Chapter 24: The parade.

If seen from outside the Flugzeugträger B was majestic, arousing amazement for all the students (with the exception of the kuro who had the Graf Zeppelin), once they got on board they were even more astonished: around them spread a vast city full of life.

"We'll use those to get to school!" Himmler informed them, indicating some uncovered black Mercedes-Benz W 100s.

Hilda started driving the first, Miho next to her, Himmler and Göring on the back seats. The other girls, divided by teams, climbed onto the others, for a total of ten cars. After a while the procession started on the road. Miho looked around: from the balconies of various buildings, in addition to the swastika flags, the flags of their schools also hung: Pravda, Anzio, Ooarai, Saunders, Kuromorimine ... And there were also banners written in various languages, including English and Japanese. They recited, in large letters:

SCHWARZE SONNE WELCOME THE COMMANDERS OF THE JAPANESE SCHOOLS OF SENSHA-DO!

On the sides of the road two wings of a cheering crowd greeted the new arrivals. Some captains, such as Kay, Katyusha and Anchovy greeted the public, others like Nonna and Naomi remained impassive, while appreciating the welcome.

"I know what you're thinking." Hilda said, noticing Miho's fascinated expression.

"I thought you wanted us to visit the school."

"After, after. First there is the welcoming ceremony followed by lunch. We certainly cannot treat you bigwigs as mere tourists ... "

"Bigwigs?"

"Exact. The role of commander (or captain, if you like) is very important. She keeps the reins of the team, motivates the crews, decides the strategies to be used in matches etc. Everything depends on us and on the orders we will give."

"True…"

"You most of all should know ... Ooarai would not have passed the first round without your guidance."

"Yeah ... It's a pity that my companions have forgotten it." Miho admitted, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Hilda looked at her perplexed.

"What do you mean by that?"

Miho briefly explained the latest events, talked about the death of Mako's grandmother, about the fact that Saori had stolen her pension and how she had pledged to keep the whole story hidden, until a few days before. Even if she knew her recently, she still needed to confide in someone, and since Hilda was a her fan...

"Because of that matter, I lost two precious friends, and the esteem of all my companions. And it pains me ... "

"I can imagine it ... But what did you want them to do when they discovered the truth?"

"I behaved in an ignoble way, I admit it ... But if I had exposed Saori exposing her to general contempt, I would have still sucked, cheating on a friend."

"I understand ... In any case, don't give yourself too much trouble, time a few days, at most a few weeks and nobody will talk about it anymore."

Miho looked at her insecure, hoping that her prediction would prove accurate.


" However, they welcome us well, to consider us losers ..." Amaretto said, observing the crowd.

"Well, despite the poor results, Anzio has the merit of promoting Italian culture in Japan, and many students come from Italy (including me)." The driver explained to them.

"Really? Where are you from?" Carpaccio asked her.

"Genoa, the birthplace of Christopher Columbus and Giuseppe Mazzini." She replied.

"What's your name?" Pepperoni asked her.

"Chiara Borrelli, but you can call me Salò."

"I am Anchovy, the leader of Anzio. They are Carpaccio, Pepperoni and Amaretto."

"I know you, I have been following the Japanese sensha-do for some time, and I once played in Italian Romanitas."

"Really? Why did you join the Schwarze Sonne? "

"Long story…"

"Tell us more."

"Before joining this school, as I said, I was in Romanitas, an Italian sensha-do school that sailed between the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, passing for the Red Sea. One day, while we were off the coast of Gibraltar, we were joined by the Black Sun."

"A boarding?" Amaretto asked.

"No, a courtesy visit!"

"Ah understood."

"And it was then that Hilda proposed me to join her school. She had just lost one of her most trusted collaborators, and she wanted me to replace her."

"Have you accepted?"

"Otherwise I wouldn't be here."

"And are you okay?"

"Very well. Hilda and the others are kind and polite."

"What kind of school was Romanitas?" Anchovy asked.

"It had the Roman republic as its theme ... There they call me Aurelia."

"And why did you decide to move?"

"They made me an offer that I couldn't refuse, just know this."

"Ah understood."


Damn ... Where will Arisa have gone? Is she still a prisoner somewhere on the ship? Yet Hilda said nothing about it ...

Kay thought, worried.

"What do you think of the welcome?" The driver asked her, a girl with long brown hair and eyes of the same color.

"Very warm." The blonde answered, turning in her direction.

"Natural, given your fame."

"Are you English?" Kay asked, noting his accent.

"American."

"Which city?"

"Springfield, Illinois."

An Nazi from Illinois ...

Naomi thought.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"Sarah Todd."

"Nice to meet you, Sarah." Kay said cordially.

"My pleasure." Sarah replied.


"You look very cheerful." Erika said to Sheska.

"I should not? I used to go to this school after all, and many of the girls are great friends of mine!" The latter replied, while pointing to some students brandishing a banner with the above written on it:

WELCOME BACK, SHESKA!

"If you are so popular why did you leave school?"

Sheska turned in her direction staring at her grimly, then saying to her:

"My business!"

"Answer my question!"

"Now don't start again, you two!" Maho intervened, fed up with their bickering.


"They are really kind!" Katyusha said, greeting the crowd.

"I can't say the same about their commander!" Klara said, sitting on the back seats.

"Klara, I warn you. I don't want any stories during our visit here." Her captain warned her.

Nonna instead remained silent, looking to the left.