Girls Und Panzer: World Tournament!
Chapter 19: D Minus Two
On the third day since they departed for the English Channel and with two days left until the match, the majority of the Ōarai Sensha-dou students groaned as they awoke on a weekend. A request sent by the Student Council on email to arrive at the tank field for continued training, not many looked forward to spending a precious weekend morning there. The sentiment is not shared by all as Miho, Saori, Hana, and Mako, were ready to walk to the field like any other day.
"Miporin? Are you okay?" Saori said with one of Mako's arm over her left shoulder. Their clothes in the dark blue blouse of their tanker uniform. "You look just as bad as Mako…"
"Hmm?" Miho shaked her head as she reacted to Saori. "I'm fine…"
"Miporin, I'm right here."
"Huh?" Miho turned her head to the other side, "Oh, hi Saori."
"Geez, Miporin! You're not really yourself these days…"
"Yeah…" Miho conceded to her ailment. "I'm didn't really sleep well last few nights…"
"Perhaps you should take the day off?" Hana suggested to the wobbly Miho Nishizumi.
"No, no, I can't just do that…"
"You should take a break, Miporin…" Saori insisted. "The match is coming up soon, and I'd rather you be well rested than stay sleep-deprived."
"I know…" Miho acknowledged. "Maybe I'll leave early, but I need to see how we are before that."
Hana and Saori, the two dragging the half-asleep Mako, still look worriedly at Miho. As the brain of the entire Ōarai compound team, her well-being is not only for her own health, but the whole team's efforts in the tournament. "If you ever feel like it Miporin, take a break, we have the instructors and all the other team captains that can help manage the whole team during practice."
"I will, Saori. Don't worry about me."
"It's when you say that, that I worry…"
Miho couldn't help but grin at Saori and Hana's concern for her.
"Do you think Yukari is waiting for us at the field?" Miho asked, trying to divert the topic.
"I would suspect so. She's got that mission that Isabelle wants to send her through, right?" Hana thought back.
"Was it today? We only got two days until the match!" Saori commented.
"Y'all all noissssssyyyyyyy," Mako stirred from her light slumber on Saori's shoulder.
"Sorry Mako," Hana politely apologized to the lethargic girl. She then had an interest to the atmosphere. "It's actually quite noisy around here, isn't it?" Hana asked as they were only a block away from the school.
"Yeah… it is…" Mako stirred a bit, somewhat irritated from the noise. "Mechanical engines…"
"Sounds like a helicopter…" Miho said, before realizing what exactly it is, "Wait, are they leaving?! Let's hurry!"
"Wait Miporin!"
On the large paved plaza in front of the garages, activity ranged from all sides. On the side closer to the other school's tank garage, the Saunders students were eager and opening large cargo boxes that was very new to Ōarai. On the other side, closer to the school's own garages, the Blackhawk helicopter was warming up. Kyline was outside watching the affair play out when Miho and the others got closer.
"Whoa girls, not too close! We're running diagnostics here!" Kyline blocked the Anglerfish team's path, shouting over the engine noises.
"S-sorry! We thought Yukari was just about to leave!" Miho yelled back.
"Well, she got here early," Kyline said closer to Miho. "But she's with the sergeant now. Going through a debriefing before they go."
"Where are they now?" Miho asked.
"I'm afraid I can't have you interrupt them," Kyline regretfully said. "But you can wait about, you'll notice them when they come out. They're leaving in about 30 minutes!"
"Okay, thanks!" Miho and her friends backed away from the helicopter's loud operation. They could see Hawkins and Alisa inside operating the components.
"At least we came in time…" Hana said over the noise. "We'll be able to see Yukari off and give her our best wishes."
"She'll be going to Russia, right?" Saori recalled their opponent and what's in stake. "I hope she'll be alright."
Miho couldn't help but also be bothered. Russia was a far away place, if something was to happen with Yukari… she…
"Looks like Saunders got some interesting stuff…" Mako absentmindedly mentioned. To the distance, Saunders got some large wooden crates hanging outside their garage. Assumed to be Saunders' crate due to the large white shield with blue star sticker on the crates.
"Why don't we check on them while we wait for Yukari, Miporin?" Saori nudged towards Miho.
"Yeah, best check to see if they got anything new for the tournament."
As the got closer, the large wooden boxes seemed to have gotten bigger, exponentially. A fork-lift vehicle came and dropped off another box as they made their way over. Some were huge cubes, others were very long and rectangular, others were just large flat boxes, though the last had an obligatory warning of an orange diamond-shaped sign labeling EXPLOSIVES.
"Must be fun stuff," Mako commented, now standing on her own two legs.
Most of the Saunder girls were present, with the exception of Alisa in the Blackhawk. Kay, the most energetic of the girls present, with her standard jacket wrapped around her waist and her black t-shirt showing her arms, she had propped herself on one of the long boxes with a crowbar ready to open it. Before any of the girls could react, a R-R-K-KRACK sound occurred as the crowbar's force detached the nailed together wooden panels of the box. Only on one section, so Kay moved on to the other half to free it from its spiky restraint.
"Momo would have a fit if that was bought with our money…" Saori casually commented with Miho while watching the girls do their deed.
"Only Saunders could afford this kind of logistics..." Miho added.
"With their Super Galaxy carrying tanks, their quick upgrade into the Jumbos, establishment of a dedicated maintenance crew on Ōarai, and asset in our numbers, sometimes I wonder what Saunders can't do…"
"Yukari did say that Saunders could field up to three Sensha-dou teams, right?" Hana recalled. "Even with the maximum amount of tanks from the National Tournaments, that's 60 tanks at their disposal."
"Keeping to the M4s help," Mako added into the conversation.
Their conversation was interrupted by another K-KRACK as Kay used her monstrous strength to tear open a box with the explosive warning. Some of the first-year Saunder girls flinched when they saw their commander open the dangerous box with impunity. She looked inside and seemed satisfied. She pulled out a round, a tank round. The one she pulled out had a blazoned black tip on the end, one that showed power and density.
"HVAP…" Mako replied, making out their shape.
"Wow, you can see the shape from here?" Saori asked, the tip looked just like any tip from their perspective.
"APCR ammunition?" Miho noted. Quite a firepower improvement Saunder is taking in. But… what were in the larger cargo boxes? "Let's go check it out," Miho in a spirit of curiosity sprinted off.
"W-wait! Miporin!"
Miho got there just as the girls opened one of the larger cubed box available. The sides basically fell open as the nail's resistance opened up to the crowbars. The content was wrapped in a form of filling and cushion in the box, and the Saunder girls moved about to remove the extra filler.
"Oh hey, Miho~!" Kay waved towards the approaching Ōarai students. "Care to join us?"
"I think I'm good from here," Miho politely declined as Kay got closer. "What's that you got?"
"Oh this? A significant makeover in our current composition!" Her bare-skin right arm went around Miho's neck and shoulders as she pointed towards the content with the crowbar in her left arm. "Feast your eyes on…!"
Kay paused for dramatic effects as the Saunder girls finally removed the last layer of shipping protection on the item. Miho saw the OD green color of the item, but didn't recognize it at first. Then she realized it was because it was lacking the protruding barrel that would normally come with the item.
"A turret…?" Saori piped up as she saw the piece of machine.
"Not just any turret…" Miho added, "the T23 turret."
"The Nishizumi blood runs strong in this one!" Kay excitedly rumbled along with the correct answer.
"Then… that means those long boxes contains…" Miho put it together.
"76 mm M1 guns! Straight from our school money and the British store! Combine that with the HVAP ammunition, we'll give a bigger punch than any of our 75 mm can!"
"Looks like you've got a few more 76 mm than turrets though…" Hana analyzed.
"We could just slip the barrel and breech onto the Jumbo's turrets, it's already a T23 turret derivative!" Kay resumed. "Tell you what, Miho, we'll give a better shot than our performance the last two matches."
"That's great, Kay!" Miho enthusiastically agrees, though deep inside, she wondered if that 90 mm conversion for the Shermans was legal for use. "I just hope it'll be enough against the Russians…"
"Also, we've got a couple of new MGs coming from the same store, they're arriving later today. Not sure we need too many, so I just asked for a couple on the Shermans. We'll convert them little by little to the 76 mm before the matches, just in case we need any of the 75 mm still."
"Why would we still need the puny 75 mm?" Saori asked. "We're fighting tanks here, not buildings!"
"Well, the 75 mm could fire more specialized ammunition, like the smoke rounds," Miho thought about it.
"We've only barely used our stock though! We only used them in the desert against the Americans! Are we really gonna be using them?"
"Can't be too careful," Kay shrugged it off. "We'll get to work on it real soon!"
Kay went off towards her team as Miho was left wondering what the ideal composition of 75 mm to 76 mm should be, if there even should be a ratio.
"Nishizumi-dono?"
A familiar voice called from behind, piercing through the ambient noises of the helicopter and the Saunder team. Miho looked behind to see her good friend and teammate. "Good morning, Yukari," She said with a smile.
"Uh, ah, good morning to you too, Nishizumi-dono! Everyone!" Yukari stumbled about. "What are you all doing here?"
"We originally came here for morning practice, but we also want to see you off!" Saori chimed in. "Are you really leaving for Russia?"
"Yep!" Yukari said, somewhat happily.
"The helicopter is going to take you all the way?" Mako looked at it with skepticism.
"No, we'll be taking commercial airline. The helicopter is just taking us to the Charles De Gaulle international airport."
"That place is a thing?" Saori asked, remembering that there's a school named "De Gaulle Tank School" over there. "Boy, this De Gaulle person must be very famous…"
"He's a famous soldier in France who fought in World War I, World War II, and even took presidency in the 60s!" Yukari explained, exasperated.
"Why didn't you say so?!" Saori almost shot her hands up.
"Still, you're going quite casually," Hana commented on Yukari's fashion. A tomboy-style of clothing on her with jeans and a green and white striped shirt. "I hope you've got your equipment."
"Yep, Isabelle is holding most of them for the trip. Says it makes transport easier or something. I've got the suit in my pack here," Yukari gestured to her favorite backpack.
"Did you tell your parents you'll be gone for a while?" Miho asked.
"Well, I told her I was going on a trip like I did for Saunders all the while back then…" Yukari said, "but I didn't really tell them much past that… I didn't want to worry them too much, y'see…"
Miho understood. If her mother had the same anxiety as Miho had now knowing what Yukari was about to go through, she'd probably have a fit. That didn't make anything any easier though… "Listen Yukari, if you get caught out there alone, it'll be very, very hard to explain to your parents…"
"I know, I know…"
"So make sure you don't, okay?" Miho reassured Yukari. "Stay by Isabelle's side. She's essentially your commanding officer out there. Don't do anything stupid just because you made it against the 3rd RTR cadets."
"Don't worry Nishizumi-dono, I'll stay safe."
"Yeah! You better!" A squeaky voice came from a high up above them.
"Katyusha, Nonna, Klara, good morning!" Miho greeted the Pravda students. Katyusha on Nonna's shoulders with Klara standing by them. A small number of their team is also with them.
"Ready to leave, Yukari?" Nonna asked the girl with the mission.
"Yes, Nonna, we're just about to go soon."
"Understood. I'm afraid it's time to get off, Ms. Katyusha," Nonna said to her passenger.
Katyusha pouted on top of Nonna's head. "Alright… Klara!"
Klara stood right behind Nonna as Katyusha climbed off Nonna's shoulder and fell back, right onto Klara's shoulders. Nonna walked free from Katyusha's burden. "You better take care of Nonna out there, okay?!"
"Huh? Nonna is coming with you?" Miho asked Yukari.
"Yeah, Nonna and Klara are the only two here that know Russian. Nonna volunteered to come along."
"It's an opportunity to see Russia's culture hands-on. Though Ōarai's interests comes first," Nonna pitched in.
"You all would be surprised by what Russia have there these days," Klara said to the girls. "Do not underestimate the people and the military, American Hollywood won't show you their true self."
"I'll find out when I get there then," Yukari stated, smiling eagerly as she was about to go into an unpredictable situation.
"Alright you girls," Isabelle approached the group. "We're leaving in ten. Need to get to the airport on time to catch the flight, so we're leaving right on the dot. Don't wait up."
"Roger that, Sarge!" Yukari playfully saluted.
"Affirmative Ms. Bradley," Nonna replied stoically to the American.
Isabelle took a moment to look up to Nonna, still grasping on Nonna's height before looking back towards the helicopter. "Well, I'll leave you two be until then. Ten minutes!"
Isabelle left the girls be, though they all saw each other with internal dread on their separation.
"Be safe okay, Yukari?" Saori said in a cheerful and encouraging tone.
"Don't let your oppositions slow you down," Hana said.
"Fight on," Mako said.
"Thanks you three," Yukari said before looking towards Miho.
Miho could only smile in an expression only translated through the camaraderie the group has all been through the last year. "Don't do anything stupid."
Yukari almost chuckled as she saluted off to Miho, before departing towards her ride.
Nonna was still saying her goodbyes. Though, it was more like Katyusha doing so as she seemingly clung to her from atop Klara like it would be the last time. Nonna slowly patted Katyusha's head, comforting the girl like she was a preschooler watching her mother leave and left into the care of a nanny.
Still, Yukari went past them and approached the Blackhawk, its rotors spinning as it nears it readies its take-off procedure.
"Hello, Guderian," Isabelle said as Yukari entered the helicopter.
"You got my nickname from the history group?" Yukari asked nonchalantly as she found a seat and put on a headset that blocked out the loud noises and connected her to the intercom system.
"Yes, they're a peculiar and interesting group to be around," Isabelle's voice came through the headset as Yukari buckled herself down. The rotor blades whirled, beating the air for a few moments before Nonna came about. Despite her height, the helicopter's cabin was large enough that her head did not touch the roof when she sat down.
"Ready to go?" Isabelle asked once more.
"Ready!" Yukari replied.
"Da," Nonna simply responded as she put on the headset.
"Hawkins, you're clear for liftoff."
The Blackhawk helicopter lifted off ground, Kyline in front helping the process with glowing flight sticks. At a sufficient height, the helicopter yawed forward, moving off the ship on the starboard side, towards France.
The girls watched the black spot in the sky disappear in the morning sky before all that was heard was the crash of waves and the crack of wood.
"Katyusha, do you need a handkerchief?" Saori asked to Pravda's commander.
"I-I'm not crying! What makes you think that?!" Katyusha shouted from atop, thrashing her arms.
Klara held steady, her face was as stale as Nonna's, but a small grin of enjoyment sprouted on the edges of her lips, and in her eyes.
Miho looked up, as if waiting for the helicopter to come back down, bringing its occupants back to where it was safe. She sighed, wishing them the best of luck amidst an gnawing feeling of uncertainty.
Her eyes, felt heavy. Her body, ached. Miho suddenly had a wave of fatigue run over her.
"Miho!"
"Miporin!"
Her three Anglerfish teammates cried as Miho felt gravity pull her, with her friends catching her before she could collapse.
"I'm sorry…" Miho sluggishly said as she got back to footing. She tried to shake her disorientation away, but it lingered. Everyone was checking on her, even Kay, Katyusha, and Kyline.
"You okay?" Kyline said over her first, blinking a light into Miho's face for a moment in examination. "She's fine, though I wouldn't recommend a prolonged stay today," Kyline said before letting her friends get in and take over.
"Something wrong, Pirozhki?" Katyusha said towering over from Klara.
"This week's not a good week for you..." Kay said, arriving at the scene.
"Yeah…" Miho meekly agreed. "I think… I think I'll take today off…"
"Here, I'll walk you back, Miporin," Saori said, offering her hand to get her up."
"There's always the next two days for practices, Miho. Don't worry too much about today," Kay said as Miho got back onto her two feet.
"You're right. Can you all take over for today?"
"Don't worry about it Pirozhki, you're dealing with Pravda students, who excel in long-range double-envelopment tactics!"
"We've dispatched our whole vehicle inventory on the field before!" Kay said eagerly. "Managing more than 40 tanks at once is no sweat!"
"Thanks you two," Miho put her hopes on the team captains. They surely could handle themselves just for one day.
"Alright Miporin, let's get you back home to bed."
Saori walked by Miho out of the arena at a steady pace.
"We'll be able to handle ourselves, Miporin. You don't have to worry about the whole tournament by yourself, y'know?"
"I know that, Saori," Miho smirked about, "but… this feels like something else."
"What do you mean?" Saori asked.
Miho thought in about it. Her restlessness the past few days was a strange occurrence. The nationals never had this stress on her, and the first few weeks did fine. What was there weighing on her? Her nickname as "the Legend"? She didn't care too much about that… or was it. On the inside, was she quite conscious on her image to the world?
"No… It's nothing. I'm probably just not getting enough sleep." Miho admitted.
As Saori looked worriedly at Miho, Miho left her thoughts to bask on that prospect, that it was all just a psychological illusion of her image.
I'M SORRY FOR MY NEGLIGENCE TO THIS PROUD AND MIGHTY FANFICTION.
So I have returned, midterms for 3 of my 4 classes decided to blitzkreig me all in one day (4/28), and now I have a midterm this week, but compared to last week, I have comparatively free time to write! Well, there's also a special event in War Thunder at the moment, but that's another story.
In the middle of writing my Yukari-sneak-sneak chapter, I realized my intro was getting rather long to add onto the rest of the extended chapter, yet too valuable to simply discard and rewrite, so I have you this small chapter to show I'm alive while I finish writing the chapter focusing on Suvorov.
Another reason why this all took a while was because on the weekend of 4/29, I actually went out to do some research… on tanks. I went to the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation to check out their tanks and get a hands-on experience on them. It wasn't the first time I was there, but I got to take a look on some of the vehicles I didn't examine then, the most provoking thing I learned this time was that the M10 is a really really hard vehicle to climb, even with a ladder! Another thing I learned was that escape hatch from the end of Fury in the Sheman… isn't that easy to get out. Like, maybe if I roll out off the seat into it, but I'll probably hit my head onto the concrete floor if I do so. I'll post an imgur link to the photos I took there in my forums under subtopic "Let's Talk Tanks", you can also see it on the Girls Und Panzer reddit page. Maybe I'll even make a compiled video of me looking around the facility later if I have enough material. If.
Thank you very much for keeping up with Girls Und Panzer: World Tournament! If you like the story, don't be afraid to Follow and Favorite to keep up to date with a very busy author. I hope to finish the next chapter as soon as possible, so I'll see you all again very soon!
Edit (8/20): Changed D minus 3 day to match to D minus 2 according to new canon.