Disclaimer: I do not own World of Tanks or RWBY

Gladys groaned lightly as she woke up, then pushed herself off the ground, her eyes still half-closed. Quietly, she looked around, and-

"About bloody time."

Sighed lightly, hearing Emma's voice- exceptionally grating in her sleepiness.

"C'mon, everybody up, no time to lose," Emma called, "Up."

Gladys pointed out, "They deserve a rest- you do too."

"And I'll get one in a bed," Emma shot. Gladys sighed, then murmured, "I… I am sorry, for falling asleep."

"Not so sorry you didn't stay asleep," Emma retorted. Gladys nodded guiltily. Finally, Ribbans was up, and murmured, "Shouldn't've had you on guard…"

He yawned, and Gladys informed, "Emma's right, though. We're close to civilization, we just have to make it a little longer."

"Oh, now you agree with me," Emma noted, "Sure."

"Have some bloody respect for your commander," Ribbans bickered, as Carney stood up. Gladys interjected, "She's right, though. I… I caused all of this. If it weren't for me getting stuck here, we could be having tea and biscuits in Mines right now."

Ribbans' stomach growled loudly, and Carney pointed out, "If I may, I would note that you 'got stuck here' rather than making yourself stuck."

"That's a poor excuse," Gladys declared, "And I'm dearly sorry for dragging you along. I… don't know when we'll get back to our old life, or even if we will."

She sighed, then said, "So, if any of you want to leave, feel free."

She paused a moment.

"Well, Emma?" Ribbans grumbled. Emma shot, "I was only saying she was being a bit stupid, is all."

Gladys smiled a little, then nodded, "Let's get moving, then."

She turned, and took three steps- and then suddenly, a tank appeared in her vision. It was another damned Cruiser IV, and it didn't appear with any fanfare. It just came into existence; one second there was air, the next there was a tank.

"Least we have that going for us," Ribbans murmured. Gladys nodded, "Now if only it were a proper AT…"

Ribbans snorted, and Emma nodded, "Yeah, you have gone off the deep end if you think those were really so good."

"Th-They were!" Gladys defended, and Carney contributed, "The ride was quite comfortably slow."

"Yes, precisely!" Gladys agreed, smiling at how her crew was laughing, "And the turret traverse was smooth, right Ribbans?"

"Oh, it was smooth as a babe," Ribbans nodded, "Practically didn't have to move it at all."

Even Carney chuckled a little at that one, and the crew continued joking as they meandered their way towards their new tank. Finally, they got to it, and Gladys climbed into her cupola, grabbed the radio intercom, and ordered, "Driver, turn us left and then half-speed ahead, please."

She let the intercom go, and Emma informed, "Still no boiler. Or tea."

"Goddamnit," Ribbans murmured as the tank lurched into motion. Gladys promised, "There'll be plenty of tea and biscuits where we're going. Anyways- what about the rounds?"

"Oh, they're all here," Emma answered, "Bit more HE than usual, though."

"Good to hear," Gladys nodded, before standing up in her cupola to use her periscope, and noticing- thanks to the flat nature of the plateau they were on- a pair of civilians approaching. She said nothing, simply staring at them as her tank and the civilians came closer and closer. Finally, she picked up the intercom and commanded, "Driver, full stop."

The tank lurched to a stop, and Emma, of course, questioned, "Why've we stopped?"

"Civilians up ahead," Gladys answered, glancing at Emma- who, for some reason, was jiggling her thigh like there was no tomorrow. As she stood up to get out, Gladys finished, "Everyone be civil, I'll only be out a moment."

"I hope they have some biscuits," Ribbans said. Gladys ignored him, climbing out of her cupola and onto the engine deck, then jumping lightly off there and onto the ground, before finally walking over and greeting, "Hello there. Terribly sorry if we're interrupting something, mister..."

"Ozpin, and this is my colleague, Glynda," the man answered, then continued, "We wanted to speak with you. Provided you aren't too busy."

Gladys tried hard to ignore the light air of sarcasm around the last sentence, as if they already knew just how lost she and her crew were, and instead remained civil as she shook her head, "We're more lost and confused than busy."

Ozpin nodded, and Glynda questioned, "Do you know where you are?"

Gladys shook her head, and Glynda explained, "Right now, you're at Beacon Academy. Where another of your vehicles attacked us."

Gladys blinked, then informed, "I-I'm just a TC. The, ah, only vehicle I command is this one."

"That you were innocent was never in doubt," Ozpin said, casting a glance at Glynda, "But, nevertheless, you can understand our concern with having you roam freely."

"Our driver's quite content to move slowly and not hit things, if it helps," Gladys said. Ozpin nodded, then offered, "We're willing to let you on campus, provided you behave well."

"We always do," Gladys promised. Ozpin instructed, "Follow us closely, and we'll show you where you can go."

-Later

"How much longer will it be?" Ribbans whined, "We're already by some buildings. Good enough cover, I say."

"I could really use a wee, too," Emma added. Gladys informed, "We're just putting the tank someplace safe before we leave it. Carney will follow the civilians, and we'll go where they want us to be."

"Someplace with a loo?" Emma wondered. Ribbans pointed out, "Just use a spent round."

"Well we haven't fired any off yet!" Emma shot, "So I can't very well do that, can I?"

Ribbans started, "Y'know, I say that bush is hiding a-"

"We promised to be on good behavior," Gladys reminded, "I'm sure we can all manage."

"Easy for you to say," Emma shot, "Not holding a bloody lake, are you?"

Gladys sighed, then reminded, "We've all been in the tank for the same amount of time."

"Carney probably has it worst," Ribbans noted, and Emma shot, "But he can go find a tree as soon as he's out! I need a toilet!"

"You'll get a toilet, just hold a little," Ribbans said, and Gladys pointed out, "There are toilets all around here."

Emma immediately started, "Then I'll just nip off and-"

"We'll make sure the tank is safe," Gladys reminded, "And maintain some civility as we do."

"Your skirt's ripped, she needs to piss, and I'm starving," Ribbans noted, "Carney always ends up as the best of us, doesn't he?"

"I… E-Emma," Gladys murmured, "Would… would you mind loaning your skirt to me?"

"I'm about to burst in it!" Emma retorted, lowering her skirt all too readily, "Take it if you want!"

Gladys commanded, "Ribbans."

"Eye's in the scope," he said, "Don't you worry."

She nodded, then gently lowered her own skirt, still blushing as she did. Emma handed her the fresh skirt, and Gladys extended her own, only for Emma to suddenly take her hands and plant them squarely in her panties, muttering, "P-Please… I-I need th-the… the ladies'…"

Gladys sighed, then pointed out, "You can only go if you put the skirt on."

"I-I don't need to head out of here to wee," Emma murmured, "I'm gonna burst in here."

"I'll help walk you if you need," Gladys promised, "But please, put on a skirt."

Emma shook her head, "Th-That damned band'll go 'round my bladder, and…"

She let out an eep, and around her hands Gladys could just about see the white of her panties turning grey. The woman shuddered, then begged, "I n-need a wee…"

Gladys stared a long moment, then picked up the intercom, commanding, "Driver, halt."

The tank lurched to a stop, and Emma didn't even stop for a 'tank you' before hastily opening her hatch. As Gladys hastily put one of the skirts on- not even stopping to check which was which- Ribbans murmured, "Should have gone earlier..."

Quickly, Gladys popped out of her hatch, saying, "Ah- P-Pardon!"

Ozpin turned around, and Gladys lied, "We're, ah, experiencing mechanical issues. I suspect some fluid or another is leaking a bit."

She then got out, standing on the engine deck a moment longer than she really needed to. Mostly because she could just about see Emma's hair, as the woman stood in place and weed. After a moment, though, Gladys brushed it from her mind, heading over to where the two civilians were. Glynda questioned, "You brought a malfunctioning vehicle here?"

"I, ahm, don't believe it's a malfunction," Gladys answered, "Just... ah... an overflow, of sorts. You understand."

Ozpin nodded, and Gladys promised, "Wee- we'll be moving again shortly. Though, might I ask how much farther we're going?"

"You can park in Beacon's courtyard," Ozpin answered, "Until a better arrangement can be made."

"The large buildings are where you're going," Glynda informed. Gladys nodded, then panicked internally during the lull in conversation that followed the subject being brought to a close, needing something to continue the distraction. Fortunately, Ozpin provided this, noting, "There is another arrangement I wished to discuss."

"Of course," Gladys nodded, "We are your guests as long as you'll have us."

Glynda pointed out, "This went well previously."

Ozpin informed, "We would like you and your crew to become students of Beacon Academy."

Gladys froze in shock for a moment, then murmured, "It... ah... w-would be an honor, but, ah..."

She trailed off, and Glynda guessed, "You have more pressing obligations."

"I... n-not to insult, but normally, yes," Gladys answered, "But, given as we're seemingly stranded here..."

She couldn't believe what she was about to say. She didn't want to believe what she was about to say, thinking of all the costs it might have.

"I'll, ah, need to discuss it with my crew," Gladys informed, "Thank you, of course, but this... well, it needs at least some tea and biscuits to talk over."

"Of course," Ozpin nodded, "Today is only the first day of classes. You can answer within the week."

Gladys nodded, then said, "I'll just get back to my crew then. I'm sure she's- ah, that the mechanical issue has mended itself."

Ozpin nodded again, and Gladys ran off back to the tank, clambering quickly into her cupola and shutting it almost immediately. Emma murmured, "Th-Thanks. I... don't think I would've held much longer."

Gladys nodded, "We've, ahm, all been there."

"Meaning just you," Ribbans pointed out. Emma shot back, "Stuff it!"

"No reason to descend into barbarism now," Gladys said, "We've... well, I daresay we've done very well in being polite so far. Let's not cock it- let's keep it going, I mean."

"Sure, sure," Ribbans nodded, and Gladys grabbed the intercom, ordering, "Carney, continue following the civilians, please."

"D'you want us to wait a moment and let you go?" Emma questioned. As the tank lurched into motion, Gladys quickly shook her head, "No, nothing of the sort. Just, ah... looking forward to getting there, and having a good, teatime discussion."

"I'll have my face too stuffed to talk," Ribbans warned, and Gladys informed, "I'll just, ah, wait until you've all had your fill, of course."

-Even later

Lunchtime at Beacon Academy was almost always a rather busy affair, as lunchtime is anywhere. In particular, though, it was usually made even more hectic at Beacon by a few factors. The first was that Beacon was a school; thusly, most of its population were growing teenagers. This one is perhaps least relevant, as the typical age of acceptance was seventeen, meaning most would already be nearing the end of their growing periods, but it was still a factor in the commotion.

The next was another factor of being a school, but also due to the more precise nature of the school. Namely, that it was one suitably far enough away from the city of Vale- and civilization as a whole- that very few students were in daily contact with their parental units, and for most this was actually a new thing. Consequently, it was also new that they would have to prepare their own breakfasts- and so this was something which most simply didn't think to do. Admittedly, this factor only really comes into play during the beginning of the year.

So, then, at noon on the first day of classes, Beacon was filled mostly with teenagers who had not had any breakfast. When classes got out for lunch break, then, it was only natural that a pandemonium ensued, as each and every student sprinted for the cafeteria. This included years later than first, to boot- all years of students were served from the same prepared meal, and so taking longer meant colder food.

None of this was what factored into Yang's mind, staring in annoyance at the lines that she would have to wait through. Instead, what she took to be the issue was two things; Weiss being slow and Ruby insisting on the team going together.

"Shortcut!" the girl cried, going between some of the tables. Indeed, it was a shortcut; in only a few moments of half-running, the team had cleared the length of the cafeteria, settling at the head of the table. They didn't go further, though; stretched horizontally across where they would have gone was the actual line. Ruby asked, "Uh, can we get in?"

"No," someone almost immediately shot back. Ruby nodded quickly, then turned to her teammates, chuckling nervously. Yang surmised, "You got us stuck here."

"Yeah," Ruby admitted, glancing around. That was when she noticed four people already sat down, all staring at her team awkwardly- probably because one of them was the woman from the forest, though now much dirtier. The braid of brown hair resting on her shoulder, at least, was intact, though it looked like her skirt wasn't, and her whole body seemed soot-stained. The other three were new, though- one blonde-haired woman in the same outfit as the other woman, one man with short, brown-hair and a stubble, wearing basically the same clothes but with pants rather than a skirt, and another man in the same clothes with very slightly longer brown hair and no stubble. And all, of course, were in similar levels of sooty dirtiness as the woman.

"What's the matter with you all?" the blonde questioned. The braided woman informed, "Ah, Emma… this, uh, is the reason we're all here."

Yang waved lethargically, and Weiss informed, "I would rather you weren't here."

The braided woman glanced at the long line, pondered a moment, then sighed and asked, "Would you, ah, like to join us for tea while you wait?"

"I'd like if they didn't," the man with short hair shot, and the blonde agreed, "What've they done to get tea?"

"Not getting our biscuits, that's for sure," short hair added. The braided woman retorted, "We were asked to be civil, and I very much intend for us to live up to that."

Short-hair sighed, and longer-hair pointed out, "If you'll pardon me, I'd point out that we don't have enough cups."

He indicated around, and Yang finally saw that the four people actually had things pretty well. Before them was set a plain, white tea set, with a somewhat tall tea pot and four cups, as well as a large box full of tea bags. Along with that was a tin of biscuits, and a few plates on which were a couple of crumbs and, in exclusively the braided woman's case, a half-eaten piece of ham.

"How'd you get food so fast?" Blake questioned. The braided woman answered, "We were here before, though we didn't take much. There should still be plenty, though…" she looked around at the line, then finished, "I hesitate to say plenty for so many."

As Yang reached her hand for the ham, she said, "Lemme just take this, then-"

"That's not yours!" short-hair shot, and the braided woman nodded, "You may have tea with us, and perhaps biscuits."

"Well, why don't you eat it, then?" Yang shot, and the braided woman informed, "I was intending to."

Quietly, she grabbed the piece of ham and gently ate it. A moment of silence passed, since she had been what was driving the conversation. Finally, the short-haired man said, "Well… I'll open. Emma, you sure you've been loading HE?"

The blonde woman nodded, "Yes, of course I have."

"You really sure?" short-hair questioned, and Emma nodded, "As sure as I am that you're asking for a beating. She told me to load HE, I loaded HE."

"Well, there haven't been explosions," short-hair pointed out. Ruby immediately interjected, "Is it maybe HEAT?"

"Sod off," short-hair shot, and Emma agreed, "There are two kinds of rounds in there. Ones AP, and the others HE."

"Is it now?" short-hair questioned, and Ruby pointed out, "Shouldn't you load your own gun?"

"Miss Emma is our loader," longer-hair explained, "Mister Ribbans is our gunner."

"And I know what HE looks like when it hits something," Ribbans shot, and Emma retorted, "I know what the damned round looks like when I grab it!"

"Please, be civil," braided hair reminded, stopping her eating for a moment. Blake questioned, "Are you really going to fight over what round you're using?"

"I mean, it's kinda important," Ruby said, and Ribbans nodded, "It is. Gladys, what would you say if you found out we were shooting APCR?"

"Ooh, you have those?" Ruby marveled, and Emma yelled, "Clear off already!"

"She invited us to tea," Yang pointed out, "Don't you want to hear our 'womanly, civilized' input?"

"Unless you've sat, you're not part of the teatime discussion," Emma shot, "Simple as."

"I would also add that you should be civil," the braided woman put in, "Which our unseated guest has been."

"Yeah," Ruby said, and the braided woman requested, "So, be seated or be gone."

Ruby huffed, then sat down. The braided woman greeted, "Welcome. I'm Gladys, over there is mister Carney, our driver, and I believe you've already met Ribbans and Emma."

"Hi," Ruby said, "I'm Ruby. Anyway, you guys have APCR?"

"Uh, Rubes," Yang said, "Lines moving."

Ruby dismissed, "Nah, I'm good."

Yang raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. Emma noted, "We might have some. I'd doubt it, though."

"I'd doubt it too," Ribbans said, "Because you've been loading it too much."

"I have been loading HE!" Emma shot, and Ribbans pointed out, "We're using a damned two-pounder!"

"We're using a Bofors, actually," Gladys said, "Rather unhistorical, admittedly, but we are."

"And that hasn't gone HE either, has it?" Ribbans questioned. Gladys thought a moment, and Ruby questioned, "Which one of you is carrying it?"

"Oh… oh dear," Gladys murmured, and Ribbans nodded, "Yeah."

"Uh… Emma, how closely have you been looking at the rounds?" Gladys said, "It's been quite dark, too."

"We've been shooting HE," Emma insisted, and Ribbans pointed out, "The Bofors doesn't have an HE round."

"Are you sure she didn't make some?" Ruby chimed in. Carney informed, "We can be quite sure of that."

"Listen, HE rounds have a dull grey tip," Emma said, "And I've been grabbing those. If they don't explode, that's on something else. Besides, APCR is a different shape."

"And if they were too small for the shape to be noticed?" Ribbans questioned, "Maybe covered in soot from driving all day? Would you notice then?"

"I would have noticed," Emma shot, "I'm the damned loader, I load all day, I know when I'm loading something odd."

"Betsy, ah, had the same issue," Gladys informed, "I'd completely forgotten…"

She sighed nostalgically. Ruby asked, "So maybe Betsy knows."

Emma turned red from embarrassment, and Gladys quickly forgave, "I-It's an understandable mistake. I should have remembered that we didn't have HE…"

She sighed deeply, and Ruby questioned, "Shouldn't, uh, Betsy have warned you?"

"She's not with us," Emma informed, "Only need one loader now."

"And why didn't we get the competent one," Ribbans shot, to which Emma retorted, "I'm plenty good at what I do."

"You're sure, miss APCR?" Ribbans bickered, and Gladys stopped, "R-Ribbans, stop. We…"

She sighed deeply, then finished, "We're all in this together. No reason to shout at each other."

"Uh, yeah," Ruby agreed, chuckling a little, "Teammates don't, y'know, yell at each other…"

She cast a glance at Weiss. Gladys guessed, "You're in a team with her, then?"

Ruby nodded, "And my big sister Yang, and Blake. Today's our first day in school."

"And yesterday?" Ribbans shot, to which Ruby answered, "That was just Initiation. Today we're really teammates. And, uh, I'm their leader, I guess."

She smiled a little, and Gladys nodded, "I'm sure you'll do well."

"Uh, thanks," Ruby said, "Uh… bye now."

"Toodles," Gladys returned as Ruby hastily got up, fleeing the awkwardness. Gladys watched Ruby go for a few moments, before Emma pointed out, "Well, now we're well enough alone."

Gladys sighed, then began, "I… as you recall, I'm not sure we can go back to the garage. Everything's rather jumbled at the moment, after all."

"True enough," Ribbans said, and Emma pointed out, "Doesn't mean we should just give up."

"It may be nice to stay here," Carney noted, glancing around. The cafeteria was, after all, the largest building he'd ever been in, save the garage itself. Gladys nodded, "Particularly since… well, since the headmaster of this school has recommended we stay here."

A moment of silence passed.

"Alright," Emma said, "Suppose we did- what then?"

Gladys sighed, then answered, "I… believe we would be students, alongside all of them."

She indicated the line- perhaps the single least hopeful indication of their future- and Emma huffed. Carney noted, "I must say, I'm at a loss for other suggestions."

"We'd have food?" Ribbans questioned, and Gladys nodded, "It seems so. I believe we also passed a student dorm on the way in, so we'd likely have shelter, as well."

"Sounds well enough off for me," Ribbans nodded, and Emma pointed out, "We be leaving our lives behind."

"I believe we may have already done that," Carney noted. Emma huffed, and Gladys informed, "I don't know what we'll be doing here, but I know even less about what we'd do otherwise."

Emma huffed, then agreed, "Fine. We'll all be bloody schoolchildren."

Gladys nodded quietly.

Author's Note: First off, I'd like to say that the whole bit about the ammunition was in no way planned before this chapter. I was not clever in setting this up like a clever little clever person who writes clever things; I just messed up and forgot that the two-pounder doesn't have a high-explosive round. For anyone who spotted the error, I thank you for having the good grace to not point it out to me and instead let me discover it on my own. You'll be happy to hear I've already reported myself to the the Special Landship Service, and I'm soon to have my Teaboo loiscence revoked for my scandalous, glaring ignorance of proud and proper Bri'ish tank design.

Secondly, I did remember that WoT, being WoT, lets you do stuff which wasn't actually done for various reasons- relevant in this case being putting a Bofors in a Cruiser. There was a bit of hope there; I could just say that the Cruiser had a Bofors, and hope that I hadn't already been stupid and said it used a two-pounder at some point prior... But, WoT being WoT, it limits the kinds of rounds available. Namely, the Bofors- a flak gun- doesn't have HE rounds, but does have APCR because... well, what good really is a forty-millimeter HE round, especially when you're fighting tanks?

Now for the important bit: what does any of that mean for anything? I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what it means, I'll tell you sonny boy; it means absolutely nothing unless you're a nerd. And I am a dunce, who has now wasted the time of tens of people by rambling for two sorta-paragraphs. Apologies for the inconvenience to those who've actually bothered to read this, I hope my way of writing here was at least funny.

Updated Note: For some reason, I originally used the name 'Diane' here, referring to the secondary loader in the FV215. After a bit of nostalgic re-reading, I found out I'd already given her the name Betsy. It's been corrected now.