Dein Weg ist Mein Weg

Chapter 37: The Search

"Hey, what do you think those tanks still on the carrier could be?" Yukari asked as they walked through Zuikaku's streets.

"Hmmm... Maybe one of those Carro Veloce's Anzio used?" Hana proposed. "They were really cute. Almost looks like a flower vase, don't they?"

"As long as it gets us further in the tournament, I'm happy," Saori said. "A big and powerful tank will make us way more popular, don't you think? Like the... the... oh, what was it called... I read about it just the other day... It was a soup-... no, a supra-something, maybe?"

"A Super Pershing?" Yukari offered.

"Yeah, that one!"

"Getting our hands on an M26 would be amazing..." Yukari said, looking with dreaming eyes at the slowly darkening skies. "Getting a real heavy tank on the team would be amazing."

"As long as Saori's in it, the Phoenix should count as a heavy tank."

"Hey!" Saori yelled in protest, and gave the grinning Mako a knock over the head. "That's mean, Mako!"

"Still, I hope there's a 7TPdw somewhere," Yukari continued wistfully, mostly ignoring Mako and Saori's bickering, save for a small smile. "What about you, Maho?" she asked, turning around and walking backwards as she looked at the others.

At first, Maho didn't answer. She had been spending most of their collective walk just trying to get her head around what had actually happened in the Student Council's room, and hadn't been much of a participant in the conversation.

"Well..." she said after a moment. "I guess something heavier would be nice, but what we really need is just more tanks all around. Not to mention more people to crew the-""

Before she could finish, Maho halted herself and saw her hand reach out to grab Yukari's collar, yanking the girl towards her. She hadn't consciously considered why she was doing it, but a split second later, an electric scooter zoomed past them at full speed right through the spot Yukari had been walking on a moment before.

"Wha-... how..." Saori said, staring in awe at Maho with her mouth agape.

"Th-thanks..." Yukari said nervously, her breathing growing more rapid from the shock and adrenaline.

"You're welcome..." Maho answered.

"B-b-b-but... it was dead quiet?!" Saori yelled in confusion. "And there's no way you saw through that wall... How the hell did you know it was there?!"

"I..." Maho answered, unsure, and just as confused herself. "I don't know..." She let go of Yukari's collar, and took a step back. "I just... kinda did..."

"Ok, seriously. If you have a sixth sense, you gotta tell us," Mako said with what almost seemed like annoyance. "This is like the fourth time this has happened. Are you secretly a yōkai or something?"

"Sorry..." For a moment, Maho considered opening up, to tell them about what her hearing and heightened senses could do, but that would only lead to further problems. Besides, it's not like they would believe her even if she did. So instead, she took the easy way out, and lied. "I'm just as in the dark as you..." She felt a groaning rumble in her stomach, and put a hand against her abdomen. A second later, the strange feeling seemed to diminish.

"Are you OK, Maho?" Saori asked, looking with concern at her. "Is it something the Student Council did? Did they try to intimidate you into keeping quiet about it? If they so much as broke a hair on you, I swear I'll-"

"No, it's... it's fine," Maho reassured, trying her best to appear calm and unperturbed. "I... I think I'm just hungry, is all."

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