Dust Devils - A Girls Und Panzer Story

Chapter 27

Friday, April 12th 2013

The final day of the convention has arrived. A day for some hoped to be filled with good times, but instead, those same people will be in a partially formal setting. Today, prominent former tankers will convene in a room in the convention where they will hear the rule proposal set forth by the Association. Not only will this rules committee come together, but also the team captains of the schools who have attended the convention. They serve as representatives of the nation's tankery athletes. They have no vote, only to share their opinions for consideration by the committee. In a hotel room, some young teens got ready. Valarie and Ray were dressed in their uniforms, freshly ironed.

"Only two reps per school, so it's just going to be me and Ray." said Valarie.

The rest of the crew were dressed much more casually.

"Okay, but if you need anything, we're just a text away." Emma said.

"Thank you very much."

Valarie and Ray left the room, with Ray carrying a small binder of notes. As they were waiting for the elevator, he had an unrelated question that he was dying to know the answer too.

"So, are you and Emma now—"

"Dating? Yes." Valarie finished

A huge smile formed on his face. An infectious one.

"Congratulations." he said.

"Thank you. I'm curious, Ray, are you, uh, taken?"

"Taken?"

"Are you seeing anyone?"

"Oh. Not right now. I'm not sweating over it though. Dating is not a thing you should rush into"

"But you've dated before, yeah?"

Ray put his hands behind his back. Out from his mouth escaped an embarrassed laugh.

"Um...no."

"Really?"

"Yeah, as I said, I'm in no rush."

The elevator arrived and its doors opened.

"Alright, I can understand that. I won't tease you over it."

The pair boarded the elevator, which took them down to the lobby. In another of the hotel, another person was preparing for today. Though she had neglected to pack clothing remotely close to formal, thankfully the person she was sharing the room with did. Redwood was more than happy to let Buchanan to wear some of his clothes for today. Her attire was a white dress shirt with a black tie affixed to her neck. For the bottom portion was navy blue slacks. Her ashy blonde hair was then put in a pony tail. A view in the mirror revealed a totally different person.

"I've never looked so professional in my life." she remarked, amazed.

"It's a good look. A damn good one." Redwood complimented.

"Well, it is your clothes so there is some bias here. Still..."

She struck a pose in the mirror.

"I do rock the outfit."

Buchanan looked at the time.

"Twenty minutes till it starts. I'm off."

Redwood rose from the bed he was resting from and went toward Buchanan to give her a warm embrace.

"It's all going to turn out fine in the end. I can feel it." he said, stroking her hair.

The two looked at each other and exchanged kisses.