T-34's Rule and Boys Drool!

"Wooo!" The driver giggled, slamming the tank into action once again.

Akira was having trouble lining up the shot, but she knew they were at the disadvantage here. If that was a stocked tank, they'd have another shot ready in moments. Stopping would only take more time to line up a shot, so keeping moving until they hit a smooth section, or got closer was their best option.

"Snap left then right!" Akira called.

The red-head 'yee-hawed,' as the tank slewed from side to side. But it worked perfectly, as the second shot fired at them clanged as it skimmed off the angled armour near the rear, behind the engine.

"Gonna get some air!" The co-driver called.

Akira glanced down, spotted the massive hole in the ground from an artillery shell. At the speed they were going to hit, they were definitely going to bounce. But... Mid-air was smooth... Lining up the shot, Akira angled the barrel a little lower, but kept it on target. She held her breath as the tank pitched up over the lip of the crater. But as the suspension travelled over the lip, the tank went smooth and began pitching forward.

BANG!

The three ladies jumped at the sudden, unexpected shot. But as the tank thumped back into the earth, they skidded to a halt. All at once, the three newcomers turned and looked at Akira who shrunk back into the gunner's seat.

And the crowd went wild.

The after game highlights played on repeat the final shot from several different angles. Some people were screaming about cheats, others were screaming like fans. But Akira didn't hear any of it, as the three ladies that inserted themselves into her life climbed out. The dark amazon moved around and offered Akira her hand. Akira blushed as she took the larger woman's hand and had to do a childish hop to get out of the seat. The amazon just smiled down at her.

"Ummm," Akira fingered a strand of her jet back hair that covered part of her face.

"Bellinda," the large woman offered.

"Mel," The skinny blonde said, stepping up and offering a smile.

"And I'm Ceejay!" The buxom red-head shoved her way through and gave the terrified Akira a firm hug.

As she stepped back, Akira stood like a deer in the headlights, staring at a spot on the floor, when she felt a familiar presence move in beside her.

"Hello ladies, I'm Thomas. And this is the lovely Akira. Give her a chance, she's really shy."

"She didn't seem shy, yelling instructions in the gunners seat," Ceejay said quickly.

Akira just blushed and shook her head.

"Hey," Bellinda said softly. "Any girl who can shoot like you is good in my books." This time Akira shuddered slightly, but still couldn't meet the large woman's eyes. "Have you ever thought about joining a crew?"

"Nobody wants to crew with a girl," Akira sighed, thinking about the one time she'd applied.

"Well," Bellinda said softly. "We're a crew. You think your Papa would let you borrow his tank?"

***

Akira took off her necklace. She held the pendant in her right hand, and released the clasp with her left. She'd practiced so many times, but never had the courage to go through with it. It was stipulated in the will. Everything went to Akira's mother. Everything... Except the shed, the land it sat on and the contents. That all went to Akira. She'd had the key to the padlock on the front door for a decade, but never had the courage to face what was inside. Because as happy as the memories were...

With a deep breath, she fitted the key into the lock and twisted. It was a little stiff from lack of use, but it unlocked without complaint. Akira pulled off the padlock, before opening the latch and re-setting the lock so she wouldn't lose it. She grabbed the first door, as Bellinda moved in to grab the opposite and together they pulled the sliding bay doors open. As they did so, the automatic lights flickered and turned on, basking the inside of the shed with bright blue light.

"Is... Is that THE Henry?" Mel gasped. "Nobodies known where it was all these years, and it turns up in some random shed in town!"

"Oh my god!" Ceejay squealed.

The only one who was silent, was Bellinda. Who watched the small woman walk up to the old tank and pick up a photo of a middle aged man that was set on the front of it. She held the photo for a few moments before gasping out several large choking sobs.

Bellinda cringed internally. She recognised the wreaths. They were old, dried and mostly grey and brown. But she recognised them nonetheless. The young woman before her was Akira Yu, daughter of the late Kim Yu, the man who inspired her as a child to join a tank crew. The man she looked up to as the father figure she never had. And as she realised that the wreaths probably signified that Akira had never been inside ever since, she moved forward and pulled the young woman around into a hug. Akira jumped as she felt the strong arms around her shoulders. Realising who it was, she leaned into the embrace and cried the tears she'd refused to shed all those years ago.