Turtles

Meet The Family

They wouldn't have anything to do in fourth period until the next day, when Senshado officially began, so the four of them were free to leave the office almost immediately afterwards. The only thing that remained to do before they did was for Saori and Hana to change their elective too; with Miho and Koume both now irrevocably committed to the newborn tankery team, there was no reason for the two Ooarai natives to not follow them. Still, as Koyama dug around in the mountain of papers on her desk for the correct sheets, Saori tried one more time to change Miho's mind.

"Miho, please. Don't let them force you like this."

Miho didn't even look at her, just stared off into the distance through the great window behind the President's desk. It was a bright and sunny day outside, but it sure didn't feel like it to Koume.

The Student Council had won. They'd gotten their veteran captain and vice-captain, and two new recruits to the sport besides. Kawashima was still standing in her place next to the President's desk, and Kadotani was still sitting in her place behind it. Neither was smiling, but there was a palpable aura of satisfaction around them both.

Why wouldn't there be? They'd won.

For now, at least.

Let's see how smug these glory hounds are when Kuromorimine splatters us in the second round, Koume thought bitterly.

***

Once again, the four of them had to defer their plans to go have fun in the town, because once again, Koume and Miho weren't feeling very sociable. This time, Saori and Hana weren't either.

We may not ever get the opportunity, Koume thought, as she and Miho headed towards their apartments once more. She knew only too well how much time Senshado could eat up.

Or perhaps they would. The entire rest of the team would be brand new to tankery and tanks. They would need to complete the basic three week orientation mandated by the Federation before they could even switch on an engine. That would take place in a more traditional classroom format, and might give time to spare to putter around and hang out afterwards. Might.

It would still be some time before she got to sit in a tank again, but she would, eventually, get there. She wanted to be more excited than she was at the moment. She'd been reunited with her passion.

In the worst possible way. I don't want to share a team with those three.

She didn't know what made her say it, when they reached the stairwell to Miho's apartment where they'd normally split up. "Miho? Do you mind if I come in?"

Miho looked at her with a look of resignation on her face (though she'd basically looked like that ever since they left the Student Council's office), then nodded. "Sure, Koume." She turned and led the way up two flights of stairs, and unlocked the door to her apartment.

Koume felt like she'd stepped back in time. The basic layout of the apartment was the same as her own (which was only natural, they were in the same residential complex, just on opposite ends), a bedroom with a small kitchen and a small bathroom.

But Miho had contrived to turn the place into a near exact replica of her dorm room at Kuromorimine. There was a quarter of a strawberry shortcake sitting on the kitchen counter; Koume knew without looking that another half of the cake was sitting in the fridge and the final quarter in Miho's stomach. There was a jar of flowers on the table and another on top of the fridge. Through the doorway into the bedroom Koume could see the same neon pink bedspread, and the same small bookshelf crammed with military history books and tactical manuals that Miho was probably just keeping out of force of habit.