...
The blue sky no longer wet
As the second chance divined
The rose and the jasmine met
And their destiny entwined
...
Scene 1: The Aftermatch
"It was your fault!" Naoko Maeda shouted at Rika. "You told us that Maginot would stuck to their defensive position!"
The whole Melati Sensha-Dō team and their tanks was in a huge hangar in Ooarai, Ibaraki Prefecture. Most of them were silent, disheartened by the last match, many of them were preparing to go home, but some of them were focused on the heated argument around Rika's Stuart. Their first match in Ooarai's Commemorative Cup was disaster. They lost, even faster than their match against Tategoto.
We... we've lost. My fault. Rika thought again. She pressed her jacket to her nose, trying to smell that jasmine fragrance again. It was no longer there.
Rika was sitting on her tank's driver hatch, wearing her school uniform just like everyone else in the hangar, a simple white collared shirt with bluish grey pleated skirt and black and white sneakers, with her tank jacket in her hands. Her teary eyes stared blankly through the opened hangar door, completely oblivious to her team breaking before her.
How could I did not see it? They reformed their doctrine. She thought again. Her tears fell to the jacket on her hands.
"It was your fault!" Naoko Maeda insinuated again, approaching Rika.
"Hey, knock it off, girl. She already apologized!" Mina Hessels yelled. She came between Naoko and Rika to challenge Naoko.
No, Mina. Mina's voice got Rika's attention.
"Get out of my way, Dutchgirl!" Naoko scorned, pushed Mina aside and passed her.
"No, I won't!" Mina exclaimed. She quickly pulled Naoko's collar in the back, staggering Naoko back.
"You want to fight, eh!" Naoko cursed.
And in a blur of white she lunged towards Mina with a fist. Mina avoided it, and almost threw her own fist at the larger girl when Rika held her back. Naoko was also held back by her crewmates. Naoko's anger radiated from her eyes.
"It's me, it's me, please don't make it harder." Rika whispered at Mina's ear, calming her down.
"What in tarnation is happening here!" Harumi's voice suddenly echoed in the hangar. "I left you for a few hours and you all started a goddamn war!"
Everyone was silent. Harumi and the Komandan was standing in the doorway for nobody knows how long. The late afternoon shadow casted a giant shadow of them upon the girls inside the hangar.
"It was her fault they defeated us that badly. Now nobody will ever take us seriously!" Naoko broke free of her restraint and pointing at Rika.
"Hah, do you even hear yourself when you speak?" Mina asked, approaching Naoko.
"Still protecting your girlfriend, eh?" Naoko grabbed Mina's collar.
"She's not my girlfriend!" Mina denied, staring up on the taller girl intently.
"Both of you, knock it off!" Harumi grabbed Naoko's arm and Mina's shoulder, and separated them "You, Naoko! You lost one match and you turned against your own teammates! Stop being a brat and get yourself together! This is not the end of the world!"
"Yes, mom." Naoko swept Harumi's hands off her arm and walked away.
Harumi turned to Mina. "You too Hessels! Just don't incite her, okay? Keep your sharp tongue to yourself"
"Ugh, okay" Mina said, turning back. Mina signaled Rika to sat by her side on their Stuart's driver and hull gunner hatches. Rika followed suit.
"She called me your girlfriend; you believe that?" Mina asked, trying to comfort her tank commander.
"Is that bad, huh?" Rika jokingly replied, finally smiled for the first time in hours.
Mina chuckled. "I almost got my butt kicked for that, so, yeah."
"Here," The Komandan handed Rika a handkerchief. "Don't wet your tank jacket with tears, you are going to need it" She said bluntly.
The Komandan then walked away to the hangar door without hearing Rika's reply.
I'm going to need it? we're eliminated, aren't we? Rika asked to herself.
"She loves to sneak up from nowhere, huh?" Mina commented on her Komandan.
Rika didn't reply. She observed the sky-blue handkerchief Dini handed her. It has an emblem of St. Gloriana embroidered in one of the corners, and a word on the corner diagonal to the emblem, Jasmine.
Rika swept her face with the handkerchief. She felt her favourite jasmine fragrance from the piece of clothes.
Of course, it smells of jasmine. Rika smiled at the irony.
"And you all! If I see anyone of my team do something stupid like that again, I'll send you back to Okinawa in a dingy!" Harumi shouted.
"But we're going back to Okinawa anyway, isn't it. we've lost our match!" Naoko shouted in reply, hurting Rika a little.
Harumi sighed. "Not at all, there's consolation match in the competition, a loser would fight another loser of the neighboring bracket."
A mixed reaction of surprise came from almost everyone.
"Well, why they didn't tell us from the first place?" Mina asked.
"It was meant as a surprise. I know, it's kind of stupid if you ask me," Harumi replied, shrugging. "The organizers only told me a moment ago."
"But that's mean our opponent would be..." Mina said.
"St. Gloriana." Rika completed Mina's sentence. She stared at the Komandan's handkerchief. The emblem of St. Gloriana stared back at her.
"That's right! We're going to fight St. Gloriana tomorrow, cheer up girls!" Harumi cheerfully encouraged her team.
Harumi's pep talk was welcomed by a reluctant cheers and gloom sigh from most of the people inside the hangar.
Rika felt it too. Melati was beaten by Maginot who is considerably weaker than St. Gloriana, what hope did Melati have to fight powerhouse like St. Gloriana. Of all Melati's tanks, only the Komandan's Sherman could destroy St. Gloriana's Infantry Tanks from afar. While Harumi's Sherman and Naoko's Chi-Ha could do that in short range, Rika doubted that they can get closer without being destroyed first.
Damn, I wish my tank had a 100mm gun. Rika wished.
The whole hangar suddenly filled with ungodly shriek and roar. Rika instantly turned to the source of the racket. It was the hangar door, rolling shut. Beside the closing door was her Komandan standing on her toe to reach the button to close the door, gaining everyone's attention.
As the hangar completely shut, she turned and announced, "I fought with them one too many times," The whole hangar was silent. "I have a plan."
Scene 2: The Night in Ooarai
Ooarai's night air is so refreshing. Rika thought as she and her Komandan walked the Ooarai's shopping district sidewalk hours after that drama in the hangar.
Street of Ooarai was full with people attracted to the city by the ongoing Commemorative Cup. Not only cars and people, but Rika occasionally saw one or two tanks of the participating team passed them by to the cheer of the pedestrians. Komandan Dini Nishijima was walking beside Rika, lifting a crate of rations with both of her hands. Rika also brought with herself a big carton of sports water for tomorrow match. About three hours ago, Mina and Rika volunteered to go to the shopping district to buy the personnel supply, that was food, drink, and the like. The team drew straws to decide the third member to assist Mina and Rika, the Komandan lost. They used their Hagglunds Bv206 for the job. Mina was ordered to mind the tracked carrier in the nearest parking lot large enough to park the Hagglunds, while Rika and the Komandan made few short trips to the supply shop.
I'm just happy that I don't get to go with that nasty woman, Naoko. Rika mused.
"It was my fault, you know?" The Komandan opened conversation as they walked. "Today's match."
Rika looked at her Komandan, she was staring blankly at whatever in her front.
"Tatsuo-san, I should've seen Maginot outflanking us" The Komandan continued. Then she awkwardly smiled at Rika. "So, don't worry, I... I'm to blame too"
Rika chuckled, much to her Komandan astonishment. "Harumi-senpai warned me about this."
"What? Why are you laughing? Warned you about what?" Her Komandan inqured. She was flustered.
Rika almost felt bad to see her Komandan who usually a silent and cool girl, now flustered and red-faced. But she loved this side of her Komandan.
"She warned me that you're very awkward when talking about personal stuff like this," Rika replied, teasing her commander. "I just find it cute, is all"
"Cute, eh?" Dini said, looking away from Rika, even more blushing. Dini slowed down her pace. "Harumi said that it would be bad for the team if I'm seen as an awkward girl, it would "undermine" my authority she said. So, I stayed silent, letting Harumi do the talking for me. While I don't mind Harumi taking over from time to time, it's really good to talk to someone with your own voice like this."
Rika was stupefied. She heard her Komandan said more words in the last ten seconds than what Rika heard from her in the last six weeks. She also didn't know that situation with Harumi, she always thought that her Komandan was inherently a taciturn girl.
Rika looked forward and said, "Do not worry Komandan. I respect you just the way you are. I don't know for the other though." She looked at where her Komandan was a second ago to smile, but she was gone.
Rika stopped walking and looked around. The sidewalk was not that crowded with people for a girl to just disappear. She wondered if she was talking to a ghost all this time.
"Komandan?" She called softly, trying not to get other pedestrian's attention.
Maybe I have a schizophrenia, and our Senshado club does not exist at all. She joked to herself, as she started to backtrack the sidewalk.
After walking for a few metres against the current of pedestrians, she finally found her. Dini Nishijima was looking at a poster in the front of a video game shop. Her big blue sky was even bigger and sparkled with passion.
"Umm, what are you doing?" Rika asked as she approached her commander.
"Ah, Rika, can you hold this for a second. I have to buy this game!" Dini said ecstatically.
Oh, It's Rika now? What's with that expression. Rika wondered
"Sure..." Rika answered.
Without waiting for any longer, Dini put her crate of rations on top of crate Rika was carrying, the sudden weight almost pushed her out of balance. As rika managed to control her balance, The Komandan disappeared again. This time Rika knew where she went, to the shop.
"O...kay. I'll wait for you right here" Rika muttered alone.
Rika put the crates down under the poster who took her Komandan's attention. As she raised to straighten up her back, she read the largest text in the poster.
Hearts of Crusaders IV. Huh...who would've thought. She pondered.
She waited for a few minutes for Dini to buy her video game. As she waited, she saw many kinds of people, normal high school girls enjoying the night, a girl dressed as Julius Caesar and a blond girl on a date, a girl with pointy ears dressing as a vampire, and a Churchill tank using the road like a family car.
Maybe, I do have some sort of schizophrenia. She joked to herself again.
"Thanks for your visit!" Rika heard the shopkeeper's thanks. Then Dini emerged from the shop.
"Hi, got what you wanted?" Rika smiled and asked her commander
"Yeah, this game has not reached Okinawa yet," The Komandan answered. "Rika, don't tell anyone about our conversation nor about this, please"
Rika could see that her Komandan was trying to act as cool as usual, but the only thing Rika saw was just a shy schoolgirl.
"On condition that you continue to call me by first name." Rika replied, teasing her Komandan.
"What? Why?" Dini asked while grabbing the rations crate off the ground.
"Take it or leave it." Rika said while grabbing her own share of the crate.
"Fine," Dini agreed as she started walking. "Come on. it's just around this corner."
Scene 3: The Rose and the Jasmine
The parking lot was empty except two obvious vehicles in the middle, one very familiar to Rika, one not. The Hagglunds Bv206 was the vehicle on the right of the other vehicle. Melati's Hagglunds was basically a tracked trailer truck with protected cabin for the crews and passengers in the front car and cargo bed in the rear trailer. The cargo bed was already filled with supplies from Rika and Dini's past trips. The tracked carrier was painted dark grey with Melati senshado club and school emblem put all around the vehicle. The unfamiliar vehicle on the Hagglunds' right was the focus of Rika's and the Komandan though.
What is a Churchill Infantry Tank doing here?
A Churchill MK. VII was parked just next to Melati's Hagglunds. On the upper glacis and turret side of the olive-green tank were emblems that had been haunting Rika since this afternoon, St. Gloriana. Sitting atop the landship's turret was a young girl with extravagant blond long hair and black ribbon tying it. Her purple eyes were glaring at Rika and Dini, thanks to the angle of lights from the street lamps all around the quiet parking lot. The blonde wore a light brown trench coat. She jumped off and approached Dini.
"Bloody hell, it's this girl of all people." Dini cursed. Her annoyed face puzzled Rika.
"Greetings, beautiful weather, don't you think?" The blond girl greeted graciously to them as she got close enough.
Dini, as if didn't hear the girl, went straight towards the Hagglunds. Rika and the blonde looked as surprised. Dini didn't know what to do, just nervously bowed to the girl and ran, keeping up with her Komandan.
"Hei, Komandan, hei," She whispered as she approached Dini. "Should you greet her or something? looks like she knows you."
"I never met that girl in my life." Dini said in a rush. Rika didn't believe that.
The two girls arrived at their Hagglunds' rear trailer. They immediately loaded the crates to the bed. Rika put her crate from the left of the trailer while Dini put it from the right side, between the Churchill and the Hagglunds.
"Really now? You're just avoiding me." The blonde suddenly appeared between the Churchill and the Hagglunds and beside Dini.
"Ah Assam-sama, it's been so long. I really do not miss you." Dini finally talked to the girl in a sarcastic tone. "Now, excuse you, it's late and we need to return this to the hangar before bedtime"
Assam, that is that Assam? Dini heard about St. Gloriana's spymaster, data master, and the gunner of their Churchill tank. Elegant and deadly, she was known as the very left hand of the overall commander: Darjeeling, or so Rika heard. Rika also felt she saw her before.
Dini attempted to walk pass Assam and go into the front right door of the Hagglunds but Assam blocked her way using her slender left hand.
"I just need to talk, Jasmine, please" Assam begged softly.
"Don't call me that," Dini said even sharper than her usual tone. "Fine, talk."
"Tatsuo-san, right?" Assam turned to Rika. "Would you care to wait inside, please?"
Rika nodded, and was about to walk to the door and get in when a voice intercepted her.
"No, you stay where you are, she is not your boss." The Komandan commanded.
Rika, didn't know what to do but turned away in the same place she was a moment ago, hoping Assam would have the privacy she requested.
What is this between those two? Rika wondered.
"Alright then," Assam took a deep breath. "Why did you disappear? After the championship three years ago, you're just gone. I asked around, people said you moved back to Indonesia, yet here you are, you returned. Why didn't you tell us earlier? Why did you just leave?"
Rika could feel the Assam's complicated feeling in her voice.
"Oh, don't act like the only bloody victim now. I won you guys that national championship. And what did you guys give me? Hatred that's what!" Dini spilled her emotions. Rika never saw the Komandan that angry before.
"It was your fault! You won the final match by risking your teammates' lives. You and your platoon crossed a near-frozen river for God's sake!" Now Assam's emotion blared out.
"BUT WE WON, DIDN'T WE!?" Dini screamed; her voice cracked with emotion.
Rika looked to make sure everyone was fine. Rika found her Komandan crying. The usual image of a cool and silent commander was washed up on Rika's mind, now only a highschool girl crying for what her world did to her.
"Sure, I was reckless that time. But, please, you guys treated me like I actually killed those girls! Not a single mention that I open a bridgehead to let us win! Not a bloody bit!" Dini continued her teary rant. "I... I just can't take it anymore. S...so I moved. I just moved back to Japan a year ago."
"Can I... can I go now, please?" Dini begged, sobbing.
Assam lifted her hand, stopping her blockade. Dini immediately ran towards the door.
"She missed you, you know?" Assam said, without moving from her position at all. "You are always be Darjeeling's favourite"
"And you were mine, Ash." Dini said softly as she closed the door.
Rika and Assam staring at each other for a moment, deciding what to say. Rika saw Assam's purple eyes wet with emotion. Rika eventually gave Assam a slight nod and walked into the Hagglunds and turned the engine on.
As the Hagglunds left the parking lot, she saw Assam through the side mirror still beside the Churchill, unmoving. Rika looked to her right. She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket.
"Here, Komandan" Rika handed the sky-blue handkerchief to its original owner without looking away from the road.
"Thanks" The Komandan said while she dried her face and eyes.
"So Jasmine was your tea name? And you're in Melati High School now?" Rika said, trying to break the ice.
"A weird coincidence." Dini replied, back to her usual taciturn self.
"I'm really sorry, Komandan," Rika said, still couldn't bear to look away from the road. "For teasing and laughing at you earlier"
"Eh, I didn't really notice" She said bluntly. "You know, Rika? I'm going to throw this handkerchief away."
"What? Why?" Rika looked at her Komandan, surprised.
"I don't remember why I kept it." She said bluntly. Then she threw it outside the window.
But I love its smell, Rika thought as the handkerchief flew away. Rika wasn't so attached to the handkerchief, but still, it was part of her Komandan's history. She put her sight to the road again, trying not to think about it.
It's hers, it's hers to be thrown away.
"St. Gloriana is still haunting me, Rika" Dini said again, her eyes staring blankly forward. "Darjeeling used to quote a saying to me: 'Sometimes the only way to heal our wounds is to face the demons who created them.' St. Gloriana is my demon, Rika."
Rika was stupefied again for a few seconds. "We're going to face St. Gloriana then." Rika said, comforting her Komandan.
The Komandan didn't reply. She adjusted her seat. "I'm going to sleep for a moment, wake me up when we're there, okay Rika?" Dini said as she closed her eyes.
Rika. She repeated the name in her mind.
...
Rika found out many things about her Komandan today, from her awkwardness to her hostile side, and also fractions of her past with St. Gloriana. Rika was not sure about her Komandan's vendetta, but she was sure that she has to win to redeem her fault in today's match and help the Komandan's get her peace. Suddenly She felt the night breeze stinging her face.
She stopped the Hagglunds by the roadside and took off her hoodie she was wearing and spread it on her Komandan as a blanket. Then she stepped on the pedal again. The Hagglunds moved as commanded.
You know what they said, still waters run deep. She mused about her Komandan.
"We are moving! Why the hell we are moving!" A sudden voice from the rear seat took Rika's attention. Rika almost stopped the Hagglunds in surprise.
Mina's head emerged from the rear seat, rubbing her sleepy red eyes. Rika somehow forgot that she asked Mina to guard the cargo while Rika and Dini went to get more supplies.
"Hey it's you guys? I thought I've been kidnapped" Mina said, yawning. "How was the shopping trip? Fun?"
You wouldn't believe it, Mina. Rika wanted to say. She looked at her Komandan. She was still sleeping. She wanted to tell Mina about what happened, but she thought this would be better if kept in secret.
"Hold on, were you just sleeping?" Rika asked her friend in whisper without taking her sight off the road.
"You guys took so long, I'm so tired from today's match, so I dozed off" Mina replied.
"We are really lucky nothing was stolen." Rika said frustratingly.
"Look, I'm sorry okay? What's happened is happened." Mina apologized.
"Sure, sure" Rika said, dismissing her friend. "Back to sleep now, I have to focus driving."
It's seems I have to thank Assam-san for guarding our supply. She joked to herself again.
Scene 4: The Respite of the Roses
Assam stood on the moving elevator room, carrying a plastic bag on her right hand. She saw herself on the reflective elevator door, she never saw herself this tired before. Her eyes were red and swollen, her face was as tired as her eye, splattered with tears and pollution from the crowded Ooarai streets. On the left of her shadow was a girl with red twin-tailed hair, wearing a casual t-shirt and jeans her wide round face and dark grey eyes were looking away from Assam, might be trying not to looking at Assam's tired face.
"Thank you for taking me to meet her," Assam broke the ice in the elevator. "Ruhuna."
"Don't worry about it. I love driving a tank in the night" Ruhuna said, smiling.
Ruhuna was the driver of St. Gloriana's Churchill Tank. Until a few weeks before, she was regarded as best driver in St. Gloriana. Although very laid-back, she was loyal and willing to keep her friend's secret, secret such as tonight's drive to meet Assam's old friend. Assam hoped she could say the same for her hotel roommate.
With a soft ring the elevator stopped and opening its door, revealing two rows of doors divided by a wide corridor. The two girls walked out of the elevator.
"Assam-sama, this is my stop," Ruhuna said, pointing at the first door on the right. "So good night, I guess."
"Likewise," Assam replied, faking a gracious smile. "Remember Ruhuna, don't tell anyone"
"Roger, you can count on me!" She said while making a zipping gesture on her lips.
As Assam walked on in the quiet corridor, she could still see the flashing image of Jasmine crying before her. She finally knew why Jasmine suddenly moved to Indonesia after the Nationals three years ago, back when Assam was a third-year middle school student, and Jasmine was second. Yet, she still wondered.
Were we that harsh on her? I did scold her once; I don't know about other students though. Assam wondered.
Assam attempted to open her hotel room, but it was locked from the inside. She then knocked the door.
Locked? Is Rosehip already sleeping? Assam wondered about her roommate.
To Assam's relief, the door was opened and a red-haired girl appeared from the doorway.
"Uh, hi, Assam-sama, I wish a very many good evenings to you" Rosehip said quickly, her yellow eyes glowed with anticipation.
Rosehip's overgreeting somehow comforted Assam's troubled mind. Rosehip was always like that, an ecstatic and energetic girl with a tendency to do everything as quickly as possible. Even when commanding her Crusader tank, she always obsessed herself with speed.
"Good evening Rosehip," Assam said, still in the doorway. "Why was the door locked?"
"But first, did you buy what I asked?" Rosehip asked almost without a pause.
"Yes, Rosehip," Assam sighed, handing a plastic bag from her hand "Ooarai's special spicy sweet potato. There's a match tomorrow, so please don't eat it this late in..."
"Ohoho, so many thanks, Assam-sama." Rosehip interrupted Assam's warning, taking the plastic bag from her hand. "To answer your question, we're having guests, Assam-sama!"
"Guests? this late?" Assam asked slowly, hoping to slow Rosehip's barrage of words down. "And who is these guests?"
"You might want to take a look for yourself" Rosehip said quickly, opened the door widely then ran inside the room and jumped to a couch.
The room was a simple hotel room accommodated by the organizer of the Commemorative Cup, with two bed, a small living space consisted of a TV set, two set of couches, and a coffee table in the middle. On this pair of couches sat the "guests".
Just when I am hoping a calm and restful evening. Assam protested on her mind.
Darjeeling, Rosehip, Orange Pekoe and Rukuri was sitting on the couches playing UNO, wearing their night clothing. The coffee table was filled by a tea set and stacks of cards. In a glance, Assam analyzed the battlefield on the coffee table and card in the players' hands. Darjeeling was about to win. Rukuriri, the tank commander of a Matilda II, was following in second, but she was overconfident as usual, fidgeting her brown long hair. Orange Pekoe, the orange-haired overall commander for the Commemorative Cup, was closing on Rukuriri judging by her cards, but her blue eyes were nervous. Rosehip on the other hand, had the losing hands. Assam wondered if she even understood the rules.
"Yes, I won!" Darjeeling exclaimed, throwing her last card into the discard pile.
"Ah, as expected of Darjeeling-sama." Pekoe complimented.
"Ahh, I almost got you there." Rukuriri protested.
"Eehh? I still don't understand, what's the use of these black cards?" Rosehip showed her cards to Orange Pekoe, while munching her sweet potato.
Orange Pekoe then explained the rules to her teammate.
Assam smiled, priding her correct analysis. She then walked to the bathroom to take a shower when a call disrupted her pace.
"Ah, Assam, welcome back," Darjeeling greeted. "Can you tell me why buying a box of sweet potato took so long?"
"I was held up by traffic," Assam lied, elegantly. "The street was filled with visitors, thanks to having a big competition in such a small city."
"Oh, is that so?" Darjeeling said, placing her right index finger on her lower lip as if having a thought.
"Yes, it is," Assam confirmed again. "Now ladies, if you'd excuse me, I want to take a shower. I'm so tired."
"A cup of jasmine tea is good for washing down one's exhaustion, don't you think?" Darjeeling said. Then took a sip of her tea.
Oh bugger, she knows. Assam cursed. Assam was thinking about telling Darjeeling her encounter with Jasmine earlier, but not now, not with all of the girls in this room.
"Sure, Darjeeling. I'd love to have a late-night tea with just the two of us, later." Assam answered, signaling her intention.
"Perfect," Darjeeling exclaimed. "So reliable, as expected of Assam!"
"Yes, thank you." Assam nodded and walked to the bathroom.
Inside the bathroom she saw her tired face again in the mirror. Assam didn't know which event was more unpleasant in the past 24 hours, losing to Saunders in the first match this morning or her reunion with Jasmine in the night. She reached out to her pocket to pick an important piece of cloth, a sky-blue handkerchief that she picked up from the road near the eventful parking lot.
Grasping Jasmine's handkerchief on her hand, Assam finally admitted two things that she couldn't admit in front of her old friend's face, an old friend that once looked up on her as a mentor, an old friend that Assam treated as a friend.
"I'm sorry, Jasmine. I didn't know."
...
BONUS
Here are some basic informations about the notable members of Melati and St. Gloriana that appeared and will appear in the story:
Notable Members of Melati High
1. Dini Nishijima
ALSO KNOWN AS:
- Jasmine (Tea name)
- Ghost of St. Gloriana (Popular nickname)
- Komandan (lit. Commander)
BIRTH DATE: November 10th (Indonesian Heroes' Day / Battle of Surabaya – 1945)
HOMETOWN:
- Jayagiri, Indonesia
- Okinawa, Okinawa
HEIGHT:143 CM
BLOOD TYPE: O
HAIR COLOR: Brown
EYE COLOR: Blue
AFFILIATION(S):
- St. Gloriana Girls College Middle School (formerly)
- Melati Girls High School
TEAM(S):
- St. Gloriana Middle School Senshado Team
- Melati High School Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- Overall Commander
- Tank commander
VEHICLE(S):
- M4A3E8(76)w Sherman "Illustrious II"
- Cruiser MK. V, Covenanter "Illustrious"
FAVOURITE TANK: Leopard 2RI
FAVOURITE FLOWER: Moon Orchid
2. Rika Tatsuo
ALSO KNOWN AS:
- Top (nickname by her crew)
BIRTH DATE: October 20th (Beginning of Battle of Ambarawa - 1945)
HOMETOWN: Naha, Okinawa
HEIGHT:167 CM
BLOOD TYPE: B
HAIR COLOR: Black
EYE COLOR: Green
AFFILIATION(S):
- Kuromorimine Girls Academy Middle School (formerly)
- Melati Girls High School
TEAM(S):
- Kuromorimine Middle School Senshado Team
- Melati High School Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- Vice-commander
- Tank commander
- Driver
VEHICLE(S):
- Hagglunds Bv206
- M5a1 Stuart "Jan Cox"
- Pz II Ausf. L Luchs (Middle school)
FAVOURITE TANK: T-14 Armata
FAVOURITE FLOWER: White Jasmine
3. Harumi Yoshizumi
ALSO KNOWN AS:
- Harriet (Saunders nickname)
HOMETOWN: Hiroshima, Hiroshima
BIRTH DATE: March 24th (Bandung Sea of Fire Event – 1946)
HEIGHT:171 CM
BLOOD TYPE: O
HAIR COLOR: Light Brown
EYE COLOR: Brown
AFFILIATION(S):
- Saunders University Middle School (formerly)
- Saunders Airlift Division (Returning customer)
- Melati Girls High School
TEAM(S):
- Melati High School Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- Vice-commander
- Tank commander
VEHICLE(S):
- M4A3(105) HVSS Sherman "Atlanta"
FAVOURITE TANK: M67 "Zippo"
FAVOURITE FLOWER: Rafflesia Arnoldii
4. Mina Hessels
HOMETOWN: Naha, Okinawa
BIRTH DATE: July 21st (beginning of Operation Product – 1947)
HEIGHT:157 CM
BLOOD TYPE: O
HAIR COLOR: Blond
EYE COLOR: Blue
AFFILIATION(S):
- Melati Girls High School.
TEAM(S):
- Melati High School Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- Gunner
VEHICLE(S):
- M5A1 Stuart "Jan Cox"
FAVOURITE TANK: ISU-152M
FAVOURITE FLOWER: Black Orchid
5. Karin Terauchi
HOMETOWN: Akita, Akita
BIRTH DATE: December 19th (beginning of Operation Kraai – 1948)
HEIGHT:151 CM
BLOOD TYPE: AB
HAIR COLOR: Black
EYE COLOR: Brown
AFFILIATION(S):
- Melati Girls High School
TEAM(S):
- Melati High School Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- Driver
VEHICLE(S):
- M5A1 Stuart "Jan Cox"
FAVOURITE TANK: Object 279 Kotin
FAVOURITE FLOWER: Javanese Edelweiss
6. Naoko Maeda
HOMETOWN: Okinawa, Okinawa
BIRTH DATE: February 28th (beginning of Battle of Java - 1942)
HEIGHT:165 CM
BLOOD TYPE: A
HAIR COLOR: Dark Brown
EYE COLOR: Blue
AFFILIATION(S):
- Melati Girls High School
TEAM(S):
- Melati High School Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- Tank Commander
VEHICLE(S):
- Type 97 Chi-Ha "Srikandi"
FAVOURITE TANK: Type 10
FAVOURITE FLOWER: Cananga Flowers
7. Cintami Kawaguchi
HOMETOWN: Amakusa, Kumamoto
BIRTH DATE: November 2nd (Signing of Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference - 1949)
HEIGHT:155 CM
BLOOD TYPE: B
HAIR COLOR: Brown
EYE COLOR: Brown
AFFILIATION(S):
- Melati Girls High School
TEAM(S):
- Melati High School Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- Gunner
VEHICLE(S):
- M4A3 (105) HVSS "Atlanta"
FAVOURITE TANK: T26E4 Super Pershing
FAVOURITE FLOWER: Champak
8. Zeni Kamada
HOMETOWN: Uruma, Okinawa
BIRTH DATE: May 1st (Beginning of Battle of Tarakan and Borneo Campaign - 1945)
HEIGHT:163 CM
BLOOD TYPE: O
HAIR COLOR: Black
EYE COLOR: Amber
AFFILIATION(S):
- Melati Girls High School
- Melati Automotive Club
TEAM(S):
- Melati High School Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- President (Automotive Club)
- Engineer, Mechanic, Pilot, Driver (Melati Senshado Team)
VEHICLE(S):
- 1997 Honda Integra type R
- IAe N-250
- IAe N-219
FAVOURITE TANK: Harimau Medium Tank
FAVOURITE FLOWER: Dendrobium utile
9. Misaki Imamura
HOMETOWN: Taketomi, Okinawa
BIRTH DATE: January 20th (Beginning of Indonesia-Malaysian Confrontation - 1963)
HEIGHT:169 CM
BLOOD TYPE: A
HAIR COLOR: Dark Blue
EYE COLOR: Dark Blue
AFFILIATION(S):
- Melati Girls High School
TEAM(S):
- Melati High School Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- Gunner
VEHICLE(S):
- M4A3E8 Sherman "Illustrious II"
FAVOURITE TANK: Kanonenjagdpanzer
FAVOURITE FLOWER: Tiger Lotus
Notable Members of St. Gloriana
1. Assam
ALSO KNOWN AS:
- Ash (Nickname by Jasmine)
- Darjeeling's Left Hand (Popular Nickname)
HOMETOWN: Yokohama, Kanagawa
BIRTH DATE: December 10th (Sinking of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse - 1941)
HEIGHT:150 CM
BLOOD TYPE: O
HAIR COLOR: Blond
EYE COLOR: Purple
AFFILIATION(S):
- St. Gloriana Girls College Middle School (formerly)
- St. Gloriana Girls College High School
- General Information Dept. 6
TEAM(S):
- St. Gloriana Girls College Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- Gunner
- Agent / Director (GI6)
VEHICLE(S):
- Churchill MK. VII
FAVOURITE TANK: A30 Challenger
FAVOURITE FLOWER: Purple Rose
2. Darjeeling
HOMETOWN: Yokohama, Kanagawa
BIRTH DATE: September 17th (Beginning of Battle of Arnhem - 1944)
HEIGHT:158 CM
BLOOD TYPE: AB
HAIR COLOR: Blonde
EYE COLOR: Blue
AFFILIATION(S):
- St. Gloriana Girls College Middle School (formerly)
- St. Gloriana Girls College High School
TEAM(S):
- St. Gloriana Girls College Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- Overall Commander (Normally)
- Tank Commander (Normally)
VEHICLE(S):
- Churchill MK. VII (Normally)
FAVOURITE TANK: A41 Centurion
FAVOURITE FLOWER: Blue Rose
3. Orange Pekoe
ALSO KNOWN AS:
- Darjeeling's Cloaked Dagger (Popular Nickname)
- St. Gloriana's Future (Popular Nickname)
HOMETOWN: Yokohama, Kanagawa
BIRTH DATE: July 10th (Beginning of Operation Husky - 1943)
HEIGHT:144 CM
BLOOD TYPE: O
HAIR COLOR: Orange / Light brown
EYE COLOR: Dark Blue
AFFILIATION(S):
- St. Gloriana Girls College Middle School (formerly)
- St. Gloriana Girls College High School
TEAM(S):
- St. Gloriana Girls College Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- Loader (normally)
- Overall Commander (Commemorative Cup)
- Tank Commander (Commemorative Cup)
VEHICLE(S):
- Churchill MK. VII
FAVOURITE TANK: A15 Crusader Mk. III
FAVOURITE FLOWER: Orange Rose
4. Rosehip
ALSO KNOWN AS:
- Darjeeling's Speedster (Popular Nickname)
- Hooligan of St. Gloriana's First Years (Popular Nickname)
HOMETOWN: Kawasaki, Kanagawa
BIRTH DATE: February 13th (Beginning of the Bombing of Dresden - 1945)
HEIGHT:154 CM
BLOOD TYPE: A
HAIR COLOR: Pinkish Red
EYE COLOR: Amber
AFFILIATION(S):
- St. Gloriana Girls College High School
TEAM(S):
- St. Gloriana Girls College Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- Platoon Leader
- Tank Commander
VEHICLE(S):
- Crusader Mk. III
FAVOURITE TANK: FV101 Scorpion
FAVOURITE FLOWER: Pink Rose
5. Ruhuna
HOMETOWN: Yokohama, Kanagawa
BIRTH DATE: May 24th (Sinking of HMS Hood - 1941)
HEIGHT:159 CM
BLOOD TYPE: B
HAIR COLOR: Red
EYE COLOR: Dark Grey
AFFILIATION(S):
- St. Gloriana Girls College High School
TEAM(S):
- St. Gloriana Girls College Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- Driver
VEHICLE(S):
- Churchill MK. VII
FAVOURITE TANK: A43 Black Prince
FAVOURITE FLOWER: White Rose
6. Rukuriri
HOMETOWN: Yokosuka, Kanagawa
BIRTH DATE: May 26th (Beginning of Battle of Gazala – 1942)
BLOOD TYPE: AB
HEIGHT:165 CM
HAIR COLOR: Brown
EYE COLOR: Brown
AFFILIATION(S):
- St. Gloriana Girls College High School
TEAM(S):
- St. Gloriana Girls College Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- Tank Commander
VEHICLE(S):
- Matilda MK. II
FAVOURITE TANK: TOG II*
FAVOURITE FLOWER: Yellow Rose
7. Glengettie
ALSO KNOWN AS:
- Butcher Glenn / Darjeeling's Butcher (Popular Nickname)
- Glenn (Affectionate Nickname)
- Boots-chan (Nickname by fans)
HOMETOWN:
- Cardiff, Wales.
- Yokohama, Kanagawa.
BIRTH DATE: September 15th (The first usage of tanks in battle - 1916)
HEIGHT:163 CM
BLOOD TYPE: AB
AFFILIATION(S):
- St. Gloriana Girls College
TEAM(S):
- St. Gloriana Senshado Team
ROLE(S):
- Driver
VEHICLE(S):
- Crusader Mk. III
- Chevrolette C5 Corvette Z06
FAVOURITE TANK: A34 Comet
FAVOURITE FLOWER: Red Rose
...