Olympian Panzers: Part II
Note on Japanese honorifics:
x-dono: Miss/Mr. x
x-san: for people of equal age/stature/position
x-chan: for females of equal age/stature/position
x-kun: for males of equal age/stature/position
x-senpai: for people senior to you in school/sport
Chapter 5:
"Right!", Kay agreed, "Well said, Miho! So, anyone up for a quick snack? Hey, Anji, you know any good food joints in Oarai?"
"Well, there is a good ice-cream parlor that serves sweet potato ice-cream, just outside the school", replied Anzu.
"Ooo, that place is good! Let's go Miporin!", swooned Saori.
"Well, I have to go home now. See ya Miho!", said Hitomi.
"Ok! See you later then!", replied Miho.
Anglerfish team turned to join the Student Council, Saunders, Pravda, St. Gloriana, and Anzio to go to the ice-cream shop, only the Kuromorimine girls remained.
Miho looked back. "You're welcome to come too, Onee-chan!", she said with her average smile.
"Kuromorimine does not indulge in such things when there is serious practice to be done." Maho replied sternly.
The Kuromorimine girls left, following their commander religiously. Some seemed disappointed that they didn't go to enjoy ice-cream with the others.
When Miho caught up with the rest of her crew in the ice-cream shop, the fact that she was crestfallen was apparent to the others.
"Is anything wrong Miporin?", asked Saori.
"You know we're always here for you Miho-san", reassured Hana.
"Y-yeah. Of course I know.", stammered Miho.
"Maho just didn't want to come here to the ice-cream shop with us, that's all", she said.
"Do you want to talk about it Nishizumi-dono?", inquired Yukari.
"No, no, that's just how Onee-chan is sometimes," sighed Miho, "She's just focused on doing well in the Olympics, I guess."
By the time Miho got back to her apartment, Maho was already asleep on the couch.
"I shouldn't wake her...", thought Miho, as she went to bed.
The next morning, when Miho finally awoke, she noticed Maho was already gone.
Later, Miho met up with the rest of her crew.
"Have you guys seen Onee-chan? She had already left when I woke up." asked Miho.
"No. Sorry Miporin. Is something wrong?" replied Saori.
"No, nothing's wrong, I was just wondering...", Miho's sentence trailed.
"Maybe she's in the tank hangar.", suggested Mako.
"Right! Thanks Mako!", exclaimed Miho, as she ran around the school toward the hangar.
"I wonder what she's doing here?" she thought.
"I want that Sturmtiger loaded FASTER!", rang Maho's voice.
A Sturmtiger and a Tiger P then burst from the forest, with Maho in the cupola of the Tiger P. Both tanks came to a sudden halt just in front of the hangar doors.
"What are you doing here, Maho-chan?", questioned Miho.
"What does it look like I'm doing?!", spat Maho, "I'm getting my crew up to Olympic standard!"
"I'm sure there will be plenty of time for that Onee-chan. The people on this team are not completely unexperienced, you know." replied Miho calmly.
There was an awkward silence. Maho looked at her younger sibling, the one she encouraged long ago to 'find her own panzerkraft'.
Maho sighed and said, "I'm sorry, Miho. I guess I fell into my old ways. I had forgotten that you have your own panzerkraft now.".
Miho beamed at her sister. Maho commanded the other Kuromorimine girls to park the tank inside the hangar. Then the two sisters headed to class.
For all of the tankery girls, it seemed as if the end of the day was ages away, and their tanks would rust away by the time they got in them.
Finally, the time came.
"I thought the day would never be over!", exclaimed Yukari, as she and the rest of the girls gathered in the newly-found Olympic tank hangar.
"So, what's the plan, Nishizumi?", Katyusha asked Miho, while rocking on Nonna's shoulders.
"Well, I think the first thing we should do is make sure all of the tanks we found are in proper working order, and fix any damage caused by the match yesterday.", said Miho hesitantly.
A resounding "Right!", rang out through the hangar. Miho still was not used to seeing her orders being carried out, and was slightly taken aback at the swiftness of everyone's actions.
Each commander took charge of taking care of their respective tanks,
Kay, of the American tanks,
Darjeeling, of the British tanks,
Katyusha, of the Soviet tanks,
Maho, of the German tanks,
and finally, Anchovy, of the French tanks, as there weren't any Italian tanks.
The Oarai student council then walked in.
"You seem to have a good handle on things, Miho. Good job!", said Anzu happily.
"Huh? I-I-I do?", stuttered Miho.
The rest of team Anglerfish smiled from behind her.
"Yeah, everyone seems to be working well. Well, see ya!", said Anzu, as she walked away in her usual carefree manner.
Momo and Yuzu stayed behind.
"We need to talk about what we are going to be up against in the Olympic tournament.", said Momo. "There will be a commander's meeting tomorrow.". Momo and Yuzu then promptly left.
Suddenly all of the Oarai girls yelled, "Finished commander!", prompting Miho to turn around.
"There wasn't a lot to do; it seems as though the Automotive club took care of maintenance for us." said Darjeeling.
"Right...", trailed Miho.
"What should we do now?", Anchovy asked Miho.
"We need to get used to our new tanks. So...", Miho wondered.
Then an idea came to her.
"I think you all should arrange yourselves of groups of 3 tanks and have a 3-way skirmish.", suggested Miho.
"Let's be a team guys!" said Kay, looking at Anzu and Anchovy. "It'll be just like old times!"
"Il Duce does not work with others. Come on Carpaccio, get in the Lorraine 40t!", commanded Anchovy.
"Don't be that way Chiyomi-san," said Anzu.
Anchovy and Carpaccio turned.
"Everyone has to make up for the past eventually." , called Anzu. "We all can't stay angry forever."
Anchovy hesitated. "Fine. But just this once!", she cried.
"All right!", yelled Kay.
Soon, a M103, a Hetzer, and a Lorraine 40t rolled out of the hangar.
"I assume that we will be a team?", said Darjeeling towards Katyusha, and Miho.
"I guess so...", said Miho hesitantly, "But who will Maho-san group with?"
Just then, a Leopard I, a Porsche Tiger and a Sturmtiger, rumbled out of the old hangar.
Erika came out of the cupola of the Sturmtiger.
"We already have a group.", she said, and her company swiftly drove into the forests of Oarai.
Finally, Miho's group of her Panzer IV Ausf. H, a IS-8, and Conqueror, stormed onto the practice grounds, which was already ablaze with gunfire from the other teams.
All three tanks were racing through the forest, vying for a clear shot at the others.
"The Conqueror is exposed!", Miho commanded.
"Right!", replied Hana, and she took the shot at the rear of the Conqueror.
"Full stop and slide right, please.", said Darjeeling calmly, while sipping tea.
The AP round landed just short of the Conqueror, creating a sizable crater.
Then, the IS-8 roared between the Conqueror and the Panzer IV.
"Load a HE round, please Orange", said Darjeeling, as she sipped on her tea once more.
"Target the IS-8.", she said.
Just as the Conqueror was turning its turret, the IS-8 circled around and shot the Conqueror in the rear, its engine promptly catching fire. The signature white flag signaled its defeat. The IS-8's turret started to turn toward the Panzer IV.
"Mako!", yelled Miho.
"On it.", said Mako.
The Panzer IV began running from the IS-8.
"No one runs away from Katyusha! Give chase!", screamed Katyusha.
The two tanks tore through the grounds.
"The IS-8 outclasses us in every possible way, except maneuverability. We have to shoot them in the rear. That is the only place we can penetrate.", explained Miho.
"Understood!", rang the reply.
A Hetzer stood silently, waiting in a bush, its gun ready to fire.
"Are you sure they will come this way Anzu-chan?", asked Yuzu.
"If I know Kay, she'll come this way", replied Anzu.
Meanwhile, a M103 drove slowly over the hills.
"Where is everyone?", wondered Kay.
Elsewhere, the Lorraine 40t was struggling to cross a rather deep swamp.
"Darn this French tank! The sooner I get my Carro Armato back, the better.", said Anchovy angrily. "Be ready, Carpaccio, those two could be anywhere."
The engine of the 40t revved loudly, in a desperate effort to get out of the gelatinous mud.
"Did you hear that, Alisa?", asked Kay. "That was the sound of an engine! It came from over there...", she said, pointing. "Advance at full speed."
Immediately, the M103 began racing in the direction of the sound.
Meanwhile, in the Hetzer...
"What was that sound?", asked Momo.
"It sounded like the engine of another tank -", said Yuzu.
"That's them! Full advance in the direction of the sound!", interjected Anzu.
Both tanks were converging on the swamp as the Lorraine 40t was just about to break free of the mud.
Anzu spotted the M103. "Prepare to fire!"
Simultaneously, Kay spotted the Hetzer. "Fire!"
Both tanks fired at the exact same moment.
The tanks dodged the shells, but were moving at such speed that the pair slid into the swamp along with the Lorraine 40t, knocking it further into the pit.
The IV reached a clearing, and Miho saw an old, dilapidated bridge ahead.
"Don't go across, they'll catch up with us if we do!", she warned. "Turn left just before going over!"
Mako nodded, "Got it."
Just as the Panzer IV turned, Katyusha appeared in her IS-8. She did not like lengthy chases.
"I want to finish this now, Nonna!", she demanded.
Nonna peered through her gunner sight.
"Don't worry, Katyusha.", came the reply, as Nonna took aim at the Panzer.
The IS-8 fired. The shell hit near the engine, igniting a fire.
The Panzer was forced to a crawl.
Miho was unfazed. "The trees, Mako, we need cover!"
"Already on it.", she replied.
Mako stopped the IV between a pair of trees.
Yukari put the fire out. "We can only move at half-speed without risking engine failure, Nishizumi-dono."
"Understood." Miho looked at their surroundings.
She wondered, "What can we do now?"
Katyusha was on the verge of becoming furious. "Search the area! They're crippled; we only need one more shot!"
Nonna was glued to her gun sight, searching for the Panzer IV.
The IS-8 creeped through the forest, waiting for the IV to appear.
The IV stood still, in absolute silence. Its engine was off.
Just then the IS-8 appeared through the trees.
Miho whispered, "Prepare to fire HE round."
Katyusha ordered, "They're not here, let's go."
"Wait, Katyusha. I think I see something...", Nonna peered through the gun sight.
"It's them!"
The rear of the IS-8 was facing the Panzer IV.
"Fire!", cried Miho.
Nonna did not hesitate. Both shells flew through the air.
The shell from the IS-8 found its mark, signaling the white flag of the Panzer IV.
The IV's shell also found its mark, right in the rear of the IS-8.
Silence spread between the tanks.
After what seemed like decades, the white flag of the IS-8 also rose, signaling its defeat, and an overall draw.
"Well, this is awkward...", trailed Yuzu.
All three machines became trapped in the swamp pit, sinking slowly.
The three commanders looked out in silence from atop their tanks in disbelief.
After what seemed like forever, Anchovy yelled, "This is all your fault! This wouldn't have happened if you two hadn't chased each other so recklessly!"
Kay and Anzu were taken aback, and Kay screamed back at Anchovy, "This is a tankery match! You're supposed to chase each other, that's the point!"
Anzu piped up. "What are you saying, Chiyomi-san?"
Anchovy continued to assert herself. "I'm saying that you should have been more careful! Neither of you have changed."
"What's that supposed to mean?!", screamed Kay. "You are the one who hasn't changed one bit! You never made up with me or Anji! Everyone else has moved on from childhood arguments, except you Chiyomi-san, except you!"
Kay's voice echoed through the forest around them.
She sighed. "Come on guys..."
Kay, Alisa, and Naomi jumped from their stranded tank, and started to walk back to the hangar.
Anzu whispered, "You guys head back. I need to be alone with Anchovy."
"Are you sure Anzu-chan?", asked Yuzu. "It won't bother us if -"
"No.", Anzu replied, "I have to talk to her alone."
Momo and Yuzu left, following the Saunders girls.
Anzu walked toward Anchovy. "Chiyomi-san? Is there anything that has bothered you since our time together in middle school?"
"Why do you say that?" Anchovy looked away from Anzu.
"You would have never have stayed this way since middle school if there wasn't something that was bothering you.", said Anzu.
Anchovy was flustered. "There's nothing wrong. I-I just can't believe how little you two have changed, that's all."
Anzu continued to look at Anchovy, as though expecting a better response.
Anchovy took a deep breath. "It bothered me that the both of you were better than me at everything, and I couldn't find anything that I was better at!", she said in a single breath.
Anzu took a moment to take in what she had just heard.
"Why didn't you say any of this before?", asked Anzu.
Anchovy hesitated. "I always seemed to stop myself before. I don't know why."
Anzu took a step forward. "Kay and I... We can only help you if you talk to us, you know."
Anchovy sighed. "Come on Carpaccio, let's go."
The Anzio girls left, leaving Anzu alone in the forest.
A while later, a Porsche Tiger and Leopard I towed a badly damaged Sturmtiger onto the field in front of the Olympic hangar. All the other girls were already there.
"Onee-chan, how was...", started Miho.
Just then, Erika interrupted. "What was that! All of you should be ashamed of yourselves!"
Several Kuromorimine girls peeked out of the Sturmtiger, looking slightly embarrassed.
Satoko, of the Automobile club, ran towards them. "What happened here?:" She looked at the Sturmtiger. "Argh.. This is going to take ages to fix..."
"They don't know how to properly conceal their tank so that the enemy can't spot them!", growled Erika. "This is the result of their failure."
Saori rebuttled. "Was it really necessary to damage them this badly?"
"They need to learn the reality of true tankery.", replied Erika.
Hana opened her mouth to speak, but Miho put her hand on Hana's shoulder, and shook her head.
"So girls, how has your training been? I haven't heard much with the SDF!"
Everyone turned. "Chono-sencho!"
"When did you get here, Captain?", asked Miho, after managing to find her words.
Captain Chono smiled. "Well, I just thought I'd drop by to see how the training was going for our national team!"
She continued. "It seems like you all have been working hard! I won't bother you any longer. I just dropped by to tell you the ship is docking in three days and I have a match planned against the SDF tankery team! I'm sure all of you will do fine. See you in the morning!"
Captain Chono promptly left.
All the girls were dumbstruck.
"Did she say tankery match? Versus the JGSDF?", asked Yukari.
[END CHAPTER]