Who could ever have believed,
Seems like nothing's been achieved,
Just to walk a day, go all the way
The fronts are closing in
It was 20th December. The boys had to wait two days before the raft bridges arrived. With them in their hands they could finally prepare for the final charge.
Kiyoshi just couldn't understand the enemy. On one hand he really adored their endurance and how they insisted on their principles. But on the other hand he coursed their stubbornness. They are not stupid. They must know that any further resistance is pointless. Then why can't they just give up? Why do they have to be defeated one by one?
"Hasegawa-san. We are ready for your command." reported Aoto.
"Tell the all the tank-destroyers to keep both the western and eastern side of the island. Once the bridges are ready we go and deliver the final strike."
"It's hard to believe that the end is just around the corner."
"Indeed. You get so used to all the action that peace becomes strange."
"And what will we do… with them?" asked Aoto gesturing with his head toward the positions of the girls' teams.
"What would YOU do?"
"I don't really know. Some of us want them to suffer. To feel the same indignity that our schools and teams felt for decades."
"Aoto." said Kiyoshi with a calm yet serious tone. "We were lions for too long. Let's be humans now. Those girls already suffered enough. I have no intention to hurt them."
"Neither have I." said a voice. It was Kyousuke walking up to them.
"President." nodded Kiyoshi and Aoto.
"Hasegawa-san is right. I'll just send those tanker girls home. It's the directorate that I'll not be this merciful with." said the president of the Confederacy of Independent High Schools and the supreme commander of its provisional army.
"Good to know that we agree." said Kiyoshi.
"Hm. I actually would like to join you in one of the tanks boys." said Kyousuke. "But I guess I can't do that."
"You have other duties Hamada-san. Just leave it to us." said Aoto.
"I know I can count on you guys." smiled Kyousuke and patted his friends' shoulders. "Get them, okay?"
"JAWOHL!" saluted Landsknecht Boys High School's commander and vice-commander.
Éclair's POV
Éclair was appointed the overall commander of the remaining federal teams that were defending Koto City. With Maginot High School she took positions south from the Ōgi Ōhashi Bridge. The other teams were positioned all over the island.
She felt as if her thoughts were trying to lacerate her. She knew what would be wise to do. But she just couldn't bring herself to raise the white flag.
Seriously, what could she do? This wasn't like the battle of the Marne. This was like Dunkerque.
"What will you do when this is over commandant?" asked Fondue.
"My first thing to do will be to drink a whole bottle of Provencal wine." replied Éclair with a faint smile.
"Bien sûr (Of course).But THEN?"
"Then? I'll finish high school, go to university and hopefully become a doctor."
"Doctor? Interesting." wondered Fondue.
"Why?"
"I don't know. I've always thought that you are a bit hot-spirited for such professions."
"Hey!"
"My apologies." chuckled the vice-commander.
"Never mind. Let's just get this over with."
"Don't worry commandant. There is not much left."
Katyusha's POV
Pravda was waiting for the enemy attack at the Tokyo Skytree. The endurance of the T-34s was the only reason that most of their remaining tanks were still operating. The girls however were in a far worse state. They were cold, hungry and exhausted.
Katyusha looked at them. Some of them were sitting on the ground and hugging their legs, some of them were just staring. But they had one thing in common: the only visible emotion on their faces and in their eyes was sorrow. How could she let this happen to them?
"Say Nonna, do you remember the very first match we had against Miho-san?" asked the short girl.
"I could never forget."
"Back then we were the besiegers. The tables have turned. Now I know what it feels like to be besieged."
"And how does it feel to you?"
"Bad. Very bad."
"Then there are two of us." said Nonna.
"Three." added Klara. "But I have a feeling that there are even more of us. Likely all of us."
"True."
A few moments later gunfire filled the air.
"Oh gosh, what now?" hissed Katyusha. "To your battle stations!"
Kiyoshi's POV
Luckily the sappers worked fast and the raft bridges were soon ready. A minute later Ivan reported from the other side of the island that they are ready too.
"This is it lads! Attack!" Kiyoshi ordered and all the boys' teams started the final offensive.
The TDs did an excellent job and kept the enemy away from the crossing points. Though the shells of the JSF were making the water of the Sumida and Arakawa Rivers erupt around the charging tanks they reached the other bank without loss.
Éclair realized that the narrow strip of land where they were was hardly defendable so after fifteen minutes she ordered the troops under her command to retreat behind the Shinarakawa Bridge where there were more buildings to give cover to them.
The federal defense line collapsed within hours. Chi-Ha-Tan, Anzio and Yogurt Academy were the only ones who managed to hold up Tsar Peter and the other confederate schools attacking from the east at the Nakagawa Funabansho Museum.
Everywhere else the JSF was letting out its last death rattles. Kiyoshi's attack was a bit slow only because the last girls' teams were concentrated in a relatively small area.
Minute by minute more and more streets fell to the hands of the boys. The JSF leaders could do nothing but watch as their once victorious and glorious army was falling apart. Some of their tank crews denied orders, deserted their team and surrendered. Others kept fighting but gave themselves up very easy, they didn't show much resistance.
In short: the fighting morale was deeper than the bottom of the Mariana Trench.
JSF HQ
"NO! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?! NO! WE DO NOT CAPITULATE!" raged Tsuji in the meeting room.
"Tsuji-sama, with all due respect…" Saunders' director tried to say something.
"With all due respect, SHUT UP!" yelled the spectacled man.
Lady Grey was just silently listening. She knew the facts. She wasn't naïve. Therefore when they were dismissed she immediately went to her office and wrote a message to St. Gloriana's team. Then she called in her secretary.
"Ma'am." bowed the middle aged man when he entered the office.
"Higoshi-san. I trust you with my life. I'd like to ask you for something."
"Anything ma'am."
"Take this to my team on the front and hand it over to Earl Grey-san personally. And not a single word to anyone else." said Lady Grey and gave him the envelope.
"Understood." Higoshi took the envelope, then he bowed again and left.
What was in that message? St. Gloriana's headmistress wanted to help her students so she secretly ordered them to surrender.
Kiyoshi's POV
No need to say how big the commanding general's surprise was when all the Matildas, Crusaders and other british tanks of St. Gloriana suddenly appeared in front of him with waving white flags. Early Gray stood before him declared that they are finished with this war.
"Leave your tanks here and leave the island please Earl Grey-san. Go to the other shore. Your team commander will be happy to see you." said Kiyoshi.
"Well... If she's not going to kill us on sight for leaving her and her crew behind…"
"She's not like that. I'm sure she already forgave you."
"You know her so well?" raised Earl Grey an eyebrow.
"I talked with her. She's a good person."
"You know, somehow… I feel that you are a good man as well."
"Thanks very much."
"Then… we are leaving now."
"Best wishes."
The sides saluted each other, then the girls in red left as the Sun started to set.
21st December came. Then 22nd December. And finally 23rd December dawned. Incredibly, Anzio, Chi-Ha-Tan and Yogurt were still holding their ground against the enemy's overpower in the east but in the west merely a few blocks around the headquarters were still on JSF hands by this time.
Gregor High School was out. Waffle Academy was out. Blue Division High Schools was out. BC Freedom Academy was out. Bonple High School was out. They all get defeated in the past three days. The claret, classicist styled HQ of the Federation was protected only by the broken forces of Saunders, Maginot, Pravda and Koala Forest Academy.
The boys' teams launched the attack at noon. Everything happened so fast. The last act was not so dramatic as many imagined. The four federal teams retreated and retreated while firing one or two. The confederate teams overrun them like a massive wave of iron.
Kiyoshi's Königstiger got around a corner and he saw it. The headquarters of the Japan Sensha-Do Federation where that fateful conference happened more than a year ago, where all that fiery scenes happened, where he predicted the collapse of the JSF, where he and his friends told the Federation's leaders that something very bad will happen if they do not stop mistreating them was in front of him, only a few dozens of meters away.
Tsuji's POV
The director stood on the balcony with a neutral look on his face. Everything, his army, his power, his authority was getting destroyed before his eyes. Shells were flying and exploding everywhere and federal tanks were getting disabled in every second. He turned around and went inside.
The building was in a total chaos. Everyone was running up and down, shouting or trying to save documents. Tsuji went to his office and closed the door behind him. With slow, calm movements he sat down at his desk. After a minute of thinking he pulled out a drawer and took out something.
Ten minutes later a secretary bursted into the office. "Tsuji-sama! What should we…" She couldn't finish the sentence. She froze down and went pale when she saw the bloody knife on the floor. She then quickly backed out of the room and slammed the door.
Outside all the remaining tanks of Maginot, Pravda, Saunders and Koala Forest were forced back to the square before the HQ.
"All units! Go to the yard between the main and outbuilding! And Madeleine! Get that flag!" As the tanks obeyed Éclair's order, Madeleine, one of Maginot's vice-commanders climbed out of her tank and took down the banner of the JSF whish was waving near the front door of the headquarters. She run back to her vehicle with it and went after the others.
The federal tanks crowded together on the small yard, trying to barricade themselves somehow, but it was a stillborn attempt. The confederate went around the buildings down to the riverbank so the three girls' teams got completely surrounded. They were desperately turning their heads around but there was just no way out.
Kiyoshi's POV
Kiyoshi approached the enemy tanks and stopped only a few meters away from them. The girls were defending heroically but it was over once and for all. He opened his hatch and poked his upper body out.
"Surrender!" he shouted down the cacophony of guns, engines and steel. "SURRENDER!"
As if it was an order the gunfire ceased and all became quiet. All of the boys and the girls were just staring for long seconds. Then Madeleine looked at Éclair who nodded with a sorrowful look. She let out a deep sigh and dropped the flag she was holding to the ground.
Silence. Dead Silence. Then earraping ovation from the boys. They could hardly believe this. They won. They really won the war. From now their schools and Sensha-Do teams will be free forever.
On the other hand Éclair climbed down from her S35, fell on her knees and lowered her head. "How? How could we fail like this?" She remained like this until someone approached her. Maginot's commander looked up and saw Kiyoshi standing there offering his hand. Éclair didn't know exactly why but she took it and let him to help her up.
"Let me congratulate you Éclair-san." said Kiyoshi.
"For what? We lost."
"For your endurance, skills and dedication. There's nothing you have to be ashamed of. We won. But it doesn't change the fact that you fought bravely all the time."
"Well, thank you Hasegawa-kun. But I don't feel proud at all."
"Relax now. You'll have plenty of time to think about everything. Now, would you order your eastern army group to capitulate as well?"
"Sure." murmured Éclair and went to the radio.
Kinuyo's POV
Cannons were still thundering near the Nakagawa Museum. Then suddenly a radio message arrived to Kinuyo. She listened it then calmly took down the headset of the radio.
"All tanks! Cease fire!" she ordered still with a calm tone. The gunfire stopped on both side then she climbed out through her hatch and stood on top of her turret.
Ivan looked out of his T-34 to see what is happening. Kinuyo stood there for a couple of seconds. And then she took of her hat and theatrically bowed like at the end of a show.
"Such a long opera it was."
Back at the JSF HQ
The boys occupied the headquarters. Like that certain secretary those who entered Tsuji's office first got really scared to say at least. They called an ambulance but he couldn't be helped.
The other members of the directorate will be sued for corruption and other crimes. Only Shiho, Chiyo and a few others got amnesty.
The boys asked the girls to stay on the square until they settle everything.
"Well. It's over." declared Katyusha half-heartedly. She then noticed that Nonna is looking towards the tankers of Habsburg Boys High School, searching something. Or maybe someone? Katyusha placed her hand on hers causing Nonna to look down at her. "Go. Find him." said Pravda's commander gently.
"Thank you Katyusha." nodded Nonna gratefully then she ran away.
Not far Eugen and Sora were talking with each other when the vice-commander suddenly heard a female voice yelling his name.
"Sora! Sora!" He looked there and his eyes widened in relief. It was his cousin sister running toward him and waving.
"Nonna!" he left Eugen behind and started running as well. In the moment they met they hugged each other so strong that their ribs nearly broke. But they couldn't care less. They were just standing in each other's embrace and weeping.
"Sorry. I'm so sorry." both of them repeated.
Sora then took a step back. "Let me see you." he said placing a hand on Nonna's face. "What did I do to you my God?"
"Nothing." Nonna kindly replied. "It wasn't your fault."
"But…"
"It wasn't."
"… I love you sister."
"I love you brother."
"I fulfilled what I promised you in the beginning: I've never fought you."
"You can't imagine how glad I am."
"Khm. May I?" Eugen stepped to them.
"Ah, Kommandant. My cousin sister, Nonna." said Sora to his team commander.
"I know who you are. Though we've never met in person. I'm Murata Yoshihiro. Or Eugen as many people know me." said Eugen as he shook hand with Nonna.
"Nice to meet you Eugen-san."
"Kommandant. I go and check the boys. Can I leave you here for two minutes?"
"Yes Sora, danke. Hm. He didn't tell me for a long time that he has such a talented cousin." said Eugen after Sora left.
"Thank you. And sorry for being so matted. I always fix myself before I talk to anyone."
"Matted? Then let me say it otherwise: he didn't tell me for a long time that he has such a good-looking cousin."
"Oh, you're flattering." smiled Nonna, but the slightest hint of red appeared on her face.
"No, I'm actually dead serious."
"And he never told me that he has such a kind commander."
"Oh, please…"
Gustav's POV
All the generals and earlier surrendered federal team commanders have been called to Tokyo, so Gustav also went to the JSF HQ that evening.
"Guten Abend Giertler-san!" Kiyoshi greeted him with a warm smile.
"Guten Abend Kiyoshi. Accept my congratulations please."
"Many thanks. The negotiations will be starting in a few hours so you have to wait a little bit. Sorry."
"No problem. I wanted to do something anyway."
"I see." said Kiyoshi. Then he noticed a familiar figure in the crowd. Darjeeling. "Uhm. I'm sorry Giertler-san. I also have something to do. See you later!" bowed slightly Kiyoshi and left.
"See you later." replied Gustav.
"Hello." a voice said next to him. He turned there and saw a familiar face.
"Oh, hello." he greeted Klara. Like months ago there was silence between them for first. "How's your leg?"
"It's healed. Thanks for asking. However I'll have to wear this scar on my thigh for the rest of my life."
"Oh please. It's barely visible."
"Really?"
"Really. I… forgot to introduce myself back then right?"
"So did I."
"Then I'll make up for that now. Gustav Giertler."
"Klara. Klara Vasilyevna Migunov." said Klara and shook hands with Gustav.
"Now, that's one beautiful name."
"Ehehe… spasibo. Gustav. That's a nice name too."
"Danke schön." smiled Gustav.
"I… wanted to say thank you again. For helping me."
"Oh. It was nothing. Anyone else would have done it."
"Still, it was very kind of you. So thank you very much."
"It was my pleasure." said Gustav. Then he noticed a public telephone. "Do you mind I leave for a few minutes?"
"Not at all. Do what you have to do. I'll wait on that bench, okay?"
"Perfect." said Gustav and went to the phone. He took the handset and dialed the number. "It's 13:00 p.m. at home. I'll not wake them up." he thought.
"Hallo?"
"Hallo mom. How are you?"
"J… Jesus Christ! Son! Are you alright?" asked Agnes in shock.
"Everything is okay with me. How are YOU?"
"We're alright. We're alright. Wait, I'll call your father and sister." said Agnes while battling her tears.
"Son! Is everything alright?"
"Yes dad, everything. Sorry, it looks like I'll not be at home on Holy Night as I promised. But we've won. And it's over."
"Nothing matters when you're okay." said Hans who was tearing up as well. "We're waiting for you."
"Dad, let me too!" sounded a little girl's voice.
"Hehe. I give you a certain young lady. Take care son!"
"Gustav! Where are you now?"
"I'm in Tokyo Greta." smiled Gustav. "You know. It's Japan's capital city."
"Of course! You taught it to me! I miss you soooo much!"
"I know little sister. Be patient! We'll be playing together again in no time!"
"Yes Gustav! I'll be waiting! I'm so proud of you! Bye!"
"Bye!" chuckled Gustav and hung up the phone. Then he went back to Klara who was sitting on the named bench. "Pardon me, I've talked with my family." he said and sat down next to the Russian girl.
"If anything, that' totally understandable." said Klara. "How many of you are in your family?"
"I can show you." said Gustav and take a photo out of his black jacket. "My mother, Agnes. My father, Hans. And my little sister, Greta."
"Oh my, you four are very cute." smiled Klara. "Especially your sister. How sweetly she's hugging you! How old is she?"
"She's nine years old. Yeah, she's very loving. I've always been some kind of a "hero" to her."
"You're lucky then."
"Absolutely. I love her very much. Do you have siblings?"
"No." shook Klara her head. "I'm an only child."
"I see. And… where are you from?"
"Novosibirsk."
"Oh. We stopped at Novosibirsk with the train when we were coming here. But of course I saw the railway station only."
"Never too late to visit places. Where are YOU from?"
"Hamburg."
"I've never been there."
"Like you said. Never too late to visit places."
"Right. Still, I guess I'll never see many places on Earth. I'm not Professor Woland, I don't live forever, I can't have breakfast with Immanuel Kant then visit Moscow more than a hundred years later." joked Klara, not expecting him to understand the reference. But…
"The Master and Margarita. By Mikhail Bulgakov."
Klara looked at him. "Hah. Hahahahahaha! He knows Bulgakov! I'm going crazy!"
"I read the novel and I saw the series too. It's a great story." said Gustav.
"You're full of surprises Gustav Giertler." smiled Klara.
"What if I say that I like the music of Dmitri Shostakovich too?"
"Then I would reply that I like Beethoven, Händel and Bach."
"I share this opinion of yours." said Gustav. He couldn't help but smile faintly at how cute it was as she had problems with pronouncing "h" correctly.
"Can you believe this? Not long ago we were shooting at each other and now we are talking about writers and composers."
"If enemy soldiers were able to play football and exchange gifts with each other during the Christmas of 1914 I don't see why it should be hard for us." said Gustav.
"Christmas huh? For you it will be tomorrow, right?"
"Why, what… Oh, right. For you it's 6th January."
"Yeah. Which is Epiphany for you." said Klara. "But of course it doesn't mean that I cannot enjoy 24th December with others."
"I guess all of us have enough reason to rejoice."
"You're right. You've won the war and we are finally out of it."
"But most of all: it's finally over."
"Over… It's hard to process it."
"I know. And I only spent five months with fighting. I can only imagine how you feel." said Gustav.
"I think you can imagine. Somehow you look like a man who knows a lot about human soul."
"Danke schön, I accept the praise." smiled Gustav.
"Bitte schön Herr Giertler." smiled back Klara.
"Fuh." sighed Gustav. "Mein Gott…"
"Бoжe мoй…"
Kiyoshi's POV
"Where have you and your crew been in the past days Darjeeling-san?" asked Kiyoshi as he was talking with St. Gloriana's commander, sitting on the bank of the Sumida.
"The Sakura Hotel offered us to stay there for free until the war is over." replied Darjeeling.
"That was very kind of them."
"I don't have to say that I felt as if I suddenly got into Heaven from Hell."
"Sakura Hotel huh? Last time I was there was the…"
"Yes, that certain conference." said Darjeeling. "Your thunderous words are still in my ears: "Do not think that the Federation will avoid the hell! Or even the collapse! Because if you do not give up your old ways, that's the only possibly scenario!" Do you know how scary you were?"
"Eh… Sorry for that."
"Actually you were right about many things. And in fact… I cannot really blame you and your friends for standing up for yourselves."
"You know, I was happy that I could fight for my school. But later I also felt sadness because I had to turn against you and your comrades." said Kiyoshi.
"I know this feeling. At first I fought for the unity of the JSF. But later all that mattered to me were my friends and my own school." said Darjeeling.
"That means, you are an honorable commander."
"If you say so." smiled Darjeeling.
"And how are you?"
"My nerves are still wrecked. I have problems with sleeping; I wake up often, thinking that I hear gunfire. But it's a little bit better." said Darjeeling. Then she reached behind her nape and let her hair down as a sign of relief.
"It suits you well." said Kiyoshi.
"Then maybe I'll leave it like this for a while. A little bit of variety never hurts."
Kiyoshi smiled then stood up. "Let's go Darjeeling-san. It's time to negotiate about the Federation's further fate."
"I hope you'll be generous with us Kiyoshi-san. Let's go then."
So. It happened folks. The japanese Sensha-Do war is over at last. Do not worry; there will be a few more chapters about the future life of the participants. So stay tuned!
I'd like to say thank you to all of you for giving me wonderful support! You are amazing! It feels very good.
Thanks very much to all those who chose to follow or favorite my story!
Special thanks to: "Kokina Tenshi" for giving me ideas and motivating reviews. Make sure to check out his story "Girls und Panzer-The Missing Heir", it's very great.
Special thanks to "Mosstar109" for the YouTube videos! His channels name is "Mosstar Productions".
Also, many thanks to the owner of the very first negative critique, saying "the premise is ridiculous". Now I know that because there is no girls vs. boys conflict in GUP universe it's laughable if I write such a story. Thanks very much! Look, I'm always open to critics AS LONG AS IT HAPPENS IN A RESPECTFUL AND CIVILISED WAY. Plus, why should I care exactly that there is no such conflict in Girls und Panzer? This is called "Fanfiction" for a reason. We can't all love the same thing, and that's totally alright. But disrespecting other people because they like something that we don't (and I'm talking in general)? That's less alright.
In short: A HUGE THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!