The sprawling campus of Liberty Prime University Academy glittered with Christmas lights, the soft hum of carols playing over the loudspeakers mingling with the excited chatter of students. The main hall, a massive space usually reserved for strategic briefings and assemblies, had been transformed into a winter wonderland. A towering Christmas tree stood in the center, adorned with ornaments, ribbons, and twinkling lights, while tables laden with food, drinks, and festive decorations lined the walls.

Anthony stood near the entrance, dressed casually in a dark sweater and jeans, his 5-star Overall Commander pin still clipped to his chest. Despite his usually calm demeanor, he couldn't help but smile as he watched his sisters, Tyrone, and the rest of the L.P.U.A. students mingling and laughing.

Leah, Imani, Ann, and Harriet, dressed in matching Christmas sweaters that Anthony had begrudgingly bought for them, were busy setting up a karaoke machine in the corner.

Ann:

Harriet, as usual, was bossing everyone around, while Imani balanced a plate of cookies precariously on one hand.

Tyrone, standing off to the side, adjusted his hoodie nervously. "Man, this is nice and all, but I've got a bad feeling about tonight."

Anthony smirked, handing him a cup of nonalcoholic eggnog. "Relax. It's Christmas. What could possibly go wrong?"

Before Tyrone could reply, the doors opened, and the guests of honor arrived. The Overall Commanders and Vice-Commanders of the Chinese, Russian, Italian, German, and Canadian Tankery schools stepped into the hall, each accompanied by a few of their students. The room fell silent for a moment as everyone turned to greet them.

Miya Oktyabrskaya of Russia, dressed sharply in a black coat with a fur-lined collar, nodded politely as her piercing blue eyes scanned the room. Beside her was Anastasia Volkov, who smirked faintly as she whispered something to Miya.

Lorenzo Ferrari of Italy strode in with his usual charm, his blonde hair slicked back, and a bright grin on his face. Following him was the infamous Serafina Rossi, her eyes already scanning the crowd for one person in particular.

Klara Wagner of Germany entered with her usual poise, accompanied by several of her students, while Liu Meixian of China walked in with her chin held high, her expression unreadable.

Last but not least was Logan Roy of Canada, whose imposing presence and sharp gaze seemed to draw everyone's attention. He gave Anthony a curt nod as he entered.

The party quickly came to life as the guests settled in. The L.P.U.A. students mingled with their international counterparts, exchanging stories, jokes, and even a few friendly challenges. The karaoke machine became an instant hit, with Imani and Harriet leading the charge with an overly enthusiastic rendition of Jingle Bell Rock.

Anthony found himself chatting with Miya and Logan near the snack table, discussing recent matches and future plans.

"This is a good idea," Miya admitted, sipping a cup of hot cocoa. "Tankery may be competitive, but moments like this remind us we're all part of something bigger."

Logan smirked, leaning against the table. "Yeah, but don't think this means I'll go easy on you next time."

Anthony chuckled. "Wouldn't expect you to."

Meanwhile, Tyrone had found a quiet corner of the room, happily munching on a candy cane and avoiding anything that might involve Serafina. But his reprieve didn't last long.

"Tyrone!" Serafina's high-pitched voice rang out as she appeared seemingly out of nowhere, grabbing his arm with surprising strength. "Come with me! I have a surprise!"

"Uh, Serafina, I'm good right here—" Tyrone protested, but it was too late. She dragged him across the room with a determination that left no room for argument.

Anthony, noticing the commotion, raised an eyebrow and whispered to Miya, "Here we go."

Serafina came to a stop under a large mistletoe hanging near the tree, pulling Tyrone beside her. The room went silent as every student, both L.P.U.A. and international, turned to watch. Phones were raised, cameras pointed, and shit-eating grins spread across the faces of everyone present.

Tyrone's eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape route, but there was none. Even Lorenzo had a wide grin as he casually recorded the scene.

"Serafina," Tyrone said, his voice laced with nervous laughter, "you're not serious, right?"

"Oh, I'm very serious," Serafina replied, her cheeks flushed with excitement. "It's tradition, Tyrone! You wouldn't break tradition, would you?"

The room erupted into cheers and chants of "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

Anthony crossed his arms, a bemused smirk on his face. "Looks like you're in the spotlight, Ty."

Tyrone sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright, alright! Fine. Let's get this over with."

Serafina's eyes lit up as Tyrone leaned down and gave her a quick, polite peck on the cheek. The room burst into applause and laughter, with several students jeering good-naturedly.

"That's all you're getting!" Tyrone said, stepping back quickly.

Serafina clasped her hands together, looking up at him with adoration. "It's perfect."

As the night went on, the party became a celebration of camaraderie and shared passion. Anthony and his sisters led a round of Tankery trivia, with Klara and Lorenzo proving to be formidable opponents. Miya and Anastasia reluctantly joined in on karaoke, their reserved demeanor giving way to laughter as they sang a hilariously off-key rendition of Silent Night. Even Logan cracked a rare smile as he watched the chaos unfold.

By the end of the night, the hall was filled with exhausted but happy students. Anthony stood near the tree, watching the scene with a satisfied expression. Tyrone walked up beside him, his IOTV slightly askew.

"You know," Tyrone said, taking a sip of hot cocoa, "this turned out alright. Even with the whole mistletoe thing."

Anthony chuckled. "Told you Christmas at L.P.U.A. would be worth it."

"Yeah, yeah," Tyrone muttered, though a small grin tugged at his lips. "Merry Christmas, Ant."

"Merry Christmas, Ty."

And with that, the two friends joined the rest of the students, basking in the warmth and joy of the season.

The Christmas tree stood tall in the center of the hall, glittering with lights and ornaments as the students gathered around for the much-anticipated gift exchange. Each person clutched a wrapped gift, ranging from expertly wrapped boxes with neat bows to hastily taped bundles that looked like they'd barely survived the trip. The energy in the room was infectious, laughter and chatter echoing off the walls as everyone prepared for their turn.

Anthony stood off to the side, his hands in his pockets as he watched the scene unfold. His sisters—Leah, Imani, Ann, and Harriet—had taken charge of organizing the exchange, making sure everyone's name was included in the random draw.

"All right, listen up!" Harriet called out, her voice cutting through the noise. "We're starting the gift exchange. If you don't have your gift, too bad! You're getting whatever's left over from the emergency pile."

Tyrone, standing next to Anthony, nudged him with a grin. "You know she's not joking, right? I saw the emergency pile—it's just socks, year old MREs, and beef jerky."

Anthony chuckled. "Well, let's hope everyone came prepared."

Harriet pulled the first name from the hat, holding it up dramatically. "First up, Logan Roy!"

Logan, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, raised an eyebrow as he made his way to the center of the circle. He was handed a small, neatly wrapped box by one of the middle schoolers, who looked nervous under Logan's sharp gaze.

Logan unwrapped the gift with surprising care, revealing a leather-bound notebook embossed with the Léo Major Academy logo. His expression softened just slightly as he nodded to the student. "Good choice. Thank you."

Next, Harriet called out, "Serafina Rossi!"

Tyrone visibly tensed as Serafina bounced forward, her gift in hand. The small package was wrapped in glittery pink paper with a lopsided bow. She handed it to Lorenzo with an exaggerated flourish.

Lorenzo unwrapped it, revealing a custom-made model of his favorite tank, the P26/40, complete with his name painted on the side.

"Serafina, ti sei superata," Lorenzo said, smiling warmly. "This is fantastico."

Tyrone whispered to Anthony, "She can be nice... just not when she's sprinting at you."

Anthony smirked. "She's got range, I'll give her that."

As the exchange continued, there were moments of hilarity and genuine surprise.

Klara Wagner unwrapped a box of imported chocolates from Switzerland, nodding in approval as she popped one into her mouth.

Miya Oktyabrskaya received a detailed map of famous Russian/Soviet Tank battlefields, her eyes lighting up as she studied it. "Тот, кто это дал, провел свое исследование," she said with a faint smile.

Tyrone, meanwhile, received a package wrapped in duct tape that took him a solid five minutes to open. Inside, he found a T-shirt emblazoned with the words: "Chaos Coordinator".

"Fitting," Anthony said, grinning.

"Hey, I'll wear it," Tyrone replied, holding it up proudly.

When it was Serafina's turn to receive a gift, she eagerly unwrapped a large, colorful box. Inside was a handcrafted scrapbook filled with pictures, notes, and drawings from her Italian Tankery team. Her eyes glistened as she flipped through the pages. "Voi ragazzi," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "This is... strabiliante."

When Anthony's name was called, the room went quiet, all eyes on the L.P.U.A. Overall Commander. Harriet handed him a large, neatly wrapped gift, and he unwrapped it with steady hands. Inside was a custom-made replica of his favorite tank, the M1A2 Abrams SEPv3, complete with his call sign, Ironclad, painted on the turret.

Anthony held the model up, his usually reserved expression softening. "This is incredible. Thank you."

Imani grinned. "We all chipped in for that one. Merry Christmas, big bro."

As the exchange drew to a close, one final name was called: Tyrone Williams. Harriet handed him a suspiciously small package wrapped in bright red paper. Tyrone shot Anthony a wary look before opening it.

Inside was a single sprig of mistletoe tied with a ribbon. The room erupted into laughter as Serafina bolted forward, her eyes gleaming.

"Nope!" Tyrone shouted, holding up his hands. "Not happening again!"

Anthony laughed so hard he had to lean against the wall for support. "Merry Christmas, Ty!"

As the gift exchange wrapped up, the students of L.P.U.A. and their international guests settled into a relaxed atmosphere. The sounds of laughter, Christmas carols, and the occasional burst of chatter filled the hall.

Anthony stood by the tree, sipping a cup of hot cocoa as he watched his friends and peers enjoying the evening. His sisters were playfully teasing Lorenzo, Miya and Klara were engaged in a spirited discussion about Tankery strategy, and Logan stood quietly with a small smile as he watched his students laughing together.

Tyrone walked up, still holding the mistletoe sprig. "This is going in the trash," he muttered, tossing it into a nearby bin.

"Come on, Ty," Anthony said, smirking. "It's Christmas. Have some fun."

"Oh, I'm having fun," Tyrone replied, grinning. "Just not that kind of fun."

Anthony clinked his cocoa mug against Tyrone's cup. "Merry Christmas, Ty."

"Merry Christmas, Ant."

And with that, the celebration continued long into the night, a reminder of the bonds forged not just on the battlefield, but in moments of shared joy and camaraderie.

Merry Christmas!