A/N: I do not own Girls und Panzer and Love Live or any characters mentioned in this fanfiction. Also, I made few modifications regarding the class assignment of the LL characters so it will make more sense.
[-x-x-x-]
A small crowd of schoolgirls clad in their white and blue uniforms were gathered at a certain hangar at a certain school-ship. There were about 30 of them and were all students of Otonokizaka high school, a small and not-so-rich town-ship that is affiliated with Tokyo and was usually sailing around the Pacific Ocean.
While most of them were awing at the huge building in front of them, the others were staying calm, paying attention to the student council president, a blonde and tall girl, who was explaining them what was about to come.
"As you may already know, our school has once practiced the art of Senshado. However, for variant reasons, it was forced closed. Fear not though; records are there telling us that there are still few tanks remaining around this ship."
Few of the girls nodded as the vice president, a purple-haired, very well-endowed girl, cleared her throat. "As to make our research easier, you will be forming teams and investigate few areas mentioned by the documents we have found."
And with that, the girls were handed maps and started walking each in a direction after wishing each others good luck.
It was a spring day like any others, with the sun on it apogee and the ocean at the horizon decorating the landscape. All around the Otonokizaka town-ship was calm, following its usual pace of life despite having received a very bad new few days prior. Due to the lack of fund from the government, several school-ships will be closed down, most accurately, the poorest ones. However, they have proposed a solution: Sensha-do. Any school that might prove themselves worthy and talented in the art of tankery will get spared, regardless their status. They even promised additional funds.
And that was how come the girls students of that average school has decided to form its own Sensha-do team per the student council's and moral committee's approval. They somehow managed to gather about 30 students in total who are willing to fight to protect their beloved school.
[-x-x-x-]
A loud sigh escaped a certain gingerhead girl whose hair was attached in pigtails. She was the shortest of their group and was investigating the forest that was located not far from the school building. She gave another look at the map in her hands and looked around. "One of them should be around here…"
The other red-head beside her however smiled as she placed a hand on her shorter friend's shoulder. "I am sure that we'll find it very fast, Mika."
The three other members of the team also smiled as they got deeper into the forest. The one leading their group had purple hair attached in a sidetail while a girl with a ginger ponytail was walking beside her, trying to match her pace. "Though, are you really okay with this, Seira-san?"
The taller girl gave a tilt of the head as she turned to her comrade. "Why shouldn't I?"
"I mean you were assigned with us randomly." Mika continued. "On the other hand, Ria-chan was assigned in another group."
Seira smiled before resuming her walk. "I wouldn't worry too much about her. Ria is smart and courageous. My role as her older sister is to believe in her."
The purplenette's words earned her a pair of smile from Hideko, Hanamaru and Mika while Fumiko chuckled. "You truly are something, Seira-san."
"Please, no need to be that formal." The tall girl replied in a calm tone. "We will be teammates after all."
The younger girls' smile widened. "Then, Seira-chan." The pigtailed girl said cheerfully, earning a chuckle from the ginger that was standing beside her.
There was another round of chuckle before they continued a little more and arrived at a clearer. In the middle of it were several metallic pieces that caught the four girl's attention and got closer to have a look at it.
"I found a track and the wheels I guess." Fumiko said as she scanned the round metals.
"And this is the turret." Hideko continued while kneeling down and whistled. "It sure is in a very bad shape."
"What is this, zura…?" Hanamaru grabbed a metallic box and scanned it.
"I guess… That was a while since it has last served so it's only normal." The purplenette added as she pushed a large metal box aside so she could see something that might help them identify the tank. "Woa! It's all so rusty."
Mika too leaned closer and checked what was written on what seemed like a part of radio and other things that might help them. "I think that it's a Type 97…"
"A type 97?"
"Yes! It's a Japanese medium Tank."
Fumiko nodded before grabbing her cellphone and dialed the student council's number. "Hello! We found a Type 97. We'll send you the coordination right away."
"Thank you for your hard work. We will send someone to grab them right away." The voice of the vice-president was heard from the mobile and the group of girl smiled.
"All right! It was faster than expected."
[-x-x-x-]
At the other side of the ship, another group was looking around in an abandoned parking. This one group composed of four girls were either running around of looking bored.
"Can you remind me once again why are we looking at a parking?" The raven-haired shortest girl asked, annoyed, as she turned to her more energetic ginger friend.
"Because a tank looks like a car, right nya?"
The brunette who was standing beside her shook her head politely and placed a hand on the orange-haired girl's shoulder. "I don't think it does work like that, Rin-chan…"
"Besides…" The last member of the group, a red-haired girl, was twirling her hair with a finger as her other hand was holding the map that should be indicating the possible locations where the tanks might be. "This will be the third spot we look at."
Niko let go of a sigh before undoing her pigtails. "Guess we have no other choice then. How about asking the people around? Surely, no one will resist the pleading look of the Universe's number one idol~"
Maki rolled her eyes. "Gross!"
"What did you just say?" The petite girl yelled angrily. "Seriously, Maki-chan. Why are you always like that?"
"And why did I even accept your confession?" The red-head sighed, remembering that she was supposed to be the ravenette's girlfriend.
"Because no one can resist Niko-Nii's smile!" The older girl replied with a goofy grin. "You should feel honored that someone as amazing as myself has decided to let you fall in love with me."
Rin and Hanayo however were just sweatdropping at their friend's antic. 'These two are just so hopeless…'
And with Maki and her girlfriend arguing, the more innocent duo has decided to continue looking around. As they continued to walk and stole glance at the cars around them, the ginger girl let go of a yawn. "Though it was very sudden all of this nya…"
"You mean about us joining the Sensha-do team? Or because of the school closing down."
"Both to be honest." Rin answered as she glanced at the sky, slowing down with her steps. "I mean, we joined because I think driving tanks might be fun but playing with so much on the table…"
Hanayo was surprised. He friend being worried about something was very rare so she didn't really know how to respond. She just continued to walk forward, like how the Nishizumi style has taught them. Surely, the brunette was a fan of idols so she knows the actualities about the best Sensha-do commanders. That fact has made her friend think about inviting her to join alongside her.
Meeting most people they already knew on the day of recruitment for the Sensha-do team however was a big surprise but made them more or less assured. They knew that they were ready to do anything to save their school and that mentality was a bound that could be helpful for them.
"Oh! Kayo-chin; look!" Rin suddenly stopped on her track and brought back her friend into reality after having her thoughts elsewhere. The later turned to the direction her friend was pointing and felt her eyes widening. "It's a tank, right? A tank nya!"
"It's huge…" The chubby girl commented, her jaws falling as she was looking at the massage red-colored tank in front of them. It had a fixed barrel atop it and long heavy-looking tracks connecting its wheels. It was tranquilly parked in the middle of few pickup trucks. "A JagdTiger…"
"A what?"
"A JagdTiger!" The taller girl repeated. "It is among the best tanks out there, with it's high-resistance blindage and its 128 mm gun. I never thought that I will ever get the chance to see one in real." She said in a very excited voice, holding her glasses in her hands and a huge grin on her face. "I heard that it is a very reliable tank, usually used by Kuromorimine. Even Oharai had difficulty defeating it last year."
Rin however just smiled. "Kayo-chin sure is very energetic nya…"
[-x-x-x-]
Nozomi gave one last nod before placing back her cellphone on the table and turned to her blonde friend who was sitting beside her desk in the student council room. "Rin-chan's group has also found a JagdTiger and I already told the automobile team to go pick it up."
Eri nodded as she signed another paper. "I'm glad to hear that."
"That makes it three tanks in that case." A raven-haired girl stepped in the office with a pile of document in her hands. Beside her was a petite red-head who was equally bringing several documents. "I knew that our school used to practice Sensha-do back then but I never thought there would be this much document lying around."
The purplenette stood up and helped the two newcomers placing the papers on the large table and started looking through them. "Though most of them are either lost or already sold out, there should still be few ones around here." She said, looking at a picture.
Dia nodded as she also took a paper. "So, with the Type 97 and the JagdTiger, that makes it three tanks."
"Yeah!" Eri nodded as she stood up from her chair and walked near the window to look at the field. A tank was in the middle of it, being repaired by the other members of the student council and moral committee. "I just hope the others won't be in a worse condition than that old IS-2."
Her spiritual friend walked beside her to contemplate the green large tank and so did the Kurosawa sisters. "And when I thought that the Stalin was going to be our most powerful machine." Dia said calmly. "Now with the JagdTiger, our chances of winning are up."
Ruby nodded before returning back to the papers. "Though, I heard the maintenance of the Type 97 will take some time and budget since it was completely in detached pieces."
The student council president sighed as she sat back on her chair. "And that's our job to do. We also have to do our best."
The three other girls nodded.
[-x-x-x-]
Four girls were walking deeper into the ship, lamps in hand and were looking for traces of what might look like a tank. They have spent one long hour walking the blocs and asking the navy crew if they have seen something but with no luck.
The one leading the group, a red-head, let go of a sigh as they closed another door. "Not here either."
The blonde beside her gave her a smile. "We can't give up yet, Yukiho-chan. Let us look at that other door." She said before running to said direction and entered the room only to get disappointed. "Nothing either."
The two other girls, who looked alike if it wasn't for their hair color and hairstyle, continued to walk. The brunette one turned to her sister who was holding the map. "Kokoro…?"
The ravenette gave another glance at the map and drew a cross on the upper right spot of it. "Nothing here too I suppose."
"Then, let us go into the next bloc." Yukiho proposed, leading the group into another hallway made of metal walls. As they continued to walk, the uniform-clad girls couldn't help but to look around. "Though it's surprising. I have never expected that there would be so many things like this bellow where we used to walk everyday."
Arisa nodded. "After all, we are on a ship."
And they continued for a while until arriving at a dead end and sighed. However, before they have decided to turn back, Kokoa's eyes caught sign of something. "Hey! Look!" She pointed up and the others raised their head and lamplight to see something hanging on the ceiling.
"Could it be…?"
"What's a tank doing there? And how come did they attach it like that?" The brunette rubbed her chin before picking her cellphone from her pocket. "Anyway, let's call Nozomi-senpai to let her know about this first."
Kokoro nodded as she took another glance at the green-colored tank and looked down at a small notebook in her hands as to compare it. The blonde of the group leaned closer to her as to have a look at the notebook and made few back and fourth from the tank hanging and the book. "I think it looks a lot like the Firefly…"
"The what?" Yukiho also leaned closer and looked at the drawing. "A Sherman Firefly? It's an American tank?"
Arisa nodded before turning to Kokoa. The later nodded back and dialed their spiritual senior's number.
[-x-x-x-]
Meanwhile, another group was hiking at the other side of the ship. It was composed of four girls with a brunette with large forehead as the leader. "According to the data Erena has gathered, it should not be that far now."
The orange-haired girl who was walking behind her nodded. "Though this path seems dangerous. We have been hiking for a while now."
Another girl with long blue hair beside her chuckled. "This road… I can feel a strong aura coming from it. As if it has some connection with my reason of falling down in earth."
The red-head of the group gave a tilt of the head as she shoved a rock aside and continued to walk. "What are you talking about, Yoshiko-san?"
"It's Yohane!" The shorter girl corrected childishly, raising her voice.
That only made Anju and Tsubasa to chuckle. "Right right. Yohane-chan~" The ginger teased before jumping on another rock, followed by the three others. From that spot, they were able to have a clear view of the town-ship they were in and enjoyed the moment for a couple of minute before continuing their walk. It however didn't take them long before finding something that looked like a tank, resting atop several rocks and in high altitude. "Bingo!"
The brunette smiled. "As expected of Erena's gathered data. Only the traveling time was long but we found it with no fault."
Yoshiko also chuckled as she made a peace sign with her left hand. "A Matilda II… as expected for the fallen angel Yoshiko."
Anju couldn't help but to chuckle. "Though I don't think it suits our group well… I mean we are more of a freelancer who prefers long-range battles while the Matilda's strength is more on its armor but has low speed."
The bluenette looked down and sulked at her companion's words. "For you to say that… The three of you already have experience with Sensha-do… However," the awkwardly raised her head and forced a smile. "Nothing is impossible for the great fallen angel. I will prove everyone that I will master the art of Sensha-do."
"That's the spirit!" Erena cheered before grabbing her cellphone.
[-x-x-x-]
Another group was looking around the town though, looking for clues among the inhabitants. It was composed of five members who were all taking things slowly but surely. The entered another shop and went looking at the merchandises.
"Kanan! Kanan!" The blonde of the group called for her friend who was looking at few posters and pointed at a screen. "Look! Look! It's a dancing penguin."
The bluenette sighed before smiling. "I see that you're energetic as always, Mari." She said while walking beside her girlfriend, grabbing the shorter girl by the shoulder and started walking deeper into the store. "But we shouldn't forget that we're on a mission."
"Of course!" Mari replied before giving a salute. The two of them continued to walk around the shop, looking at the posters and replique of miniature tanks collected around. It didn't take them long before meeting with the three other members of their group. "Hey, Chika-chan, Yô-chan and Riko-chan! Did you find anything?"
The ginger shook her head. "We asked everyone around here but none of them has seen anything that looks like a real tank."
"Too bad." Riko sighed.
And with that, the five of them left the store. "So, where's our next destination?" The ash-haired girl asked.
"How about the patisserie?" The blonde proposed. "I'm kind of hungry~" She coed while clinging to her lover.
"Jeez! Mari!"
Meanwhile, the second year trio was just smiling at them. 'They're so in love~'
'They're so cute~"
'I want to take a picture for my yuri collection…'
It didn't take them long before arriving toward the nearest bakery. It was a place they never went to. After all, Otonokizaka, despite being among the smallest ship, was very large, so it was possible that someone from the front side would have never went to the rear side since the school was located at the middle.
"Welcome!" The shop owner greeted them. "Feel free to browse around." He said in a cheerful voice, motioning at the shelves behind him.
Mari had stars in her eyes as she watched the sweets while Riko's eyes have caught something else. "Don't tell me…"
Yô too was surprised as she joined her red-head friend while Chika and Mari were browsing the cakes. "There's no way it's a real one…right?"
The owner of the shop saw the two girls looking at the thing that was placed deeper into the shop, near the chairs and tables where few customers were eating their snacks. He laughed loudly and walked in their direction. "Isn't it beautiful?"
The ash-haired girl nodded. "It looks so real."
"Because it's a real one!" The man replied before laughing like a sailor, making the two girls look at him. "I might not look like one but I'm actually the second son of a woman who was famous in practicing Sensha-do. My mother has offered me this amazing Crusador for my 18th birthday."
"Really?!"
"Of course!" He smiled before walking toward the gray medium tank. "Though, I never managed to get my driving license. However, I did take mechanical course in college so I know how to take good care of it." The man said deeply before looking back at the girls. "Judging by your uniforms, you're from Otonokizaka, right?"
"W-well… Yes I guess…" The red-head nodded, unsure about how to respond since it should have been obvious. After all, only one school can be found on one ship and since they were in the Otonokizaka one…
The shop owner laughed once again. "I heard that you are looking for tanks, right? How about I give you my darling?"
"Wait! What?"
"This is something really important to me." He placed a hand on the machine's armor and closed his eyes. "However, this town is more important. I don't want to leave it. I love spending my days baking sweets for the citizen of Otonokizaka. Their smiles alone are enough to make the heart of this old sailor happy." He turned to the girls and gave a smile. "I want to do anything I could to protect this town. So, please take good care of her." He then bowed his head.
Yô and Riko were taken aback but quickly bowed back. "W-we'll take good care of it! Thank you for your support!"
[-x-x-x-]
The last group who went to search around the school ground was just happily eating in the middle of abandoned buildings. Their leader, much to a certain bluenette's unhappiness, has decided to take a pause and has forced everyone else to take a rest.
"I heard that the other groups have all found a tank each." The gray-haired girl stated as she read a message.
Umi sighed as she gave a look at their ginger friend. "The sun has almost settled. At this rate, we will be the only one who hasn't found one."
"Relax, Umi-chan, relax!" Honoka said calmly as she shoved a bread in her mouth and made a delighted face. "Yummy~"
The fourth member of the group however did not like all this. "Senpai! Please take this more seriously! It's the fate of our school we are talking about." She said sternly.
"Ria-chan, you worry too much." Their leader replied calmly before turning toward their ash-haired friend. "Do you know what kind of tanks they have found?"
Kotori just shook her head, that smile never leaving her face. Both Ria and Umi sighed. "Jeez! Please take this seriously!"
"I agree with Umi-senpai!" The purple-haired girl whose hair was attached in pigtails took a glance at the map she was holding and sighed. "There's just one last building we could look at." She said in a low tone.
"Let's go!" The bluenette grabbed Honoka by the wrist and started dragging her and were soon followed by the two other members.
"Umi-chan is a meanie." The ginger pouted as she was being dragged toward another building.
They then started looking at everything, from the drawers to the shelves, looking for clues but didn't find anything. Kotori sighed as she closed the last drawer and shook her head.
"Nothing too…?"
Honoka however was smiling. "Do not give up yet, everyone. Fight da yo!" She made her signature move before starting to walk toward the exit when the floor beside her suddenly cracked and the ginger fell bellow.
"Honoka!"
"Honoka-chan!"
"Senpai!"
The three members looked through the hole and waited for an answer from the dark cave their companion has fallen in. They didn't bring any lamp after all. "Honoka-chan! Are you all right!"
There was a moment before the ginger's voice echoed from down bellow. "Yeah! I'm fine! Also, I think I found something."
"Really?"
Honoka nodded as she lit her cellphone on and looked at the yellow tank she fell onto. "I think it's a Tiger or something like that…"
Umi couldn't help but to smile while Ria turned around to see a rope and threw it on the hole to help her senior getting back upstairs. "For now, let's get you back and then we'll call Nozomi-senpai later."
[-x-x-x-]
"I see… Thank you for your hard work." Nozomi nodded before placing back her cellphone on the table and turned to Eri. "Honoka-chan's team has also found one."
The blonde nodded before turning to the Kurosawa sisters. "Thank you for your hard work! You might take a rest now." She said, looking at the window to see that the sun has already settled. "We will take care of the rest."
Dia smiled before bowing. "Well… If you'll excuse us in that case." And then, the two of them left the room, leaving the president and the vice-president alone.
The purplenette chuckled as she stepped beside her friend and hugged her. "I really hope we'll manage to save this school." Eri just nodded. "How about we go on a date when we're done with this? The stars are beautiful this time of the year~"
"I appreciate the thought but we have too much job for now… How about we go another day?"
Nozomi just chuckled.
[-x-x-x-]
"Your attention, everyone!"
Everyone turned to Eri who was stepping in front of the hangar building. Already one week has passed since the groups has found the tanks and said machines were already standing proud on the field, the girls contemplating them.
"First of all, we thank you for your hard work!" She said before grabbing a notebook and glanced at it. "And I don't want to cut your moment of glory but we have decided the assignment of which group should take which tank."
"Can't we just ride the tank we have found?" A voice from the crowd could be heard.
"We went with this order according to everyone's specialty so please listen to it." The blonde continued before reading her notebook.
Team 1: (Tiger I)
Commander and Radio Operator: Kousaka Honoka
Driver: … Ria
Gunner: Sonoda Umi
Loader: Minami Kotori
Team 2: (Crusader)
Commander: Nishikino Maki
Driver: Hoshizora Rin
Gunner: Yazawa Niko
Radio Operator and Loader: Koizumi Hanayo
Team 3: (JagdTiger)
Commander: Takami Chika
Driver: Watanabe Yô
Gunner: Sawaguchi Riko
Radio Operator: Ohara Mari
Loader: Matsuuri Kanan
Team 4: (Matilda II)
Commander and Radio Operator: Yazawa Kokoro
Driver: Kousaka Yukiho
Gunner: Ayase Arisa
Loader: Yazawa Kokoa
Team 5: (Type 97)
Commander: … Seira
Driver: Kunikida Hanamaru
Gunner: … Fumiko
Radio Operator: … Mika
Loader: … Hideko
Team 6: (Sherman Firefly)
Commander and Radio Operator: Kira Tsubasa
Driver: Yuuki Anju
Gunner: Toudou Erena
Loader: Tsushima Yoshiko ("It's Yohane!"
Team 7: (IS-2)
Commander and Loader: Ayase Eri
Driver: Kurosawa Ruby
Gunner: Kurosawa Dia
Radio Operator: Toujou Nozomi
Eri closed her notebook after that and had another look at the student member of the Sensha-do team. "That's the assignment. We teamed you up and assigned you to a role that fits your abilities the most. For these who are used to work together, I know you won't have any difficulty but I will ask for the new teams to learn how to cooperate."
Taking another look at the girls, Nozomi nodded. "All right! With that said, let us begin today's training. You will divided into several groups. For the Gunners, please follow Kurosawa Dia. The Drivers should join Yuuki Anju while the Loaders seek advices from Ayase Eri. The Radio Operators and Commander are free to ask me if you need something, okay?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
