Dust Devils - A Girls Und Panzer Story

Chapter 81

Monday September 23rd, 2013

"Alright, let me see if I understand this right," Gabrielle said, not quite fully comprehending what she was just told. On the other side of the desk in the garage's office stood Madison. "It's a musical about the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln?"

"Yep."

"Really..."

Gabrielle had a hand over her mouth as she thought about Madison's proposition. The girl, who at times she confused for Valarie, wanted the whole team to attend the play when it premieres Wednesday evening. Madison offered them all tickets to the front two rows to incentivize them to come, the best seats in the house. Really though, all of this was just a way for Valarie to go to the play, to share her passions with her sister.

"The whole affair is rather tasteful and so much fun. Though, I am biased as I'm managing the whole thing."

Gabrielle swiveled her chair toward Martin, who sat across the room to her right at another desk.

"It's your call," he said with a shrug. "Truthfully, I am curious to see how they could pull it off."

She refocused her attention on Madison, who had her hands behind her back and patiently awaiting a response. Gabrielle gave her the nod she wanted.

"Alright then, the team will have no meeting on Wednesday. Frankly, it'd be rather pointless as our tanks are going to be transported to the match area tomorrow. Heh, what the hell. Those kids could use a day off to do what they want before we all have to go to the match."

"Great! The tickets will be delivered to them in their first-period classes."

"And, I'm assuming we," Gabrielle referred to both herself and Martin. "Get some tickets too, hmm?"

"More tickets can always be printed. Expect them soon."

As business came to a close in the office, at the ground floor, business of another sort was about to go down. The shoulder patches that Heather designed have now gone from only existing on paper to now being able to be touched and felt. Prior to the start of today's meeting, Valarie received a box that contained the patches, ready to be sewn on people's uniforms.

At the T-44, Valarie opened the box with her crew, eager to get their hands on them. One patch was grabbed from the box and proudly presented.

"Beautiful," Emma remarked, grinning.

"Badass," Ashley said, grabbing the patch from Valarie's hand to admire it closer."

"This is definitely up there with the best things I've ever created," Heather said proudly. She couldn't resist a smirk.

"With these patches, we know have something that represents the whole team," Valarie said. Another patch was in her hand, her eyes soaking in every detail of it, from the bright red roses, the stems that coil around the shell, to the crosshair behind it all. "Something that we can all be proud to wear."

"Heather, can you stitch my patch on for me?" Emma asked, voice polite as she can manage without sounding artificial. "I'm no good with needles. I'll poke myself to death if I do it myself."

Heather could only answer with a half-nod before another request was sent her way.

"If you're already doing Emma's─" Ashley began to say, but the raising of Heather's finger silenced her.

"Fine, I'll do yours too."

"Heather..." Valarie then said, more than half embarrassed.

"Alright, alright," Heather sighed. She got three patches and stuffed them down her pockets. "I'll sew them all tonight."