The Legends Still Live On
Bogen Neunzehn-komma-ein: Extras Fünf und Sechs
Kapitel Dreizehn: All-Star-Besetzung
XXXXXXXXXX
Aboard the Zuikaku, there was plenty of activity bustling about on the top deck, most specifically by the hangars for Ooarai High School. Why activity was so high over there was because of a couple of visitors from Schwarzwaldspitze High School. It was the middle of the day, so everyone in Ooarai was in their school outfits.
Resting outside of the hangars was the transport for the German visitors: a Focke-Wulf Fw 200, also known by the Kondor nickname because of its very wide wingspan being likened to the wings of a condor bird. Originally a four-engine passenger airliner and later used for various military purposes, the four-engine aircraft became perhaps most famously known as the Scourge of the Atlantic because of its abilities as a commerce raider during the Battle of the Atlantic: during its brief service in anti-shipping work, it sunk over 300,000 tons of shipping, even though it was not at all intended for such roles at the design stage. That was reflected most in the models converted to bombers, which had a tendency to break up on landing, and that problem was not entirely resolved.
Fortunately, the Fw 200 resting at Ooarai's hangars had not broken up upon landing. This particular model was decorated with a forest green topside and sky blue underside to serve as camouflage, and on its wing surfaces and fuselage sides was the Iron Cross insignia that served as Schwarzwaldspitze's markings. On the tail surface, instead of a Hakenkreuz like what would've been used in the era it came from, the tail was instead decorated in the black, red, and gold tricolor of Germany. On the nose was the unique variant of the Reichsadler used on the Panzerkraft tournament victory banner that carried a Tiger I in place of the Hakenkreuz. This particular model also had the Bola ventral gondola characteristic to the C models, though it was not armed with any form of weaponry, whether it be defensive guns or bomb loads.
Although not outlandishly flashy in its appearance, the Kondor was very imposing, and its markings portrayed a sense of power on their own as well, all of which reinforced the notion of how powerful its owner was. That was enough to make most of the Ooarai students stand straighter and watch their behavior, though to the crew taking care of it at the moment, which just so happened to be the ground crew for Ooarai's Bf 109 K-4, that didn't make any difference whatsoever.
"I swear, we better get payed good for this," Anton Silva commented nonchalantly. He was in the cabin looking over the various controls and switches to check that they worked properly. "I mean, surely they could spare enough if they have this kind of luxury."
The blonde American that headed the crew was referring to the cabin of the Kondor, which was, to put it simply, worthy of a head-of-state. The cabin was plush and screamed luxury from its red velvet colors. There was a single seat in the cabin that was more like a lounge chair that had a dark brown wooden table in front of it, and on either side running the length of the cabin were benches, although they were more like full-length couches in their appearance and feel.
"But I thought we had volunteered for this?" Herz Benz provided as a counter. He was outside helping to refuel the plane's massive fuel load, which on a good flight could reach around 14 hours in flight endurance. At the moment, he was taking care of the left wing's tanks.
Anton rolled his eyes at the noble Prussian's taunt, knowing he was trying to get under his skin. "You know, for such a high-class person, you're a real dick," he retorted. He knew they wouldn't get paid for their work, but he felt it couldn't hurt to hope.
"It takes one to know one, doesn't it?" David Faul offered. He was on the right side of the Fw 200, doing the same thing with refilling the wing tanks on that side. He was plenty used to picking on Anton, having done it for years already as his best friend.
"Well, jeez, thanks bestie," Anton sarcastically responded to the black-haired American that he, sometimes unfortunately, considers his best friend. "Good that I can always count on you to back me up…"
"Hey, does one of you have my bore scope?" Nathan McBraun called out. He was on the right side of the Kondor with the inner right engine's cowl taken off as he prepared to tear into that particular Bramo 323 engine and inspect it thoroughly. "'Cause I could really use it right about now, and I know one of you took it, eh."
XXXXXXXXXX
Away from the band of misfits working on the Kondor and further out in the surrounding clearings, Erich-Dietrich Hartmann and Miho Nishizumi were speaking with the Schwarzwaldspitze guests, which included their personal pilot. Only Miho was a part of any actual 'important' conversations, for a few reasons. First was because of the obvious conclusion that Erich would not at all be useful in any productive talks due to his extreme laid-back attitude.
The second, and more important reason, was because the guests were her own family: Maho Nishizumi and Shiho Nishizumi, her sister and mother respectively. Her sister wore Schwarzwaldspitze's dark gray school uniform while her mother wore her usual black business suit. Hence, while she was having a family discussion, Erich was off a few meters away talking with the Nishizumis' unofficial personal pilot: Alfred-Joachim Hartmann, his brother, who also wore the Schwarzwaldspitze school uniform.
"So," Erich began as he held his arms behind his head in a relaxed state. "What's the sitrep for them this time?" They both were well-aware of the Nishizumis' rather conflicted state as a family, having stood alongside them since forever in the Arts of Warfare, and as such have come to expect altercations because of that.
"I'm sure you can guess," Alfred responded. He stood up with a straight posture with arms crossed, looking incredibly professional in demeanor. "More of the 'right way' Scheiße." That was only partially true in a sense. In reality, the Nishizumis were actually talking about Miho's ways with trying to get Erich into a socially acceptable person, but Alfred would be damned before he said that to Erich. He didn't wish to impose their will on him, as much as he shared it.
The blonde Hartmann rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Of course it is…" he belatedly responded. He then turned to look at the group of Nishizumis, focusing specifically on the eldest of the group. "You know, no offense to her or anything, but that woman seems to me to be a Panzer in and of herself."
The black-haired Hartmann took a side-glance at his brother. "Hä?" he offered back in confusion, though the emotion didn't show on his face in any way besides a raised eyebrow.
Erich smiled and chuckled a bit. "She really is one if you think about it," he elaborated with a highly amused smile. "For instance, she refuses to let anyone into her personal life, so she has the armor down. Then there's her 'weiter vorrücken' way of doing everything, and I do mean everything, so that's the treads. And then there's her way of speaking, which sounds very focused and powerful in its projection and is plenty able to be a weapon in itself, meaning she's got the cannon as well."
Alfred simply held his raised eyebrow at his younger brother for a few seconds of silence before his normal unemotional gaze returned and focused on the three Nishizumis. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," he said in response. He waited a few seconds before adding, with his lips turned up ever so slightly in amusement, "Otherwise I would say that to her over and over again before laughing in her face about it, because it's so true."
Erich simply threw his head back and laughed greatly at the response he got from his elder brother. Although very much different in several ways, the two Hartmann brothers are also quite similar in several ways.
It did not go unnoticed to all three Nishizumis a few meters away as to what was going on with the two boys. All three of them cast glances in their direction to find Erich laughing greatly and Alfred with a barely noticeable expression of amusement.
"Well, there's a rare sight," Maho commented nonchalantly. "Alfred actually said something amusing."
"Hey, you know that's not nice to say those things," Miho retorted with her idle smile.
"You do realize that to anyone else, the sight of the Black Devil being amused by something is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of ordeal?" the elder of the sisters asked while casting a glance of mock-annoyance to her younger sister.
Miho giggled slightly before nodding. "Okay, point taken," she relented and conceded that such a sight was indeed excessively rare.
"I must admit that I've never seen such things before from him," Shiho commented in her typical unwavering way. "But I suppose that everyone has their inner comedian, some more than others." The stern German woman left it unsaid that she could hear exactly what the Hartmanns were saying. Her former experience in battle has not dissipated over the years, even after she left her Tiger I and began the arduous work of training others to fight in the Arts of Warfare. Her senses were still as sharp as ever, so if she was pissed at the boys' remarks, then she was doing a great job of hiding it.
"Yeah, some more than others…" Miho agreed as she fell into a daze. She fell into a stupor watching her long-time blonde friend laugh uproariously, and she was quite attracted to the scene. 'Gott, he's so cute when he laughs,' she thought to herself.
Maho and Shiho took note of Miho's entranced gaze, and the two of them cast doubtful glances at each other, silently wondering if they had just come there for nothing.
"Lady Nishizumi!" all three of them heard someone call out. Miho snapped out of her trance and turned to face the source of the voice, and the other two Nishizumis followed. They found out that Yukari was the one calling them from a ways away.
"Wait, what?" Yukari fumbled out in confusion. She had not thought that all three Nishizumis would respond to her, and she found herself in a very awkward position because of it 'Dammit, I can't believe I forgot to come up with a way to address Lady Nishizumi when her family's present!' she mentally cursed herself. 'Um… let's see, what to do…'
After a brief few seconds to think, she finally came up with something. "Ah, I mean the young and lively Lady Nishizumi!" the tank guru called out again.
In response, Maho and Shiho rushed forth to meet Yukari while Miho stayed where she was. Yukari was left in an even more awkward position, even though she knew that time what to ask for.
Erich and Alfred saw the scene and found the huge irony of it as they grinned in amusement, Erich more so because of his greater ability to show emotion. "Oh, the irony…" the blond-haired ultra-ace remarked.
Alfred cleared his throat. "I believe she means the one with a heart!" he called out across the clearing.
Everyone except Erich turned to face him with varying expressions, and those expressions combined with Alfred's comment made Erich throw his head back in laughter again.
Yukari was confused about the entire situation she had practically walked into, and Shiho held her stone expression, as if unaffected herself. But Maho was far from the same. She was glaring intensely at Alfred, getting across the message that she was going to screw him over for that.
Despite the pissed-off glare he was getting from Maho, the black-haired ultra-ace simply stood there as if the glares didn't even affect him, though he had an ever-so-slight expression of amusement that would be missed by anyone without the Nishizumi or Hartmann name.
XXXXXXXXXX
Part of Projekt Jägermeistern.
XXXXXXXXXX
The author doesn't claim to own "Girls und Panzer" or any other references made. "Girls und Panzer" belongs to Actas. Any references made belong to their respective owners.
Feel free to ask any questions if you have them. Please note, however, that questions asked without being signed in will not be answered. The author would prefer to address questions outside of the story, and leaving questions while signed in provides that ability.