Dust Devils - A Girls Und Panzer Story

Chapter 40

June 10th, 2013

Boston

"Everything is going swimmingly." Penelope remarked with huge satisfaction. She and Caroline were spending some time before school started at a nearby cafe, enjoying lattes.

"I know, right?" Caroline said. "The team is keeping their mouth shut, despite the overwhelming desire to share about the new little tank we have."

Penelope let out a little chuckle.

"Heh, there's nothing 'little' about our new machine."

"Mmmhmm. When that thing fired for the first time, I will never forget the team's expression. Just complete and utter awe. Almost everyone's mouth was open. And the power behind its gun is a sensation that still makes me tingle. Not to mention just how loud it is. Did you know some people called the police thinking a bomb went off?"

"A testament to just how powerful a gun it has," Penelope said with a grin. She took a sip of her latte and her expression changed to something more serious. "While nothing is guaranteed, I'm fairly confident we'll win the tournament."

"There is certainly a precedent."

"Yes, now let's assume we've won. We're now representing the U.S in the world tournament. We've been in that place twice before. And you remember how it ended both times."

Caroline ducked down her head.

"Yeah," she said with some sadness. "We never won the world tournament. Each time we participated in the competition, a Japanese team handed us defeats. The first time we lost, I was upset, but then, when we lost again to another Japanese team, I became irate."

"Do you remember the Japanese teams we fought against back then?"

"Not their names, no," Caroline said with a dismissive wave. "After the defeats, I've expunged them from my memory because remembering them gave me depression."

Penelope smiled softly.

"Mmm. Do you happen to remember when we met each of the Japanese team's leadership?"

"Oh, them? They, I will never forget. Interesting characters, just full of contrasts. At our first time, it was this short girl on the shoulders on another, taller, girl. She was very full of herself and just flat-out annoying. During her whole speech on how she'll crush us, the tall girl she was on just stayed mute. Weird."

"And what about the leadership of the next Japanese team we faced?"

"I don't like the captain of that team. She's intimidating and I don't know it's intentional or just a part of her character. She spoke stoically and her face was devoid of any and all emotion. Then you have her co-captain. Her sister, I think. All bubbly and actually smiled at us. That is who I want to meet again, not any of them else."

"If we win the nationals, we will meet them again on the world stage," Penelope said with determination. "And with our new machine, we will have our revenge."

Barstow

The school day had concluded and members of the Mojave Rose tankery team raced to the garage. As the finals approached, there were more things to do to prepare for the big day. Today, the commander's meeting was to be held. Ray and Valarie were in Room 34 getting everything ready.

"So, I've been doing something on the side that I think you'll like." Ray said.

"Oh? What's that?"

"I've researched and compiled the combat histories of the tanks on the team," he said as he showed her a flash drive. "Do you mind if I share that before we get down to strategy for the finals?"