Alright guys, here's the disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own anything with Girls Und Panzer's rights, though I do thank the creator of the series for how amazing it is.
It's been a really long time since I've had to say this… but… ITS HERE! Yes, after well over a year long hiatus, due to various reasons after the initial reason for the hiatus. Its back. As always, please read, review, and enjoy the chapter, because I can't tell you how many readers have PM'ed me asking when it would be back… Well its back!
Heads up: If you haven't done so, go back and re-read chapter 5 which was updated on 9/4/15 to the reworked version which was one of the initial causes of the long hiatus. If you have, just continue reading as normal, otherwise you'll have a serious case of "who the hell are these characters?" because a lot changed between the initial version and the eventual third rewrite that made it to posting.
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Ch. 6
The Competitive Spirit of the Games
The dawn broke and with it the girls were assembled in front of the tanks they would be using for the Olympics.
"Good morning girls." Shiho addressed the group as a whole. "We arrive in Tokyo today, and, though it isn't really wanted, news got out that we were coming today. Do not say anything, or speak to anyone. We will be transporting the tanks directly to the Olympic Village."
Ami climbed down from her Type 10 Main Battle Tank. "Expect there to be a large crowd, so all drivers be very careful and slow. They aren't likely to get in the way, and we'll most likely have a police escort on the way. This is the first time we're stepping into the spotlight, the eyes of the entire nation will be upon us from this moment forward." She looked at Miho and nodded.
Miho walked forward before turning to face the others. "We have to do our best to stay together in the city while still being able to make it through to the Village. As such, all radio operations will be coordinated through the Leopard 1 as the command vehicle." She looked around at them. "It's only five miles to the Olympic Village from where we will be docking, so it shouldn't take very long. Each tank's crew is responsible for offloading and readying their tank. Everyone get ready to head out, Panzer vor!"
"Panzer vor!" the girls cheered in unison as they broke rank and headed for their tanks.
"Do you think this will…?" Yoshiko started.
"Go okay, yes, with Saori keeping them in contact with each other it should be perfectly fine." Ami smiled.
Yoshiko looked over at Shiho who just nodded.
Xxx
The Leopard 1 was the first unloaded on the dock and Miho popped her head out of the commander's hatch before she looked around, seeing the tremendous city surrounding the bay. "Saori, can you keep everyone within one mile of each other?"
"I can try, it all depends on the traffic." Saori glanced up at her.
"Traffic patterns at this time of day should have calmed down a little from the morning rush…" Mako relaxed while she read a book in the driver's seat.
Miho sighed. "That's a relief, then it shouldn't get busy again until around lunch…"
Xxx
"We're finally in Tokyo…" Rin smiled as she looked out of the driver's hatch.
"But we were supposed to go to Ooarai a few days ago." Haruka glanced at Shizuka from the engine deck.
"There is no point in training squabbles when the real battle and training begins here." Shizuka looked at her. "Now we just need to make it to the training grounds."
Xxx
"Uh…" Miho just blinked at the mess that had become the dock next to the ship from the top of the Leopard 1.
"Alright girls, we need to start moving out, the most direct route is directly through the heart of the city to the Olympic village on the other side." Ami stood on top of her Type 10 and announced to them. "Be careful of pedestrian traffic, in the city itself it gets much worse. Do not get separated from the column."
Miho glanced over at Yukari, who was busy getting the Lion undone from the securing chains that kept it in place on the lift down from the school ship.
"Miho, it's all you now." Ami smiled at her before climbing down into the commander's hatch.
"Panzer Vor!" Miho called to the others as they began moving out in a column into the city proper.
Miho looked around at the head of the column, the streets were crowded with pedestrians gawking at the armored column.
"Miporin, we're going too quick, we're going to lose the T95 at the back of the column!" Saori called up to her.
Xxx
"What the hell, why are they? Pulling away?" Alisa gaped as Naomi popped her head out of the gunners hatch on the T95 GMC.
"Because, we had to stop… and the Maus is behind us." Naomi pointed up to the traffic light that had changed, and now pedestrians were crossing in all directions in front of them.
"At this rate we'll make it there after the closing ceremonies…" Alisa groaned.
"We could hang a left up here, go two blocks to the intersection, and link up with them ahead closer to the village!" The driver called up from her seat.
"Sounds like a plan!" Alisa grinned. "We'll beat them to the Olympic Village in the slowest tank on the team!" She cheered as she almost burst into laughter causing the others to just look at her a little worried.
Xxx
"They're taking an alternate route?" Miho blinked at Saori who'd just got the transmission.
"That's right." Saori nodded.
"Just keep in contact with them, we can't afford to get lost in the city." Miho noted before looking out of the top of the Leopard again. "Keep moving!" She called to the others and they kept on, heading into the city, drawing some stares and others stopping to take pictures with their phones as they went through the heart of down town Tokyo.
Xxx
"A challenger appears…" Shizuka smiled as she looked down from the top of the tank to the street directly in front of them.
"Wha…?" Haruka poked her head around the turret and blinked. "It's huge!"
"That… That's Alisa!" Rin pointed from the driver's hatch.
"Huh…" Alisa heard it just in time to see the Type 97 Te-Ke vanish down an alleyway.
"No…" Alisa paled. "No… Not them!"
"What's with you all of a sudden?" Naomi looked at her.
"It's that pair from Tatenashi! That Shizuka girl in the Type 97 Te-Ke!" Alisa pointed down the barren alleyway.
"There's nothing there." Naomi looked at her for a moment. "You're still having nightmares about them, aren't you…?" She blew a bubble right in front of her before ducking back down inside. "Quit brooding over it, it was just one tank, besides they do Tankathon, not Sensha Do."
Alisa looked back down the alleyway before turning back to looking directly ahead, only to see the red Type 97 Te-Ke with the black centipede on the side of its turret briefly before it disappeared from view down another alleyway. "I'm just… seeing things." She giggled a little to herself. "It's just a bad figment of my imagination… Takashi will be at the games, he'll tell me it's all just a bad dream like it was that day too…"
Xxx
"Shouldn't we have linked up with them?" Haruka asked.
"Where's the fun in that, when they're not with the main group?" Shizuka looked at her for a moment with a blank stare. "Besides, Alisa isn't from Ooarai's team, it's not like they'd know where they are anyway, and we're headed to the Olympic Village."
"But we really should have said hi, at least…" Rin looked up at her.
"Why bother, we're running late as it is, we were supposed to meet them at the dock this morning." Shizuka pointed out.
Xxx
"Jaywalker watch out!" Yukari ducked inside the turret as the Vk 7201 came to an abrupt halt and turned sharply, heading down another street to avoid hitting a pedestrian, who was completely oblivious to the world around him in the middle of the street.
"So what'll we do now? We're split off from the main group." Nakajima looked at her.
"We'll just have to get back to the main column, we have a map right?" Yukari looked over at Tsuchiya who nodded.
"Then we just need to stay in contact and find a place to link up." Yukari looked back over at Nakajima.
Yukari poked her head out of the hatch and looked around just in time to see the Sturmtiger rumble to a stop right behind them. "Why did you!?" Yukari gaped as Erika stuck her head out of the hatch.
"We were following you…" Erika glared at her.
"We got split off because of a pedestrian!" Yukari grimaced. "Great… now the column is even more split."
Xxx
"Yukari and Erika were cut off by a pedestrian… just have them link up with us at the Olympic Village like Alisa." Miho looked at Saori. "We need to be careful to not get split up any further. Pass this message along, if cut off from the column, relay to us and we'll wait for you to catch up."
"But what if the traffic doesn't permit us to stop?" Mako looked back from the driver's seat.
"No problem then, we'll just pull off to the side of the road." Miho smiled.
Xxx
"This is becoming a mess, maybe we should…" Yoshiko looked back from the driver's seat in the Type 10 at Ami.
"Part of team building is learning to rely on your team to get through and out of situations." Shiho looked over at her from the gunner's seat.
Ami sighed. "You're both right, but I think they can still regroup on their own at this point." She took a look around with the commander's sight periscope screen.
Xxx
"A Type 10?" Haruka blinked after seeing the modern Main Battle Tank sitting at a stoplight directly to their left.
"Do you think it's them?" Rin glanced up at Shizuka, who stuck her head out of the turret.
"No, it's in JSDF colors, it's probably part of the extra security for the games." Shizuka looked at it for a moment before the light turned green, and they just passed it heading directly through the intersection and down a side street.
The hatch on the Type 10 opened and Ami stuck her head out. "I swear I just saw a Type 97." She looked back at the intersection before they began moving forward again.
"A Type 97 in the column?" Maho began searching up and down the line of tanks still remaining in the main column, by using the commander's sights in the hatch.
"That's what she said." The radio operator looked up at her.
Maho popped the hatch on the Porsche Tiger and stuck her head out finally scanning the street. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a glint of a pinkish red color, and she heard a light clattering sound over the drone of the larger tanks. "Miho!"She waved as she activated her microphone, causing Miho to pop the hatch on the Leopard 1A1.
"I know, we can't worry about a Type 97 running around." Miho looked back at her.
"It may be the girls from Tatenashi High School." Asparagus came over the frequency as one of the AMX 13 75s pulled out of the column and moved up alongside the two lead tanks at the head. "Shizuka Tsuruki."
"It could be…" Anchovy relayed as well. "Pepperoni, try to contact them."
"Tatenashi, this is Anzio, please respond!" Pepperoni called over the radio scanning the frequencies.
Xxx
"Pepperoni?" Rin blinked as she reached for the radio.
"No need…" Shizuka tapped her shoulder with her foot. "Haruka, get inside for a bit."
"Why?" Haruka asked as Shizuka let her inside and she crouched down behind the two in the little space left in the Type 97 Te-Ke.
Shizuka nudged her aside for a moment and pulled up her bow as she propped herself out of the top of the Type 97, she tapped Rin's shoulders with her feet and they pulled forward before turning into the main street from the alleyway.
"A Leopard 1A1!?" Rin gaped as she saw it from her hatch finally, far down the street in a long column.
Shizuka tied a bit of paper to her arrow before she raised her bow, and let it fly.
Xxx
Asparagus blinked as a light thud caused her to look around before seeing the arrow stuck in the rubber of the spare road wheel on the front of the AMX 13 75, directly below the gun lock. "Moules!" She called before the Type 97 charged the column head on.
Miho turned just in time to see the red Type 97 Te-Ke pass them prior to pulling hard into a hand break turn causing it to drift right around the side of the AMX 13 75, before stopping directly behind the AMX 13 75.
Asparagus caught the faint smile on Shizuka's face before the Te-Ke shot off backwards. "We will not lose! Not again!" Asparagus pounded on the top of her AMX 13 75 before it also was pushed into reverse and gave chase to the Type 97.
The Lorraine 40t pulled out of the line directly behind the Type 97, reversing down the street. "Stop!" Jajka glared before the Te-Ke simply changed directions and went through the hole she'd made in the column.
Asparagus nearly fell out of the AMX 13 75 as it abruptly came to a stop as to not hit the Lorraine.
"What's that tied to the arrow?" Maho pointed down from the Porsche Tiger's hatch at the front of the AMX 13 75.
"What?" Asparagus pushed herself out and grabbed the arrow out of the spare road wheel. "Let us have a match…?" Asparagus looked up before looking down the alleyway they'd disappeared.
"She means a Tankathon match… here in the heart of down town Tokyo?" Jajka looked at her before looking down the alley. "Interesting…" She smiled.
"No… she means, against the whole team." Pepperoni stuck her head out of the other AMX 13 75 next to the Lorraine. "She means a match to get to the Olympic Village!"
Miho looked back at the team who were all looking a little concerned before Maho looked at her. "We'll do it."
"Let me see this Sensha Do then!" Shizuka called from directly in front of the Leopard 1A1 as it tore through the intersection at high speed.
Before any of the girls who did Tankathon could say a word the Leopard 1A1's engine roared as it pulled out and chased after the Type 97 Te-Ke.
"Interesting…" Shizuka smiled as she looked back at the Leopard 1A1 chasing her. She ducked back down inside the turret. "We've picked up a cat."
"Aww, where is it?" Haruka asked as she looked up from the map she'd been given.
Rin used a hand mirror to check to their left and saw it. "You mean the Leopard is chasing us!?"
"It's a cat…" Shizuka shrugged as they pulled a hard left hand turn down another alley.
Xxx
"Left down the alley." Miho relayed and Mako pulled the same turn only slightly sliding the rear of the Leopard out.
"They're pretty good for being in such a dated light tank." Hana noted.
"Yukari, what can you tell us about the Te-Ke?" Saori asked over their radio.
"Well…" Yukari's voice came over the open channel in the tank.
Xxx
"It's a light tank produced to replace the Type 94, produced from nineteen thirty seven through forty two… it has a weak engine, but due to its small size it was perfect for reconnaissance, and was easily concealed. Why?" Yukari asked before the Type 97 Te-Ke shot out of the alley right in front of the Lion, prior to pulling a hard left and headed down the street.
"Because we're chasing one!" Saori almost screamed over the frequency as the Leopard 1A1 came to an abrupt stop on the small street before pivoting on the spot and picking up speed again.
"Tsuchiya step on it!" Yukari exclaimed as she pointed at the Leopard 1A1. "Follow Miho!"
"You've got it!" Tsuchiya dumped the clutch and the Lion's engine roared as she stepped on it while the massive tank picked up speed on the down hill slope of the street, with the Sturmtiger right behind it, quickly catching up with the Leopard 1A1.
Xxx
"What was that?" Haruka asked as she stuck her head out of the loading port. "A Sturmtiger!" She quickly got back inside. "There are two more chasing us now!"
"Taking the expressway!" Rin pulled hard right and they shot up the onramp.
Shizuka pushed herself up as they got up to the Shuto Expressway and looked back. "Well… seems they can't keep up…" She trailed off as the roar of the Leopard1A1's engine drowned her out as it launched airborne before landing right behind them again, with the Lion and Sturmtiger not far behind them as they crested over the onramp onto the expressway. "This is interesting." Shizuka smiled calmly, before tapping Rin's shoulder.
"Ahh!" Rin pulled back hard on the right break, causing the Te-Ke to spin allowing the Leopard to overshoot them.
"Good." Shizuka smiled calmly as Miho looked back at her for a moment confused, before she heard the clatter of track links again and the rest of the column she'd left, steadily came up the next ramp directly ahead of them. "Just one more!"She tapped Rin again with her feet.
"Ahh…" Rin shivered a little before she just floored the accelerator in the tank and the Te-Ke shot ahead of the Leopard 1A1 again, prior to heading right into the thick of the other tanks and zigzagging through them, and sooner than winding up at the head right next to the Type 10.
Xxx
"Wha…" Katyusha gaped. "A Te-Ke can't outrun a T-10! Nonna!"
"Step on it." Nonna stated flatly as the T-10's engine revved higher and it charged ahead towards the Te-Ke.
Xxx
"Maybe a stock Te-Ke…" Shizuka smiled.
Rin looked back at the T-10 trying to keep up. "But this one has the intended engine in it. The Ikegai Swirl Chamber Type Diesel Engine, which was reconditioned with special parts!"
"Added with the ultra-light titanium alloy track links…" Haruka shrugged. "Good luck catching up with a heavy tank."
"This is our Sensha-Do, Tankathon!" Rin grinned as she just kept outrunning them.
Xxx
"Seems like things are going well." Ami smiled.
"Making a complete mess of the highway, and chasing a Type 97 Te-Ke, is going well?" Shiho asked calmly while trying to keep her temper.
"Well, I'm wondering if it was accidental, or planned, but…" Yoshiko glanced at the rear view for a moment. "They led Fritz and the Sturmtiger back to the main column. We're only missing the T95 GMC now."
"Are they really on the team, or do they think this is some game?" Shiho glanced up at Ami who smiled at her.
"They only have one tank at Tatenashi, so they don't have enough to have a Sensha-Do team, though I did invite them before to see just what the big deal with Tankathon was." Ami smiled. "They are an interesting group. And besides that, we're heading towards our objective."
Xxx
"Look, the Olympic Village!" Yukari pointed and almost shouted over the radio.
All of the girls just looked and saw it, the sprawling area set up in Futo Park to house all of the teams.
"So that's what she had planned…" Anchovy looked forward to Shizuka who looked back at them and smiled, still well in the lead. "Carpaccio, catch them! We'll beat them there!"
"Not if we do first!" Jajka pointed as the Lorraine 40t zipped right past them at high speed.
"Come Jajka, if you think you can!" Shizuka's voice came over the frequency, taunting her a little, as the Te-Ke hung a sharp left on the off ramp leading to the island where the Olympic Village was.
Xxx
"I can't believe we may actually beat them to the Olympic Village…" Naomi blinked as they began trundling off of the barge they'd gotten a hold of to ferry the T95 GMC and Maus over to Harumi Island, where the Olympic Village was.
"Yeah, wait till they see the two slowest tanks on the team sitting right at the front gate waiting!" Alisa couldn't resist laughing, before the loud clatter of tracks caught their attention they saw the Type 97 Te-Ke rocket past them, followed by the rest of the column of tanks. "IT'S JUST NOT FAIR!" She screamed as Naomi just erupted in laughter.
Xxx
Heads started to turn on the street as the formation of tanks chased the Te-Ke at full speed towards the park where the village was set up. "Jajka is catching up!" Rin noted.
"We won't lose to her…" Shizuka smiled as the Lorraine was overtaken by the Leopard 1A1.
"The Leopard again!" Rin gaped as she saw it to her left, and the Lorraine closing on her right.
Shizuka gave another foot command and Rin shuddered as she pulled back hard on the breaks, at the same moment the Leopard did the same before they hit the grass in the park and it slid sideways prior to pulling a full one eighty to face them directly, and the two tanks bumped together lightly as they came to a final halt.
"We win!" Saori half shoved – half hugged Miho out of the turret.
The rest of the column joined them a few moments later though a little more organized. "Well… we're all here, see to the tanks!" Ami gave the command and saw a crowd gathering and gawking a bit at the gathered tanks.
The girls parked the massive machines in a semi organized fashion before a few in the crowd got enough courage to come over to them. "You're the Sensha-Do team right?" A girl asked as Miho directed Mako back in the Leopard to park it right next to the pair of Centurion Mk. 1's as the Maus and T95 GMC were being guided in on the very end.
"Yes we are." Miho smiled.
"They're here! It's really them!" the girl turned and yelled back to the others, they all cheered before rushing forwards and lifting anyone who wasn't on a tank onto their shoulders.
"You girls were the last of us to arrive, we're all here now!" The first girl cheered. "The whole national team is finally here!"
"If you guys don't mind… we still need to take them on a full tour of the facilities." Ami noted calmly. "As well as get them all checked in."
"We're going to have a party later, we planned it when we heard the Sensha-Do team was finally arriving." The girl smiled at Ami. "It won't be till tonight though, the track and field team members are all practicing up at the National Stadium today."
"Make it quick and unpack!" Shiho called down the hall in the dormitory. "As soon as you are unpacked report downstairs to the lobby immediately, we will be taking a tour of each of the venues and training facilities before dinner!"
"What a stickler… we don't even get a chance to breath for two seconds?" Yamamori glared for a moment as she continued to unpack in her room.
"We're on a schedule, get used to it." Jajka replied before getting a glare back. "What?"
"Just because you're so "good", to have made it to the nationals… and that your school does Tankathon too…" Yamamori started in on her.
"Wait." Yukari stepped between the two. "She's right, we do have a schedule, but at the same rate it doesn't make it right to be rude about it. We don't have time to be picking fights, let alone settling arguments."
"Well…" Yamamori fumed for a few moments. "Don't get any ideas, or anything."
"Just don't interrupt my rest." Jajka turned back to unpacking her belongings.
Xxx
"Things seem to be going…" Miho grimaced a little looking around at the others that were seemingly on edge.
"Well." Shizuka took a seat across from her.
"What's the deal with everyone, they're all so stiff?" Kay glanced around as she plopped down next to Miho.
"It's because the rooms were all assigned." Maho looked at Shizuka. "Mother was right, you are different."
"Like you of the Nishizumi, my family also has a history with war. And what better place to find the strongest opponents in Sensha-Do, than the Olympic Games?" Shizuka looked at Maho with a calm expression.
"So what's the plan to defuse the situation?" Éclair asked as she joined the conversation, looking directly at Miho.
"Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their ingenuity." Kay stuck a finger in the air before pointing at Darjeeling. "Right?"
Darjeeling blinked for a moment trying to place it, before she shrugged.
The other girls just gaped. "Darjeeling not knowing… a saying?" Kay blinked at her.
"Patton." Yoshiko walked over and looked at them. "While correct, some things need sorted out when they can't always sort themselves out. Emotions and tension are sometimes those things. Think of the Pravda match, what did you do then?"
Miho blinked before looking around at the girls, some were talking while others were almost giving each other the cold shoulder. She got up but before she could do anything Maho stopped her. "Remember, not everyone is the same."
Miho nodded. "It won't be as easy as then, but I may figure something out." She headed off leaving the other commanders wondering what she planned.
"Okay girls, we don't have much time until dinner, so we need to move quickly. Everyone follow me in an orderly fashion and we'll see if we can make it everywhere we need to before dinner." Ami announced as the girls all started to get up and walk out, right past Miho who was just grabbed and pulled along with the massive group.
Xxx
"Alright girls, this is the mess hall." Ami explained as she walked backwards while gesturing to the massive hangar like structure they were in, and they all just gaped as they looked around. "There are over eight thousand seats, which will feed not only our team, but every other nation's during the entirety of the games; the hall will be in operation twenty four seven for their duration."
The girls just gawked as they looked around the tremendous dining hall. "Wow, they have everything sorted out by region. They even have it subdivided by regional cuisines!" Anchovy beamed as she saw an entire area dedicated to Mediterranean foods.
"Pork pie, fish and chips!" Darjeeling was almost drooling as she saw it on the menu over the Western European foods.
"Kay?" Naomi prodded her and then looked where she was pointing, the North American foods. "Philly Cheese Steak! Deep dish pizza! Double BLT Cheeseburger!"
"Looks like a heart attack on a plate…" Erika gaped at it before Maho tapped her shoulder and she looked.
"Sauerkraut and bratwurst, even Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte for dessert!" Erika almost drooled seeing the German foods in the Northern European line.
"Let's keep moving! We'll be eating here later!" Ami announced as she quickly made her way past them and towards the entrance again.
Xxx
"This is the new National stadium." Ami gestured as they walked up the ramp-way and onto the track with the massive green field sprawling out before them. "Be careful as we make our way onto the grass, they are still practicing."
A starting gun went off while they quickly made their way across the track and they saw a pair of girls take off at a sprint. One started to edge out the other as they reached the first turn in the track.
Hitomi blinked as they saw them. "Go Chihiro!" She cheered as she recognized the girl in the lead.
The girl glanced at the group for a moment before she just picked up speed and just left the other girl completely in the dust. She entered the second turn a full three seconds ahead of the other girl prior to finally crossing the finish line well ahead of her, and she just kept running, winding up and almost doubling over right in front of them from laughing as Hitomi ran over to her.
"Hitomi! What are you doing here?" Chihiro just laughed seeing her.
"So, they're finally here." One of the coaches walked over and shook Ami's hand.
"Just giving them a tour of the venues tonight." Ami smiled before looking back at the girls. "Well, they're at least getting to see some of them."
Hitomi turned and looked around to see Miho smiling. "Miho, it's Chihiro!" She almost cheered.
"I know!" Miho smiled as she walked over to them. "You've really gone all out Chihiro."
"Prefectural champion for two years in running, and national best time in the four hundred meter dash!" Her coach beamed at her.
"Really… you didn't think I'd paid any attention to my old friend making headlines?" Chihiro grinned at Miho. "Leading Ooarai to the national championships against her elder sister! And you even beat her, unlike how we did during our matches back then."
"Wha..." Yukari blinked looking between Maho and Miho.
"You're just missing your other friend." Maho pointed out. "Otherwise your old crew would be together again."
"Yeah, what's Emi been up to these days? Either of you know?" Chihiro asked.
"She had to go back to Germany for some reason on short notice." Hitomi looked at her. "Otherwise she would have been here with us, she transferred to Bellwall not too long ago."
"Oh…" Chihiro sighed. "I would have liked to see her again."
"You will." Maho stated flatly. "If I'm right, I know why she went back to Germany."
"Eh?" Miho looked at her sister, before Chihiro's stomach growled.
"Well, let's not stand out here all night, its chow time!" Kay cheered.
Xxx
"Tonight marks the first night that the entire National team is together, representing all competitors in every sport!" The head track coach announced. "As such, we honor the Sensha-Do team's arrival! Everyone has been anxiously anticipating them getting here, so we've been keeping our ears out for any news."
"We're lucky enough to get the chance to see the various other nation's trials for their national teams, and we hope it will help the Sensha-Do team in the near future!" The track coach smiled as the various televisions were tuned into various news stations and sports broadcasts.
"We're here this evening with the final trials and match for the Sensha Do team for the Olympics." The news anchor announced. "The biggest difference this year is that the team is being comprised by a different format. By taking the best performance trials and setting up teams from them, the most notable commanders standing out are from the major contenders for the national championships, and most notably the veteran commander and national champion team from West Point."
"Go Army!" A cheer could be heard over the commentator as it shifted to the match.
Xxx
"Wheel the right flank around the end of their line." The commander relayed to the team.
"We'll trust you just this once…" Another commander's voice came over the frequency.
"Keep it together, this is how we beat OSU in the National finals." She replied. "She's trying the same tactic she used then… too bad her tanks aren't suited to the ground they're on."
"Gari, you sure this will work?" her loader looked back at her.
"OSU doesn't know how to adapt to the changing situation of the battlefield quickly. It's why we're the National Champions, and they're not." Gari smiled at her. "Our team hasn't ever lost a tank in battle since I've taken over. And we won't start here." She activated her throat microphone. "In the Mood will be in the lead, we're going to push uphill and unseat their defense using the flanking maneuver."
Xxx
"They're using the same style of tactics Miho used against us?" Kay blinked seeing the platoon of M60 Pattons flank around to a hill as the rest of the team split up and moved out in smaller units.
"Not exactly, it's a refined version of it." Yoshiko noted as she looked up at it "It's more like the hill battle during the Championships."
Xxx
"Okay, Black Cat platoon, you're up!" Gari relayed to her troops.
"Hail to Pitt!" The commander replied over the frequency.
Xxx
A platoon of three M551 Sheridan light tanks crested the hill right behind the opposing team. "Fire!" All three opened up with their 152mm Guns. Immediately knocking out three M26E4 Super Pershings that had been the rear guard.
"Charge!" The commander cheered as the three tore down right into the middle of the ranks of the opposing team.
Xxx
"Advance!" Gari relayed to the others, and the Pattons commenced their uphill climb as the opposing team began to turn to try and deal with the Sheridans zipping through the middle of their team, firing whenever they got a chance.
Shells began to rain down around the group on the hill before finally a group of three M48 Pattons charged.
"Hold!" Gari ordered as they charged.
"But…" Another commander relayed to her.
"Hold!" Gari ordered again.
"They'll be on top of us in a second!" The commander snapped.
"Support fire, NOW!" Gari relayed, and instantly three loud bangs went off from the next ridge and the ground erupted around the three tanks charging downhill, causing two to flip and the other's tracks to break and as a result making it to slide down hill on the bottom of the hull to a near stop directly in front of Gari's tank. "Fire." She stated calmly, and her M60 fired point blank into the M48. "Nice shooting Becca, as always." She passed along as the flag popped from the enemy flag tank.
Xxx
"Artillery support…" Yoshiko blinked as she saw the M55 Self Propelled Howitzer platoon.
"This is…" Kay blinked. "Too much… it's her… Gari "Pool" Owen, the ace of West Point."
"Drilled discipline to perfection. Practice day and night. To call in support fire that close to their own tanks."
"Look, it's Saint Cyr!" Éclair cheered seeing the French team.
Xxx
A platoon of AMX 30s drove up to the crest of a hill before sighting a platoon of Leopard 1A1's.
"Driver stop." The commander ordered. "Gunner HEAT tank."
"Identified!" The gunner relayed back to her.
"Up!" The loader replied.
"Fire!" She replied
"On the way!" The gunner fired taking out the opposing tank with ease and well oiled precision.
"Driver move out!" The commander relayed again and the AMX 30 started moving down hill into the gulley again.
"This isn't over yet, not until we have the gold. For the honor of France!" The commander relayed to the rest of the platoon. "In the name of my ancestors, will be victorious!"
"Billotte! Billotte!" The rest of her platoon cheered.
"None shall penetrate our armor. Regardless of how good they think they are, we will show them the might of Saint Cyr!" The commander smiled calmly as her platoon advanced, firing while they moved through the remaining forces as more converged around them from the dwindling number of opposing tanks, outflanking and encircling the remaining Leopard 1A1's.
Xxx
"Salomea Billotte, the ace of Saint Cyr…" Asparagus gaped as she saw the raven haired girl pick apart the team from Lorraine.
"Using the mobile warfare of Saint Cyr to its fullest extent." Fondue blinked.
"That is what I aspire to." Éclair smiled as Galette just watched the force of AMX 30s just finish off the entirety of the remaining team.
"Sandhurst too…" Kilimanjaro pointed as they all looked to the next broadcast.
Xxx
"We will show those fools at Saint Cyr just as we always do, we will not bow, we will not fall back. For Queen and country, we Serve to Lead!" The blonde girl in the black and red uniform announced to the rest of her regiment. "Bring guns to bear on the target."
"With precision, pick them apart, now!" Another commander gave the order and Sandhurst's Centurions and Conquerors opened fire.
"Self Propelled Howitzers, open fire, immobilize the targets!" The first commander gave the order.
Xxx
Darjeeling smiled calmly as she watched Sandhurst in the middle of their target practice, placing the focused firepower of all of their guns in unison to their targets. "Without fail, Sandhurst will be an impressive opponent."
"Victoria Harris, and Gloria Nicholls." Shiho looked at the two. "The veteran commanders of Sandhurst's Sensha-Do team, and two time European champions."
"The Russian Federation's finals are going on live!" Katyusha cheered as a literal wolf pack of ten T-64 main battle tanks surrounded three T-54's.
Xxx
"Finish them." The commander ordered coldly as she popped the hatch on her T-64, just in time for all ten of the tanks to open up at the same moment.
"And Natalia Kolobanov, cleans up yet again!" The announcer almost cheered as the tanks began driving back towards the main force.
Xxx
Nonna blinked. "Kolobanov… they're going all out…" She watched as the formation drove back before linking up with a much larger force of T-10's and even a quad tracked oddity. "They even have one of the Object 279s!"
"And the IS-7 prototype!" Katyusha gaped as she saw the tank designed to stand up to the biggest tank guns ever developed.
Miho leaned across the table a little. "What did you mean back at the stadium?"
Maho pointed up directly at the one to their left. "That…"
"We're proud to announce the head of the German Sensha Do team for the Olympic games, who's grandmother led our team to the gold medal, and they personally led the winning team for the European championship, the Nakasuga sisters, leading the Panzertruppenschule!"
"Emi…" Hitomi blinked as they saw her on the monitor next to her older sister.
Xxx
"Achtung!" Emi's sister snapped and the crews snapped to attention in front of the line of Leopard 1A1's, "We will stand for nothing less than perfection, as our grandmother did when she brought home the gold!"
"Panzer Vor!" Emi gave the command this time and all of them immediately mounted their tanks, and then the camera panned out to show the whole German team, the three Jagdtigers, a pair of Sturmtiger's, a line of Kannonenjagdpanzers, and a pair of M109A1 Howitzers.
Xxx
The entire team watched the scrimmage match the German team had against itself, the Nakasuka sisters commanding from two Leopard 1A1's. "We'll get to see Emi after all it seems." Chihiro smiled.
"The little traitor." Yamamori glared as she cracked her knuckles.
"Why did she join the German team!?" Doi glared at Emi on the monitor commanding her half of the German team in their scrimmage.
"Because… of her sister." Maho looked at her. "She's just using the same tactics as then, we'll beat them with ease…" She trailed off as the older sister's tank was hit by three shells at the same moment and it was knocked out.
"It's been decided, the overall head of the team will be the younger sister, Emi Nakasuga!" The anchor announced.
Miho looked down for a moment. "Emi…" She looked up to see her same expression almost reflected. "So this is your Sensha-Do."
"The field is tough this year it seems…" Ami smiled as she looked around at the team. "It makes no difference, we'll overcome any team we face! All thanks to…" She stopped as Yoshiko pulled her down into her seat, before looking at Miho who got up.
"We are who we are." Miho looked around at the girls. "We have to work together to overcome this. Some of us have known each other for years, some have just met, but we must all work together and get to know each other. There are no schools here, only Japan."
All the girls were focused on Miho and she hadn't really realized it herself, but she'd gotten their attention without much fuss. "Panzer Vor!"
"Panzer Vor!" The girls all cheered together as they began eating their dinners.
Xxxxxx
Yes, OC opponents… because just one named character on a team to face off against would be boring as sin for everyone, and it would make for a very short fic. Note, all of the OC's are completely fictional characters, with only some minor nods to history as was seen in the anime as well.
Those of you that know WoT, and I know there are plenty of you out there, will know some of those nods all too well.
Once again even though I stated it in the previous chapter's bottom AN, I have not condoned nor authorized anyone to "continue" my fic, especially when I explicitly stated that it was on hiatus both in the fic description before it came off hiatus and on my profile.
So some of you are probably wondering why no character shenanigans in the start and end this time round… well.
*WHACK*
"No… you were just lazy." Rin looked at Ald as she brought a wrench down on his head.
Haruka grimaced a little as Ald groaned from the floor "I think you hit him a little hard."
"He'll be fine." Shiho looked over at him "Back to practice!"