rather than that there was an intruder. She saw Erika and relaxed. "Eri-" She saw her big sister and carried the note up into the inaudible range. The discomfort that Maho felt to this reaction was clear for all of a second before she masked it. "Onee-chan." Miho managed the formality.

"I should-"

"Stay." Maho's tone wasn't commanding but Erika was still compelled to obey. "Miho."

They stared at each other and it was not silent communication. They weren't even marshalling their thoughts. They were consumed by their emotions and bound by the tedious conventions and formalities that meant they couldn't actually give vent to them. Having done so and enjoyed the catharsis that came with it, Erika had to ball her fists tight to stop from yelling at them. It was not her business; no matter how much she wanted to tell them, to scream at them, to just talk to each other. It was their family business. She could force Koume and Miho to speak to each other but she would be overstepping her bounds in every possible way if she tried the same with her former Captain and her present Captain.

She was not however beyond coughing to shake them out of their reverie. Whilst Miho might not be capable of initiating a conversation; Maho was. After prompting.

"Congratulations defeating Anzio." She said and it was perhaps the most pathetic icebreaker Erika could have imagined. "Taking Oarai to the third round in their first tournament for twenty years is a great accomplishment. You should be proud."

Accomplishment was expected at Kuromorimine. Great deeds were not accomplished for acclaim though and it was considered bad form to seek that acclaim. It was a stupid tradition. Very stupid. It made them all doubt themselves and treat each other with contempt and condescension. It made both Erika and Miho hear the unspoken 'But' following Maho's declaration. Miho voiced it. "But?"

Maho had meant what she said but she was pained that it seemed like a platitude before she spoke of painful news. "Our mother isn't proud."

All things considered, Miho took it well. "Oh."

They gazed steadily at one another once more and while Erika didn't want to get involved and wasn't supposed to, she knew they would be here until dawn if she didn't spell it out. "She thinks you're betraying Kuromorimine and the Nishizumi Style by leading Oarai the way you do."

Miho also took this well. "Oh."

Another long pained silence. A long, long silence as Miho contemplated her mother. Erika let her have it, considering her own issues with her mother, but there was too much being left unsaid. "She doesn't know why you're leading Oarai though."

Miho looked at her, not quite sharply but still enough to make her point. "No, she doesn't."

"She should know." Erika meant Maho.

"It wouldn't make a difference." Miho meant her mother. "She let me leave Kuromorimine to get away from Sensha-do. She thought I was done with it. Now she thinks I'm rebelling against her."

Erika couldn't help but snort. "Does she know you at all?"

Even Maho couldn't contain her smile. "I did say that it was not meant as an act of defiance." The smile vanished. "But mother…"

She didn't have to say more. They all knew Shiho. Miho was reluctant to speak ill of her though, no matter the circumstances. "Did you tell her I was…" Miho sought a polite term. "Coerced into Sensha-do?" The same term Erika and Maho had used.

"I did."

"I see." Miho nodded and then frowned, peering at her sister and seeming to see her clothing for the first time. "She doesn't know you're here." She said. "No one knows you're here."

"If she knew I was here, I would seem to be defying her too."

"But you are defying her."

"Yes."

Erika swallowed a lump at the look they gave each other and squeezed her fist even tighter to restrain herself from leaping up and pushing them into the hug they both so obviously wanted and needed. It was as close as Maho would get to telling her that she loved her and she was doing her best to take care of her, even when she wasn't around.

"What is mother thinking?"

Maho looked away first, and then met Miho's eyes again. "She's thinking of disinheriting you."

Now Erika understood her earlier words. Herself, Hana and now Miho… Perhaps they should have begun planning to live together after graduation; outcasts facing the world together. This was why Maho insisted she be here. Not to be a shoulder to cry on, that would have been a poor choice, but a rock to lean on. Her. Someone who had spent years despising Miho. The universe had a cruel sense of irony.

Miho took it well. "Does she really believe I'm doing this to spite her?"

"I think it's the only reason she can think of that would bring you back to Sensha-do, after everything that happened." Maho explained.

"Is she insane?" Erika asked before she could stop herself and having spoken; she doubled down. "Is that really the only reason she can think of that Miho would go back to Sensha-do?"

Maho gave her a hard look for her temerity but still answered the question. "You understand revenge don't you, Itsumi?"

"Revenge?" Erika and Miho spoke in unison.

The older sister's voice wavered ever so slightly. "She knows you weren't happy. I think she feels you blame her for everything."

Erika looked incredulously at Miho whose own expression was that of complete and utter disbelief.

"Mother has trouble understanding we aren't her." Maho spoke quietly. It was as much of a reproof of her mother as Maho would ever give and it was a sad thought from a daughter who knew how her mother saw her. Erika knew it well. "It's why she would do what she thinks you've done." She added lamely.

"Do you think I should talk to her?" Miho asked and it took a lot for her to speak the words.

"I don't know if you can. It might not be… Politic."

"… Politic?" Miho looked baffled.

"It took a lot for her to let you Kuromorimine. She let you go because she thought you would be quiet. That people wouldn't think about you. Instead you returned to Sensha-do and began winning battles in your own way. You've been noticed." Maho spoke matter-of-factly. "That looks bad to Kuromorimine and to her."

"I never thought-"

"I know you didn't." Maho interrupted her. "Why would you? You didn't want to return to Sensha-do." Maho's voice rose. "And how could you possibly know of the ramifications at a school you no longer attend and with a mother who…" She caught herself and visibly composed herself before speaking levelly once more. "I wanted you to know what is going on."

Erika looked at Miho who looked back at her. She flicked her eyes pointedly at Maho and Miho shook her head. She flicked a little harder and Miho shook her head more vigorously, so Erika gave up and shrugged. The charade obviously didn't go unnoticed but Maho did not ask. They could discuss it later.

With the serious conversation exhausted, the two sisters spoke of their respective battles. There was not much to say about the match with Chi-ha-tan but Jatkosota was another matter. Maho compared that school to Oarai's tactics against Saunders. The Oarai-Saunders match Maho declared had been a shambles and that had favoured Oarai. If Saunders had been patient instead of rushing into their first attack and then blindly chasing Oarai across the field rather than coordinating with their flag tank to lead them where they needed them to go; they could have won. Instead their enthusiasm had been their undoing. It was the same with Jatkosota. Instead of pursuing their typical hit-and-run tactics, they had kept hitting; allowing themselves to be drawn into a pounding match they couldn't win. Because of their enthusiasm.

Maho compared it to their victory over Anzio. The weather had tempered the enthusiasm of both sides and they had fought professionally. Anzio had used an excellent double-bluff ambush to make best use of their tank destroyers and Oarai had pursued a ruthless bombardment to utilize their longer reach and their howitzer. True, the weather had made things clumsy but it had still been a great display of skill and professionalism.

Hearing the Nishizumi sisters talk tactics was nothing new to Erika but they were comparing each other's tactics without saying it. They did not speak of the possibility they would fight each other in the end. There was no mention of Oarai going to face Pravda or Kuromorimine on their way to meet St Gloriana. It seemed like a major issue to avoid and they both did it masterfully. Almost naturally.

Maho wished to leave and stay in a hotel. Miho would not hear of it. Not for a second. Even if it cost her a huge deal of resolve. Perhaps spending the night together would shake a few things loose. It had certainly helped Koume and Miho. Erika had no desire to be a part of it. Their refusal to speak frankly and get everything out in the open and all the talk of mothers had put her in a bad mood.

Bad enough that she lay in her own bed and did not sleep for many hours as she reflected on how a sporting event had such a massive impact on so many lives.

[][][][][][]

Maho left without ceremony. The sisters said goodbye with great formality as though the world might break if they so much as shook hands. Perhaps if she wasn't an only child she might have understood, but she was and so once more she was forced to bite her tongue and stay calm when what she really wanted to do was crack Nishizumi skull.

"Why didn't you tell her?" Erika didn't bother with preamble.

"Tell her?"

"Why we're doing this. What Oarai's facing."

Miho didn't answer. Though Maho was long gone, she continued to gaze after her and who could blame her? She had received two nasty blows in short succession and either one of them could have been crippling to anyone, let alone someone with Miho's anxieties. Instead, she had to take the weight of both, along with the weight of everything else she had been through.

They had both been through so much and neither of them was yet eighteen. The thought that there were others who had been through much more however was no comfort. That was how some people made themselves feel better about their ordeals by reminding themselves that others had been through much worse. When she tried to think of that though, she felt the cold raging water of the river and the searing pain in her face.

She put her hand on Miho's shoulder and it was enough to shake her out of her reverie.

"If I told her about the Ministry. About the Student Council. About Oarai…" Miho shivered. "If I told her our school's survival depends on us winning the Sensha-do tournament, she would know that fighting us wouldn't just mean preventing us from becoming champions; it would mean destroying Oarai." Miho shivered again. "How could I do that to her?"

"If somehow we overcome Pravda and we face Kuromorimine, your sister being consumed with guilt might be our only hope."

Miho looked at her; her eyes absolutely huge. "You wouldn't tell her!"

"No, I wouldn't. That's your decision to make, Captain." She squeezed Miho's shoulder. "It's a despicable tactic but when we're facing 8.8cm guns in over a 100mm of armour… Despicable will even the odds…"

"It won't come to that."

Erika let go. "It would be a terrible thing to do to her. Even if it gives us an advantage. Even if telling your mother would clear up a whole lot of things."

"It wouldn't change anything. She would tell Maho, and then tell her she's honour-bound to win regardless. And she… She…" The note in her voice was painful. "Maho would have to choose between me, our family honour and her own honour."

The worst part was knowing that Miho was right. "She would, wouldn't she?" She said quietly, meaning Shiho. "If I had a sister, my mother would be no different. Family reputation and honour first; actual family members last…" She sighed. "Do you ever ask yourself why this is happening to us?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"I never have an answer." Miho shook her head. "That's the worst part. I never can think of a reason why we endure all of this."

"Maybe the Gods like us. They like to see us dance."

"That's a strange way to show that they like us."

"Well, we would know wouldn't we? They're just like our parents… When did anyone ever show us affection in a normal way?"

"Not before we came here…"

"Are you okay?"

"No." Miho said. "No I am not."

"What would make it better?"

"What would you do?"

"I would drink, but you're a good girl." Erika said and Miho actually giggled. "I think there's only one thing we can do." Miho gave her the owl eyes. "Focus on Sensha-do and try and forget everything else… Even if Sensha-do is the reason we have those problems to begin with."

"I sometimes wonder who we would be without panzers in our lives."

"I'd be a stuck up lady in a dress rather than an arrogant bitch in a tank."

Miho frowned. "I might be the same."

"You wouldn't be stuck up. That would mean looking people in the eye."

"I can do that now."

"… Yes you can." Erika admitted. "We've come a long way here. You aren't afraid to give orders and people actually like and respect me." She had a thought. "You realise that if your mother thinks you're doing all this to spite her, because that's what she would do, it means she really does think you're her daughter. And she does respect you."

Miho had not realised this. She had not even come close. It was another shock to her system. Yet another.

"Though I would really like to know what made her who she is. What she went through when she was our age… She was a Kuromorimine student too after all… What was Grandma Nishizumi like?"

"Formal." Miho answered shortly, telling Erika that she was, or had been, another terrifying presence in Miho's life.

"Come on." Erika said. "Let's go have another breakfast."

[][][][][][]

Yukari was teaching Tsuchiya 'It's a Long Way to Tipperary'. Specifically the version made famous by the Red Army Choir because that was appropriate for the T-50 according to her gunner. Listening to two fellow Japanese girls singing an Irish-penned British song in Russian accents seemed to be the ultimate proof to Erika that there was no returning to Kuromorimine's standard of professionalism.

The Wolf was in good shape. The Tanuki and Turtle were demonstrating why 38(t)s were such beloved machines. The Duck continued to defy all logic and act like the Wolf's equal. They continued to insist on the terminology that the Type 89 was a medium tank which meant that Erika did not command the Light Division. Instead because of one of Miho's whims, she would take the Macaron Company against Maginot. Miho would lead the Bifteck Platoon. Each other's favourite foods respectively, or at least close enough to fit the French theme. Perhaps she would try a French rather than German style steak after the match to celebrate.

To celebrate. Regardless that this was a friendly match, she fully intended for them to win and win hard. Perhaps Miho had put the others in mind that they couldn't beat Pravda but she had no intention of doing anything but winning and maintaining their streak. Another win might unnerve some of the Pravda girls or at least chip away some of their confidence.

Maginot. The school that had lost to Anzio despite advantages in armour and firepower. Maginot needed to win to regain some prestige after losing to Anzio. Oarai needed to win so that their two victories wouldn't seem like flukes. Their friendly match had quite a bit riding on it. Far more than mere practice for both sides.

Miho had taken her suggestion of focusing on Sensha-do seriously it seemed. Her encouragement of the team was as close to slave-driver as she could get. If slave-drivers could be heard to say 'Come on everyone! I know we can do better than this and I know we want to!' She would encourage the loaders to move quicker, she would tell the gunners she knew they could find the range faster and she would let the drivers know that no one had ever made a tank move quite like they were. It was friendly and delivered in a cheerful tone with only a slight edge that Erika could recognise behind it. She really did want them to win this match against Maginot if things turned against them in the tournament afterwards. One last positive Sensha-do memory.

"I wish I could have met her." Yukari declared after practice when they standing by the rail and looking down at the ocean far below. She meant Maho and she was peeved to have missed the opportunity once again to bask in the Kuromorimine Captain's presence after the awkward, painful experience the first time in the café.

"I would have liked it if you had been there. The look on your face seeing her out of uniform."

"I can't imagine it!" Yukari said cheerfully. "Like a shark with no teeth!"

"She had teeth." Erika replied.

"And Nishizumi-dono, she's okay with everything?" Yukari knew everything, and was fully briefed that if she gave away what she knew to Miho she would spend the rest of her life explaining why she had 'Blabbermouth' carved across her cheeks. Somehow it didn't seem right for Yukari not to know when Miho had told Hana, Mako and Saori of her sister's visit.

"Everything? No. She's found out she's fighting for her school's survival and that fight will probably cost her her home. One way or another, she loses her home…"

"But the Captain will tell her mother-"

"What Nishizumi Shiho believes isn't going to change based on the words of us children." Erika was sure of that. "Only what Miho does."

"But she doesn't know about the school."

"I'm not so sure." Erika said and Yukari stared at her in confusion and then shock. "Oarai's had issues for years. It's not a state secret that the Ministry is closing failing schools and Miho's mother is an incredibly prominent figure at an equally prominent school. She could know."

"Did you tell Nishizumi-dono this?"

"Of course I didn't! If I'm right, that would mean her mother knows why she's doing what she's doing and punishing her for it anyway. And that would be evil."

"But you think-"

"I think it's a possibility I might have to prepare for and I'll be following Maho's orders when her sister ends up school-less and homeless and needs someone there for her."

"It doesn't just have to be you. All the Sensha-do class would help her. I would help her!"

Erika smiled. "I know you would, Fluffy." She gave Yukari a fright by putting her arm around her and giving a crushing one-armed embrace that pressed her fluffy head against her scarred cheek. "But you'd have your own life to take care of if that happens." She released her. "Miho and I… We're all we've got."

Yukari carefully patted down her hair. Which immediately puffed back out the moment she took her hands away. "Unless we win."

"Unless we win."

"We can win."

"Maginot, yes. Pravda… Maybe…"

"If you had a sister and you had to fight against her…" Yukari began and then couldn't find the words.

"If we were fighting against each other and someone told me that you had to win, or lose everything, I know I could let you win, because I don't have anything to lose. But Maho? If she knew and let Miho win, she really would be what their mother thinks Miho is; a rebel. A traitor. A heretic."

"Honour is… Complicated."

"And we don't know. We don't know what her mother knows. We only have what she believes and that's that Miho is leading us in direct defiance of her mother to contradict the Nishizumi Style."

"Do we have a style?"

"We're flexible. Like Continuation High. We'll fight statically or mobile. We'll use precision or heavy firepower. We'll advance carefully or charge recklessly… No… I don't think we have a style. Unless it's to leave our enemies constantly guessing what the hell it is we're doing."

Yukari grinned. "That sounds like a great style."

"Apart from the fact it also means that we also never know what we're doing until the Captain thinks of it."

"Or you."

"Either way, everyone else is baffled."

"We've gotten this far our way." Yukari said. "I think we'll go further."

"You have a disgusting optimistic streak, Yukari."

"You love being a grouch… Erika."

"I am not a grouch."

"You're grumpy."

"Don't make me throw you over this rail."

"Do you know how many times you've threatened to hurt or kill me since you came here?" Yukari asked and then giggled. "You're a grouch."

Erika sighed. And then picked up her gunner around the waist and did her very best to send her to a watery grave.

[][][][][][]

Erika considered who knew what. She, Miho, Shinobu, Yukari and the Student Council knew that Oarai was under threat of closure and Sensha-do was their mad plan to save it. She, Hana, Saori and Mako knew that Miho's mother had plans to disinherit her for returning to Sensha-do. Yukari knew as well, but Miho didn't know that she knew. So far as she knew, everyone at Oarai knew how events had played out in last year's tournament final and what had happened to her and Miho as well as Koume but they were too polite to ask about it.

They didn't intend to tell the rest of the group about Oarai's doom until after Maginot. Meanwhile, there was no reason for anyone else to know about the personal stakes involved for their Captain.

Anzu continued to be ambivalent about the task she had created for them while her minions believed in the cause. Miho and Yukari were resolved not to lose the happiness they had found. Shinobu wanted to fight for her school and was steadfastly optimistic about their chances. And herself? Life would be much simpler if Oarai continued to exist. Leaving to find another school for her Third Year and trying to keep Miho out of despair after her promising, happy life at Oarai was torn apart would be a challenge like no other. Far worse than trying to defeat Pravda and Kuromorimine with their ramshackle force. While they could easily finish their high school days at another school, she knew Miho would be unable to let go of her happy memories at Oarai. All her friends would promise to keep in touch but the reality was that the physical distance and the demands on their lives would pull them apart. She and Koume could keep emailing one another but eventually their responses would be shorter and the time between them would grow longer. It would be no different for Miho and the other Anglerfish.

Much better then to win and avoid all that.

(16,381)

A character summing up events may be crude but this was a longer chapter with a lot of things happening and a summary for the reader to keep track of who knows what seems right.

I intended to post this on the 26th, for the story's one year anniversary. But life naturally gets in the way and I might not be able to at all next week. So here it is.

Including this chapter, at least 180,000 words of story. As of writing this; 29,413 views, 128 followers and 69 reviews. That is truly astonishing. I only started writing this and my other attempt at a GuP fic Spring and Autumn because I was struggling with another project. Now this surpasses that project… I never expected it to take off like this and never expected it to be popular either. Now it's one of the most followed GuP fics on FF. I definitely never expected that. I really can't express my gratitude for my readership, especially those who leave reviews to let me know what I'm doing right, and wrong.

It's an odd contradiction that while my enjoyment of writing this hasn't dimmed, my feeling toward the fanbase, particularly the subreddit have cooled considerably. Too many perverts. Too many creeps. Too many sexists. I enjoy GuP for certain reasons and those reasons it seems aren't shared by many on the sub. It's a shame but that's how it is. It's why I no longer post updates there. It's why I don't post anywhere near as often as I did. I've become a lurker on the Discord too.

In the translation subtitles I have for the series, Shiho's reasoning for disinheriting Miho is because she seems to have become rebellious 'She thinks she can do as she pleases'. I followed the Saga of Pravda canon that Shiho let Miho leave Kuromorimine and I followed it up by suggesting it was because Miho quietly leaving and disappearing was good for the family reputation and Kuromorimine. In this chapter, I put forth that Miho returning to Sensha-do and competing in a decidedly non-Nishizumi Style manner is embarrassing for both Shiho and Kuromorimine. Shiho doesn't know why her daughter has returned to it and the only reason she can think of that would bring her back to something that made her unhappy IS to embarrass her. I've always held that Shiho doesn't understand Miho and has difficulty as a parent. Maho suggests that Shiho thinks they're the same as her. I can relate to that; my father always seemed to be under the impression I was his clone. Lots of parents do. A key part of Erika's frustrations is that it could all be cleared up with one conversation. I hate when this is the case in fiction and notably in the show, Shiho doesn't choose to ask Miho what the hell she's doing. I hope in this chapter I've provided adequate reasons for why that conversation doesn't happen.

An exhibition match against Maginot is another departure from canon. Or a rearrangement of it, depending on which canon you follow. I came up with the idea of how Miho would learn the truth and I liked the idea of her wanting to face Maginot without the others knowing the truth so they could enjoy Sensha-do one last time without the burden. I thought that was very Miho. And her vehement opposition was very Erika. A great deal of this story is about everyone's different perspectives. The contrast of attitudes about the plan, about the approach to Sensha-do and just life in general.

Fall Gelb is next. I haven't yet decided if it'll be two chapters or just one like the St Gloriana exhibition match I wrote last year. Of course, I don't know for sure what's going to happen yet. That's how I write. I never know what's going to happen. This was why in a story I wrote long ago, James and Caren became each other's love interests. Because I decided they should meet, and it would be funny if James' reaction was to fall absolutely in love with her at first sight. A stoic falling in love with an equally stoic ice queen and both of them thawing. I didn't plan it; it just happened. And it changed the direction of the penultimate book in that series completely.

The future? I decided a while back that I wanted to go as far as the events of Der Film with this. I don't know how long it'll take me to get there but… I've had fun so far. So here's to more updates.