Girls und Panzer: Nishizumi

Chapter Four

The headmistress' office was quiet, with only one woman sitting at her desk. She gazed at the cellphone before sighing. I need to know what happened... With a few moments of silence, Shiho picked up the device before hitting the dial button. The line rang for a few moments before a male's voice came through. "Stuttgart Military Academy, this is Erik. How may we help you?"
Shiho hummed before speaking. "Is Headmaster Steiner available?" "Ja, one moment." The secretary put Shiho on hold for a moment before Steiner's voice came through. "Headmaster Steiner, how may I help you?"

Shiho scowled before speaking firmly. "I want to know what happened to our son. He is not himself." A sigh is heard before Steiner spoke. "Five years ago, he was in command of a platoon of tanks. He was in a Pershing. The weather was horrid, making the ground soft and muddy, ill suited for tankery matches. He took a route that would garantee victory, but... his tank fell into the river below. The electronics shorted out, preventing him from using the radio, so he went to climb out to get help via one of the other tanks. But... his climb took longer than expected. And his crew drowned in the river. He's blamed himself ever since, despite our attempts to get him to move on from the tragedy." Steiner fell silent before continuing. "He needs to face his demons on his own terms, try not to interfere. But I know how protective of Jiro you are."

Shiho wrote down what was said before humming. "I hope that he can rid them here. The boy broke during the meeting and ran into our forest on the Zeppelin. Koume went after him, but... she noted that he was broken."

"He is broken. He does his best not to show it, but it doesn't always works. But seems like battle is when he is the most clear, so keep that in mind. And another thing. My team will be heading to Japan for a conference with the Shensha-do Federation, as well as three other schools, so we can talk more in person." Steiner concluded.

"Thank you for the update... I'll see you then, my love." "And you, leiben." Both parents hung up before Shiho gazed out to the forest, her face etched in concern. "Why do you blame yourself?"

Jiro finally returned to his crew before sighing. "Sorry, Komrads. I just... Needed to be alone." Everyone smiled before Sofia patted him on the back. "You did what you thought was right. Nothing wrong with it."

Jiro shook his head before humming. "Hans... can you take us into the garage? I'll sleep inside the turret." The man nodded before the Hellcat rumbled forward at speed, sitting in the gunner's position before drifting off to sleep, his cap covering his eyes.

In the Officer's Room, the commanders were discussing what was supposedly discovered. "He seems to blame himself for something. And I have a feeling that thing was out of his control." Koume stated, leaning back as she looked towards the door. "But... Miho had the same thing, and she was able to move past it, learned from it."

Maho crossed her arms with her eyes closed, thinking to herself. If he is a Nishizumi... Could he be.... Brother!? What happened? Her thoughts were broken by Erika, who simply scowled before speaking in a rather hostile tone. "If he's the best Stuttgart has to offer as Tank Aces, then we do not need their advice! Plus, if he is a Nishizumi, then he is even weaker than Miho was when she ran after Koume."

Maho opened her eyes before glancing at Erika. "Yet she has beaten us time and time again. I recommend not speaking so lowly of my sister, got it?" Erika blanched before nodding. "Back to the topic, I have some information to share: I had a twin brother who went abroad so he could train in case Shensha-do became available to males. So him saying he's a Nishizumi may have merit."

Everyone gawked at Maho before Erika spoke. "What?! And you never told us!? Why?!" Maho glared before sighing. "It was years ago, with no contact." The sounds of treads hitting asphalt got the girls attention before Koume looked through the window. "Looks like he's returned to his crew. If anything, they are loyal to him."

Inside the Hellcat, Sofia nudged Jiro before handing him a missive. "Wittman, the headmaster sent this to you." Jiro nodded as he adjusted his cap before reading the contents, his eyes widening.

Michael Wittman,

The European Commission and Japanese Shensha-do Federation has come to an agreement that you will find alluring.

The Next Shensha-do Nationals will have their schools with select European schools attached to selected Japanese schools. Here's the following line-up:

Stuttgart-Kuromorimine
Kaliningrad-Pravda
Wales-Saint Gloriana
Calais-BC Freedom Academy
Brandenburg-Ooraii
Italia-Anzio
Ulster-Saunders
Warzawa-Chi-Ha-Tan

The team will be arriving upon the Graf Zeppelin in three days. The headmistress already knows, and she will be delivering the news to her team. And you are free to do the thing.

Headmaster Alex Steiner.

Jiro chuckled before smirking. "Well... we should prep for joint-exercises with Kuro. Also... can you point me to the dorms? I need to get changed." He looked down to the muddy uniform he wore now.

Sofia glanced at the last sentence. "'Do the thing'? What does that mean?" Jiro chuckled before smirking. "You'll see later." He climbed out of the tank destroyer before walking towards the dorms.

Shiho looked on from her window before sighing, closing her eyes. "It's been too long..." She shook her head before walking to her desk to do some paperwork.