The Tigers of Chi-Ha-Tan ReRise Volume 4: The Scars of a Warriors Past

A Damnably Long Day Part 3

"The commander."

"Miho."

"She's here."

"I can't believe it."

"Oh no, this couldn't have worse timing to come in, right?"

"Was she really in the hospital this whole time?"

"Don't question that."

"It's a credible question."

"Doesn't matter, right now, we need to support the commander, that is all that matters now."

"Kind of hard to do that, when she just saw Miss Tamada about to punch her sister."

"This is bad."

The distressed voices of the Chi-Ha-Tan tank commanders whisper to one another, astonished to see their absent commander return to them finally, after a little over a week away, but to them, it felt like an eternity. Though what should have been a happy moment of having their missing family member back, was now just plain awkward and troubling. For Miho had just seen Tamada punch Linda and now was about to give Fukushu the same treatment, only to be stopped by her lover's voice.

A voice of someone who had been betrayed and was hurting.

While many in the room, wanted nothing more than to rush Miho to hug her and ask if she was okay. Yet none moved from their seats, only did they look on with dreading anxiety as Miho just stared in disbelief at what was transpiring in the room.

Miho was also not alone, as standing behind her was Chi-Ha-Tan's beloved air force captain, Aozora Suzume, who was wearing her usual fight suit for matches, but the pilot look to be on her last legs. A set of deep bags were under her eyes, a testament to her flying through the entire previous night to get the Akagi early in the morning, having to push herself as she wanted to get Miho home to the team, even at the cost of her health.

Yet now with the unbelievable situation in front of her, Aozora now was fully awake and relying on her last bits of adrenaline, as she look on in disbelief at what had just happened, that was gut-wrenching to see the usual go happy girls of the team, have this aura of anger and rage radiating around them. It was disturbing, reminding Aozora of how the team was when they had drawn Saunders in the opening round, though that mood was soon broken by Miho, however this right now was different and it was deeper than just avenging an old debt.

What the hell has been going on since we left?

Aozora thought, then look to Miho who look to be on the verge of having a small panic attack, prompting Aozora to reach out a hand to touch Miho's shoulder as she spoke. "Hey, Miho, you alright?"

Aozora's voice pulled Miho out of her shock state, looking back to her pilot. "Ah...oh...I don't know...what happen?" Miho ask, looking back to the room, with all eyes on her now.

Reaching down to pull on her last reserves of energy, Aozora spoke. "I don't know, but what I do know is that you need to take control, probably best if you get the room clear and talk to Nishi, as well as that new girl."

Miho mulled over the advice, which made sense to her. Even if her heart was breaking at the sight of her team, which at the moment was like looking at a complete group of strangers compared to the girls she had known and bonded with over these past couple of months. With Tamada having just about punched her half-sister had she not called out to her, with that anger in her lover's eye that she knew all too well. Miho had experienced it herself when Tamada had lashed out at her for suggesting different tactics when Miho attended one of their practices before the qualifier, which felt like a lifetime ago.