Blaze here, and I really wanted to get this chapter done last month, but I didn't. Sorry bout that.
Anyways, enjoy! Note: Blazepanzer does not own Girls und Panzer.
Arriving at her class room, Hanoashi couldn't help but notice that the room was quite empty. I wonder where everybody went? she wondered, taking her seat and gazing around. Usually, Rose arrives sooner than I do.
Sitting down, Hanoashi's belly rumble a bit. I guess I forgot to eat breakfast, she groaned inwardly.
"Here,"
"Huh?"
Glancing up, she saw her teacher handing her a granola bar and a small bottle of water.
"Th...thanks," she gasped, smiling as the took the bar and began to eat.
"Just don't make a habit of this, it's important to eat a good breakfast," Tamiska sighed. "Still, there is a small favor I have to ask."
"What is it Sensei," she asked as she finished the granola bar.
"Well..." Tamisaka paused. "You know how we're supposed to be getting boys next year?"
Hanoashi let out a small nod. "Yeah, I'm aware."
"Well, Ooarai boy's academy is sending a small contingent of boys over as an advance force, namely to test what issues we might have. One of them will be attending our class, and Sheila suggested you might be the best to sit by him."
Is Shelia trying to get me together with one of these boys, or is she hinting that this is one of those increased responsibilities she mentioned? Her mind was a bit apprehensive, but then a thought occurred to her. Well, maybe rather than simply just sitting by this guy, I should take a more proactive approached to this advance force.
"Of course, but I'd kinda like to sit next to the wall, given that I'll have to move from my current sitting arrangement," she agreed.
"Interesting request, but you do bring up a point." Tamiska noted.
Just then the door opened, and a boy with brown hair and blue eyes came in.
"Ah, you must be Dan?" Tamiska asked.
"Yes ma'am," the boy answered, before bowing. "It's good to meet you, Sensei!"
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Dan," Tamiska smiled, before turning back to her. "This is Hanoashi Katoni, she'll be sitting by you, and if you need anything, don't be afraid to ask."
"It's good to meet your acquaintance," Hanoashi chirped as she too bowed.
"Likewise, Katoni Sempai," Dan bowed.
"Just call me Katoni-san," Hanoashi requested as she waved her hand. "I'm in the same year as you, after all."
"Bu...but you're the Vice Heiress," Dan stammered.
"Be that as it may, that title doesn't grant me any authority to lord it over the other students," she reprimanded, before raising one of her eyebrows. "Wait...where things different at the Boys Academy?
Nodding, Dan let out a gusty sigh. "Yeah, my previous Inheritor was always lording it over everyone else, talk about a self centered guy."
"Don't forget, just because she can't lord it over her fellow students doesn't mean you can disrespect her. But I've got a feeling that if you stick with her, she'll take good care of you." Tamiska noted. "Anyways, I've got to go run a quick errand, so you two have fun and try not to get into any trouble."
Standing there for a few moments, Hanoashi suddenly found herself stiffening. Wait...did she just leave me alone with a guy in the same room? She fretted, before quickly calming herself down. What's the worst he could do to me? I mean, I've just served two weeks in the stint, so yeah...I think I'll be alright.
She stood over next to him. "So, how long have you been at Ooarai girl's academy?" she asked, noticing Dan's brown hair and eyes in detail as she gazed at him.
"We just moved in last Saturday, so about two days." Dan noted politely.
"And how has Ooarai been treating you?" she pressed.
"Pretty well, though some of the girls seem a bit...weary of us guys."
"Well, a lot of us girls haven't been around guys much for years, so it's going to be a bit of an adjustment. But I'm sure the vast majority of us will by the end of the year."
"I hope so, Katoni-san," Dan smiled.
"By the way, I don't think I got your last name," Hanoashi pointed out.
"It's Kulighamoto, but I'd prefer people call me Dan." he remarked.
"Ah...I understand," she noted, before glancing at the door as Aacob rushed in.
"Sis! You're back!" Aacob ran over, hugging her.
"Aacob," Hanoashi smiled, embracing her. "It's good to be back home," she smiled.
"It's good to have you again," Aacob whispered, before embracing, giving the boy in the room a good looking-over. "Dan?"
"Tanaka?" Dan asked, confused.
"When did you come here?" Aacob asked, tipping her head.
"Wait...do you know each other?" Hanoashi asked.
Dan nodded. "Yeah...we where good friends back in gradeschool."
"We used to hang out back in grade school," Aacob affirmed, before turning to Dan. "By the way, it's Katoni now," she added.
"Wait...you mean that..." Dan asked, glancing between the two.
Hanoashi nodded. "We adopted her about...almost a year and a half ago," she affirmed.
"Wow," Dan whispered.
By this time Hanoashi had noticed a lot of students where beginning to pour in. "Who's that?"
Before anything else could happen though the intercom resounded. "Hanoashi Katoni and Aacob Katoni to the OHDF meeting room immediately.
"Looks as though duty calls" Aacob chirped.
Turning to Dan, Hanoashi bowed slightly in apology. "Sorry, looks like I have to go," she apologized.
"That's quite alright mine heiress," Dan smiled.
Relieved that he didn't seem angry about the sudden departure, she quickly excused herself and followed her sister. "Any idea what this is about?"
"No idea," Aacob shook her head. "But it's exciting work isn't it?"
"We're going to have to redefine your idea of exciting," Hanoashi deadpanned.
"You're back," a somewhat cold voice called out to her.
"Yukaro?" Hanoashi asked, surprised to see how cold his voice was.
"Welcome back," he replied quietly before abruptly walking off.
"What was that about?"
Aacob snorted. "He's got some new girlfriend last week and now he's acting rather cold about any girl he's ever interacted with, aside from Yukari of course.
"Snob," Hanoashi snorted, though deep down she would admit that hearing Yukaro had a girlfriend and it wasn't her was quite painful. "Anyways, we should get going."
Ariving in the meeting room, she could see Rikona standing there, her gaze filled with both fury and sorrow. This isn't good, Hanoashi fretted.
"Alright, since we're all here, we can get started." Sheila began. "Just ten minutes ago, some idiot decided that it was a good idea to bring a battery bomb aboard this acadamy."
Hanoashi let out a gasp. "But that's dangerous!"
"Obvious is obvious," Aacob grunted. "So, we need to keep on the lookout for people with more of these bombs?" she added, more seriously.
"Exactly." Sheila nodded in approval. All OHDF forces are to assist the police and moral committee members in insuring that no one else brings in a bomb." Pausing, she turned to Hanoashi. "I know you probably would rather study with your class, but I feel as though it'd be better if you stayed with Rikona for the next few days, both in and out of school."
"Of course Auntie." Hanoashi tried to hide her discomfort over this revelation. Does she not trust me or is she worried that someone may try something on me? She wondered briefly.
"Alright, you have your orders," Rikona muttered, before storming out of the room.
Running up to her cousin, Hanoashi studied her. "How bad was it?"
"The idiot who brought those on board is in serious condition," Rikona growled. "The Baka deserved it in my opinion, but there's fifteen students currently in the medical lounge."
Then let's go and see if we can help them out," Hanoashi started in that direction, only to be caught by Rikona.
"Did you forget that we have class right now," she whispered.
"But..." Hanoashi paused when Rikona gave her the look.
"Just because we're heiress doesn't mean we can go and do whatever we like," Rikona added, before half dragging her along.
"Go help them."
Hanoashi paused as Sheila appeared, obviously overhearing their conversation. "Rikona may have a point, but let's be honest, neither of you are going to get much studying done at this rate," Sheila added.
"Let's go then," Rikona nodded, before pulling Hanoashi toward the infirmary.
Arriving there, Hanoashi gasped as she witnessed how badly some of the students had been burned. One girl in particular was badly wounded, though what had shocked the vice heiress was that her left hand was handcuffed to the guard rail.
"Is this the one who?" Hanoashi began, breaking off as Rikona nodded slowly.
"Mine heiress, you've got to help me," the girl cried.
"Hell no," Rikona spat, surprising most of those in the room. Abruptly, the brunet turned her back on the guilty one, before turning to another student who was in pain.
"Vice Heiress Katoni," the girl whispered.
"I'm sorry," Hanoashi whispered.
"I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt," the girl whispered, her amber eyes flooding with tears. "I was just upset that we where getting boys and I thought if a bomb went off, but didn't hurt anyone, maybe...maybe I could stop it."
"Oh spare us your bullshit!" another girl spat, her blue eyes flashing with anger and pain. "Getting boys is much better than having a bomb go off in your classroom!"
Yes...I'm a tad nervous about all academies going co-ed, but it's what has been decided. Still, to bring a bomb on board as a protest...
She trailed off, her heart twisting as she saw a mental image of herself laying there, her hand cuffed to the side of the bed.
I was just released from jail...well...juvenile just a couple of hours ago! But my sentence was just twelve days, while hers will be years, and that's assuming she's going to live!
Just then the door opened and Hanoashi was surprised to see Yukaro escorting Miho into the room. "Her teacher wants her to stay close to you or Rikona until this blows over," he grunted, before leaving the room.
"Miho," Hanoashi began, unsure of how to face her best friend.
"Hanoashi...it's good to see you back," Miho smiled, before she glanced at the handcuffed girl. "Why is she handcuffed?" she gasped.
"She's the one who set off the bomb," Hanoashi growled.
"Wait...what the hell?" Miho whispered, clearly not caring if she cussed or not. "Why would you do such a thing!"
"I was just trying..." the girl began but was loudly intrupted by another injured student.
"Just trying to get us all killed you spineless coward!"
"I'm sorry!" she cried back.
"Sorry doesn't cure wounds!"
Miho simply glared at the girl in anger.
This isn't helping! Hanoashi wailed inwardly.
"Hanoashi...may I have a word with you in private?" Miho requested.
"Sure," she replied, apprehensive of what Miho was going to talk to her about. The other students might have fell for that Heiress training workshop BS, but Miho's a fellow Vice Heiress, she fretted.
As soon as they where out of listening range, Hanoashi soon found herself against the wall in a classic Kabedon maneuver. "Please don't tell me you feel sorry for that...that thing!" Miho whispered.
"I...I...You know...don't you...what really happened?"
Miho nodded. "It might have been dumb of you to bring that contraband aboard the ship, but you didn't mean to harm anyone by it." she chided. "Any yet here you are, mentally comparing yourself to that girl." she added.
"We both committed a crime," Hanoashi defended herself. "And if I had intended to handcuff another student, she could have died or lost her limbs," she added.
"But you didn't," Miho hissed. "Sure, you've made a big mistake, but you didn't mean to harm anyone, nor did you. And besides all that, you took responsibility for your mistake, and I know you well enough to know that you didn't complain about your punishment, even though it was harsh."
I really wanted to complain though, Hanoashi growled inwardly. "But..."
"You just made an honest mistake, alright," Miho sighed, standing backwards. "What happened is in the past, and it's time to stop beating yourself up for it."
"It's not easy." Hanoashi muttered.
"I know," Miho whispered back. "Look I nearly got myself and four other student's killed during that first practice, and I also could have got you and the turtle team killed during the finals." she reminded her. "I struggle with that knowledge, but you where there to warn me when I was about to make a mistake, so let me warn you when you're about to make one, alright?"
"I guess you are right, but still...having just been released from juvenile," she whispered.
"Stop beating yourself up on that!" Miho hissed, her eyes blazing as she retracted her hand and began to walk away.
"Miho wait," Hanoashi cried, but as Miho kept going, she ran up to her. "I'll...I'll stop beating myself up for that," she whispered.
"Please do," Miho requested.
Just then Aacob ran up to them. "Acer just caught another bomber!" she hissed, her amber eyes glazed in anger and excitement.
"A second one!" Hanoashi spat, her face wrinkling up in disgust.
"Yeah...at least we've got an idea on how thse things work, and they are not designed to simply scare people," Aacob growled.
"Ah, you found them," Shelia walked up. "Miho, Hanoashi, We're evacuating all Heiress," she added. "Aacob will act as escort," she added.
"Is it really that dangerous?" Hanoashi whispered quietly.
"Consider it training for the Heiress defense force," Sheila whispered back before heading off.
Rikona ran up to them. "Ready to go?" she whispered.
"Yeah, I guess." Hanoashi whispered back.
"Ready," Miho nodded determinedly.
As they made a be-line to the Evac point, Hanoashi found herself looking back toward the injured students. "We can't leave them," she whispered quietly, though she kept running as did Miho, Aacob, And Rikona.
Arriving at the area the four arrived at the helicopter, and where quickly ushered in. "Alright girls, a quick debrief. For the next few days you'll be attending classes at Sanders for safety reasons," the officer on-board admitted. "We have uniforms, spare clothing, and unmentionables already on store, and you'll be participating in their Sensado program." he added.
"I'm more interested in how these bombs work," Rikona growled.
"Moving on to that," the officer noted. "The bombs appeared to be a delayed fuse battery scatter bomb, or what we've currently dubbed a DFBS," he continued. "Basically, one battery explodes, sending additional batteries sparking around, which can cause severe burns, as well as blindness if near the eyes. Additionally, a direct hit from one of the flying batteries can kill or sever limbs if it explodes near somebody."
"Why the hell would they do this?" Miho asked.
"We're still working on that," the officer admitted briefly. "Based on currently intel, the perpetrators are claiming it as a protest for the boys coming to Ooarai, but we don't really believe that's the true motive." Pausing, the officer nodded. "That's all we know, I'm afraid."
Miho was right, it was a mistake for me to compare my mistake to their crime! Hanoashi realized as she glanced out the window, watching her academy grow smaller and smaller with distance.
