Chapter two is done! I'd like to thank ll of you who have read this story so far, and I hope you are enjoying this story. Fell free to give me a review if you'd like to say or point out something. Other than that, enjoy!
I do not own Girls und Panzer.
Hanoashi woke up to light fluttering through the ceiling skylight. Blinking her green eyes open gently, she jolted when she saw the prison bars, before remembering what had happened. Oh, right. Panzerfaren draft, Leopon... I wonder what the team is going to think about me being the commander. She then shuddered. Will they be jealous? Will they hate me? Beat me up? She didn't know the answers to these worries. What she did know is that while Leopon was just trying to protect her, the others might not feel that way.
She put on her watch, before signing, wishing the had something other than her prison uniform before remembering that she'd get her recreation and tankery uniform today. Yukaro then woke up, smiling at her a bit. "Morning Yukaro," she hummed gently.
Morning Hanoashi," he greeted politely, before stretching in his bunk. "Have you been up long?"
She shook her head. "No, just woke up a few minuets ago." she admitted. "You should use the bathroom first," she added briefly. "I won't need much time but I don't know about them two."
He shrugged. "I believe you're right," he whispered. "Thanks." She watched him head into the little room in the back before placing her hands in her lap, waiting on him to finish up.
About four minuets later he exited, his face slightly wet. "Your turn." She nodded, whispering a quiet thank you of her own before entering the small room to relieve herself. As she did so, she realized that there wasn't much there. The stall, as it where, was only five feet wide by four feet long. There was five lockers, and she opened the one with her name on it, letting out a small sigh as she realized the only thing it had was bargain brand mouthwash, toothpaste, a basic toothbrush, a hair brush and two cups, one being a spit cup and the other being Styrofoam.
Taking her supplies, she brushed her hair as quickly as she could, glad she had started wearing it straight instead of having a slight curl to it. She then brushed her teeth, and rinsed her mouth, before taking a good drink with her Styrofoam. "Bah, this water taste terrible," she whispered, normally liking water, however this kind, wherever it came from, was awful compared to what she use to drink. She glanced at the cup doubtfully, before shrugging and half gulped it down, placing her cup in her locker and locking it.
The rest of her morning ritual was quick, and she flushed the toilet and exited, seeing that Miho was up.
Hey Hanoashi... I guess I should apologize. I... I was feeling sorry for..." However before she could finish Hanoashi placed her hand up.
"You don't need to apologize, Miho. We where all scared, it's only natural." she replied. Miho let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks," she whispered.
At about seven they managed to get Mako up, albeit barely. She put her ring on and got ready to meet the day before the doors opened, and a form up announcement was stated. As Hanoashi took her place beside Miho and Yukaro, she felt both calmed by there presence and nervous about today's activities.
Leopon walled to the center of the group, and saluted. Almost as one the group bowed gently, before snapping to a kind of attention posture. "Alright... so today we're going to get you fitted out for your new life. Girls will be heading to the bath houses, while boys will be heading to the pool houses. You will shower and you girls will use all of your shampoo, soap, and moisturizer provisions. Is that clear.?"
"Yes, Honorable Leopon." Although Hanoashi still felt a tad awkward about calling someone honorable every time s a title, she did not want to get on Leopon's bad side.
"Good." She then turned to another woman, one with black hair shaped like a helmet. She also had a prosthetic limb on her left leg. Her dark blue-green eyes glared around the room. "My name is Midorino Sono. I'm sure many of you have herd of me before as the Sudoku of Panzerfaren." She then looked at those sternly. "Do not, under any circumstances, call me that."
"Yes, Instructor Sono," The crowd coursed, and then began to separate into genders. Hanoashi followed them into the showers, and Modorino placed her hand on Hanoashi's shoulder for a bit.
"I've placed a note on your stall showing how to do the advanced stuff, alright?" she whispered, Causing Hanoashi to nod. Released, she stepped into the showers and began to follow the various instructions step by step, and boy was there a lot of steps. Although the process took her about forty minutes to her it felt like three hours, but it seemed to make her skin smooth and soft, and her hair was quite silky as a bonus. As she came out, there was a lady waiting for her.
"Time for your bi-weekly treatment," she remarked. Sighing gruffly at being lead once again, she was brought into what looked like a miniature saloon. She saw her new recreation uniform, which was a red sleeveless shirt with a black mini-skirt.
"Okay, so Red or Black?"
Hanoashi did not understand the question. "Huh?" she asked softly.
"Your nail polish, Red or Black?" she then glanced at the twelve year old. "Leopon insist all girls wear nail polish."
Hanoashi wanted to gag at this point. Nail polish is disguising. Who knows what's in it, some of the cheaper brands even have lead in it reportedly. However, she pushed her disgust, or immaturity if you'd rather, down. "Red, I guess," she decided mutinously. I'm going to hate this, I just know it.
It didn't help that the worker had everything save her hair shaved, though fortunately they used something called a no-no razer. She remembered the worker cooing her about it. "It's not a razor, it's not a laser," she mocked under her breath. "Lord can you at least have them not treat me like a helpless brat?" she prayed.
Thankfully for everyone on her team her good mood returned around lunch time, and she was please that they'd get decent meals it seemed. Not great, but decent. Everyone got some sort of meat sandwich, beans, rice, and a snack. She focused on eating her meal while listening to the conversations going around her, trying desperately not to pay mind to the nail polish on her fingers which at the moment was bugging the living hell out of her.
"You okay Hanoashi?" She glanced at the question, spoken by Miho.
"Oh, um, yeah, I'm fine, why to you ask."
"You just seemed..." Miho paused, obviously trying to find the right words.
"Out of place?" Hanoashi guessed and Miho nodded. "That's true, but then again I think we all do to a certain extent." All she got was a small nod and was left alone for most of the meal.
After lunch, they where taken to a special tank simulator for practice. "For the next two months, two of you will take turns training in the simulate. Two teams a day, five days a week. By the time the second month has passed, you will have been in eight practices. After that, all practices will be live. Understand?" The various teams nodded to their instructor, her blue-green gaze boring into the team.
"Good. When you are not in Panzerfaren you are in general class. You will graduate with the English equivalent of a GED. For the record, no collage. Do not let that get you down. Trust me, a common store clerk is a much better job than what you have here." Hanoashi whole-heatedly agreed.
"By the way, Hanoashi, your squad is up in the simulator first. Good luck." She could feel the stares of her fellow teammates landing on her, save for her own crew, and she shrugged. "Let's just roll with it," she growled quietly before entering the simulate hatch.
Their simulator, as it turned out, was a standard Panzer IV D, which allowed for the training of the Radio operator should they have one. Since they didn't, She simply took her position, growling a bit.
"Something wrong Hanoashi," Yuakro asked, glancing at her in concern from his loader's position.
Hanoashi let out a rather large huff. "Nothing's wrong guys. It's just... I'm not liking wearing the nail polish, it's unnatural."
Miho gaped at her. "Didn't your parents ever have you wear any as a kid?" She gasped, surprised.
Hanoashi let out a sarcastic sigh. "Aside from making sure I was in good clothes, they didn't do anything until I was old enough to give permission. They didn't even to that whole ear-stub thingie most parents seem to do with girls, thank god. Earrings are unnatural," she ranted softly.
"Watches are unnatural too," Mako pointed out in an annoyed tone.
"Oh yeah! Well my watch doesn't go through my skin, thank you very much." Hanoashi deadpanned.
"Well... technically the ear is made out of something called cartilage..." Yukaro began only to get a glare from Hanoashi.
"Oh shut up!" However, her growl seem half playful, half sarcastic. "Everyone knows that."
"Ahem!" Everyone jumped as the instructor came on. "If you're quite done discussing your differences about jewelry, can we please get to practice," she growled.
"Sorry instructor Sono, It won't happen happen again," Hanoashi promised, and once everyone calmed down the simulation began. At first, things seemed to go by smoothly as Mako quickly got the hang of driving the Panzer. "Nice driving Mako, keep up the great work," Hanoashi praised, before glancing out of the commanders hatch, only to duck in as a shot came over from her left. Unfortunately, she was too late and her training exosuit locked up and her visor went black. Yukaro quickly pulled her inside, managing to lay her down albeit it was awkward, before the tank was rocked by another shot, and all of the other crew's blacked out.
Filling the cabin with simulated heat, smoke, and fire, Hanoashi let out a few coughs even though no one on the outside could hear her. The helmet was a training device designed to black out any crew member who had a fatal shot. The brilliance of it was not only could it black out the vision of the knocked out user, it also blocked out all sounds, both from the external world and from her own mouth. She found out firsthand the cold feeling of total isolation, if only for a brief few moments, and she did not want to experience it again.
The hatch of the Panzer IV opened up and the instructor came in, frowning as the smoke clear. "Okay... Mako, you did fine on the driving, expectantly on your first time. Hanoashi, although you needed to be more observant, not to mention careful, you did okay for someone of your tender age." Gazing down, the red head realized that the instructor was right. "I'll be more careful," she promised, really... really not wanting to die.
Midorino simply nodded in response before turning her attention to Yukaro. "You did everything right, not much else you could have done anyways." Yukaro didn't really reply, probably unwilling to accept any praise when the who team had gotten Simulated KIA.
"Miho, the the hell did you not fire?" Sono hissed, turning her full wrath to the girl. Hanoashi cast Miho a sympathetic glance, but didn't say anything in her defense. Your mistake, your response, she whispered internally, remembering what her mother had taught her about interfering in these kinds of disputes.
"I... I..." Miho began sobbing. "I don't want to kill anyone!" She screamed. Hanoashi let out a sigh, guessing what would happen next.
"Miho, you did kill someone today." Sono replied coolly, continuing as Miho gasped. "You killed your teammates." Letting out a sigh, she turns to the rest of the crew. "You three, return to your cell. Miho, evening in isolation."
Hanoashi barely refrained from making a protest. She suspected the reason for placing Miho in isolation for the evening wasn't to punish her, but rather to give her time to think.
As Sono lead Miho away, she couldn't help but hear her quiet words. "Think of it as you having lost this crew because you didn't fire quick enough. Taking off her own her equipment and Panzerfaren uniform, she headed straight back to the cell, not even glancing at her crew.
I got myself killed today. And being the commander, that would have gotten them killed, she realized, sitting down on her middle bunk. She cupped her head in her hands and let out the first sob, before the tears went flowing down.
"It's going to be alright, Hanoashi." Glancing up, she noticed that Yukaro was sitting by her, his arm wrapped around her in comfort. "No it's not," she sobbed. "I died and could have gotten you all killed." she added softly.
Yukaro sighed and guided her gaze to his with his hands. "Look at me Hanoashi," he began, and her green eyes stared into his amber ones. "Your young, and any position is going to be difficult for you. You just have to learn all you can, and do what you can. If you make a mistake... then so be it. You made a mistake. But you can't run from this nor can you hide from this. As long as you do your best and learn from your mistakes, then you've done your job."
She shuddered, before nodding. "Your right," she managed, her voice sharpening before letting out a small yawn.
"You must be tired. Go and get some sleep, you'll feel better in the morning," he promised. Hanoashi privately agreed and moved under the covers, Yukaro tucking her in. "Night, little sis," he whispered to her surprise.
"Night Oni-chan," she whispered softly before closing her eyes and falling asleep.
