Heya, so before we start this chapter:
Sorry I haven't been updating a lot lately! As of late, I've been struggling to find the motivation to write new chapters, much less any good ideas. To that one guy(or a few), don't worry, I'm not going to abandon this story, just expect slower updates. Fortuantely I'm on my summer break right now, so wish me luck!
Anyways, enjoy this chapter!
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Erika froze when the announcement went out for all to hear. When it was done, she could only mutter one thing to herself. "W-We won...?" her voice shook a little. To her left, Mauko and her Maus were stopped as well.
Mauko popped her head out to see how the Allied Tankers had frozen, before their faces turned to those of defeat. "Y-Yeah!" Mauko screamed in pure joy. "We won!" Hopping out and off of her Maus, Mauko hugged Erika, grabbing her tightly around the neck. Over and over she cried triumphantly that they had won such a historical Sensha-do match. Cheers erupted from the Axis tankers.
Erika slumped over as Sangou, Geshiko, and Emi joined in on hugging their commanding officer. Looking up at the sky, Erika let out one long sigh. "Thank...goodness..." She closed her eyes, finally feeling relaxed for the first time in three days.
At first, Kay looked shocked. Then disappointed, and finally, she just sighed and laughed. "Good job everyone. You did a great job!" Kay shouted, standing up from her Jumbo to tell her comrades a job well done. Then, the rain stopped. Many looked to the sky for a moment to see the clouds begin to dissipate, and for the first time, a beam of uninterrupted sunlight shone through, illuminating the base. It may have not been very bright, but it was a light better than none.
"Man, did you see that charge Willy did!? That was crazy!" A Saunders tank commander asked her friend excitedly, who in turn all nodded and grinned.
Emma, who was nearby and even witnessed the charge being spoken of, looked away from the post-battle proceedings to see some girls from Pravda, who seemed quite confused. So she told them. "Well y'see, during the Axis Assault, Willy was nowhere to be found, but then he appeared out of nowhere from the mountain, and he led a desperate counterattack all by himself!"
"Just like Pickett's charge." Emma jumped at the sound of the voice. It wasn't a girl. It was a man, an American man. Turning around, Emma saw that Nathan had seemingly materialized from the business to add onto the conversation. "Wait..." Nathan raised a not so amused eyebrow upon seeing the puzzled faces the girls were making. "You don't know Pickett's Charge!?"
Emma gulped. "S-sorry..." Oh god, is he-?
"Well lemme tell ya then! Pickett's Charge was a Confederate-'' and before anyone could protest, Nathan launched into a lecture about the infamous Confederate Assault that ultimately led to a decisive Union Victory during the Battle of Gettysburg. "After the war, someone asked General Pickett about why he failed, to which he said, 'I've always thought the Yankees had something to do with it.' Just like I was saying earlier, Willy's charge was just like the one done by General Pickett."
"I-I see..."
Willy, who was nearby with his knocked out Easy Eight, just laughed. Next to him was Alisa, who was standing atop the Easy Eight and searching the crowds for...someone. "Who ya lookin' for girly?" Daniel asked, popping his head out of the loader's hatch.
"I'm looking for that German kid...I've got something to ask him." Daniel heard Alisa mutter as she continued to scan the crowds for a field grey Wehrmacht uniform.
"Uhhhhh, why you lookin' for 'em?"
Daniel didn't get an answer, because Alisa spotted her target. Or more specifically, her targets. Alisa jumped off the Easy Eight, marched through the crowd, and came face to face with Peter and Koume, who were chatting about the battle with El from Blue Division, Anchovy, Pepperoni, and Carpaccio. "Hey, you two!" Alisa pointed a finger at Peter and Koume.
"Uh..." Peter raised an eyebrow. "[Was ist los?]"
Alisa took a deep breath, and spat out her question. "Are you two a couple?" The three Anzio commanders spat out something that they were drinking and began to laugh and chortle. When Peter and Koume blushed, but didn't give an answer, Alisa pressed the question. "W-well are you!? Everyone won't stop talking about it!"
Koume began to stutter, "W-well we're just friends-"
"That's bull! Then how come you and this German kid are so close eh!?" Alisa was quite literally pressing them, as she was getting closer and closer to the pair. "Tell me!"
Peter gently pushed Alisa away. "W-Why are you asking us anyways?" he asked her.
Alisa let out one massive breath, before she let loose what was on her mind. "How did you do it!? How in the world did you two get so close so fast!?"
"I-I'm sorry, what-" Koume tried to ask but Alisa drowned her out with her tirade.
"I mean, I've been trying to get Takeshi for years, nothing happens! Meanwhile you two are all lovey dovey and shit and you've already known each other for like...two weeks! One of you must be doing something right! What did you talk about eh!? Food!? Tanks!? Tell me your secrets!" Alisa ranted, turning more and more red as she went on her tirade about her rather unfortunate lack of love. This went on for some time until Naomi arrived, and she pulled away Alisa wordlessly, before dragging the jealous tanker off.
However, Peter and Koume could just not catch a break as seconds later, Konrad popped up and said nonchalantly, "You should hurry up and give little Koume your bratwurst already, Peter."
Koume raised an eyebrow, looking at the womanizer. Then she looked at Peter, whose entire face was now blood red, and with that, Koume realized the joke that Konrad had just made. She turned to the German, red in the face as well, but not from just embarrassment. "P-Pervert!" she spat out, before she punched him in the gut. Despite having just been slugged, Konrad still grinned devilishly at the reaction of his younger comrade and said comrade's close friend. The others laughed and jeered, continuing to tease Peter and Koume.
Fortunately for Peter, a passing Lennard brought up a random idea. "[Hey, Peter, why not try singing? You haven't done that in a while.]"
Peter raised an eyebrow. "[We just did that a few hours ago?]"
"[No, I meant by yourself.] You can sing pretty well."
Kay, who had overheard, appeared and gave Peter a hearty slap on the back, encouraging him. "Sounds fun! Why not sing something, eh!?" A few others repeated this, asking him to sing to them all.
"Argh, fine!" Peter cried out, giving into peer pressure. "[Right, what's a good song I could sing...]"
Helpfully, Lennard suggested a song. "Why not sing the Westerwaldlied? You're from Westerwald yourself." Peter shrugged, and with one loud throat clear, he began to sing.
"[Heute wollen wir marschieren
Einen neuen Marsch probier'n
In dem schönen Westerwald
Ja da pfeift der Wind so kalt
Oh, Du schöner Westerwald
(Eukalyptusbonbon)
Über Deine Höhen pfeift der Wind (whistle) so kalt
Jedoch der kleinste Sonnenschein
Dringt tief ins Herz hinein]"
Peter had quite a beautiful singing voice. It was light and clear, and very loud. When Peter finished, Koume and the others gave the now blushing Peter a round of applause. While all of this was going on, Erika was simply laying back on her Tiger II, relieved that the stress of commanding was no longer in her hands. It was a long three days after all. And then, her phone rang. "Who...?" Taking the smartphone out of her pocket, Erika's eyes widened and she jumped up as soon as she saw who the caller was.
"Who's that?" Mauko piped up.
"I-It's the commander..." Erika swallowed, and for the second time that day she answered a phone call from a hospitalized Maho. "H-Hello?"
"Congratulations Erika!"
"Eh!?"
"You won the battle." Laying back in her hospital bed, Maho took a deep breath. "Good job."
"R-really?" Erika spouted, somewhat in disbelief that she had done a good job.
"Yes, really. I'm proud of you, you managed to take over as commander, and you did your duty well. I watched everything, and that frontal charge of yours with the supplanting mountain platoons was quite something, I have to say."
Erika blushed at the compliment, despite it being over the cell. "T-thank you so much, commander."
Maho laughed. "Erika, just call me Maho. I mean it."
"A-ah, sorry. Th-thank you, Maho."
The rest of the day was rather uneventful. After fixing up as many tanks as possible and taking into account all the injured, supplies, and tanks, they waited for the ships to pick them all up and take them back home to their school ships. Eventually, they arrived and after loading all the tanks back up into cargo boxes and the students(and soldiers) onto the passenger ship, they were all set to go back home. Somehow, the Stahlrattes and Green Day managed to hide their own tanks just like they did before the Three Day Battle, along with themselves. Except for Peter.
As Koume sat watching the ocean waters from the railing of the passenger ship, seeing the school ships coming into view. She let out a relieved sigh of comfort. Finally...the first thing I'm doing is taking a nap. And a shower, I must smell.
"Koume!" A male voice suddenly called out to her.
Turning to her left, Koume was pleasantly surprised to see Peter walking towards her. "Peter! Aren't you..." Koume raised an amused eyebrow. "Supposed to be hiding? So the officials don't find you if they happen to come aboard?"
Peter laughed, waving it off. "It's fine. Besides, this ship is being crewed by girls in the Naval Departments from the schools, right?" After Koume agreed with him, Peter joined Koume in watching the ocean, leaning against the railing. This also gave Koume the chance to take in the new outfit Peter was wearing. Instead of his usual feldgrau uniform, Peter was wearing a soft white long sleeved shirt and accompanying black pants. However, he retained his combat boots, and to cover his face from the sun, his M43 field cap. "So...quite a crazy three days we've had."
"Unfortunately a bit too crazy. I wonder if Maho is doing alright?"
Peter smiled inwardly at Koume's caring demeanor. "She's probably alright. Maho seems pretty tough if you ask me." Peter turned to look at Koume, who was sitting on a bench instead of leaning against the railing, continuing about Maho. "I actually admire her a lot. She has a calm and strong demeanor in battle, and she's able to capture the affection of her soldiers. Especially in Erika's case."
Koume giggled. "Definitely. I think Erika has a crush on her, but she refuses to acknowledge it." Peter chuckled with a smile, which Koume couldn't help but return. "Y'know you're actually a lot like her. You're both strong in the face of battle and you seem to make friends easily."
Peter's smile faltered a little, before he turned back to look at the ocean. For a moment Koume worried she had hit a sensitive spot. Peter took a sigh accompanied by a rather depressing chuckle. "I wouldn't say that, especially about making friends. I grew up in some village in the middle of Westerwald with only my mother, and everyone else...well a lot of the other boys thought something was wrong with me..."
Koume raised an eyebrow. "But, you seem pretty normal to me. W-well as normal as a Wehrmacht conscript gets, heh..."
Peter just shook his head. "No, not in the sense that there was something physically or mentally wrong with me, it was because..." Peter took a deep breath. "Actually nevermind. My childhood isn't very nice."
Koume shrugged internally, putting a comforting hand on Peter. "Don't worry. You can tell me another time, when you're comfortable with it."
Peter returned a warm smile. "Thanks. And sorry that I rambled for a little bit, it's just...something weird that happens for me and the others."
Koume laughed a little when she saw Peter's slightly depressed face. "It's alright. I guess there's been a lot on your mind?"
"Yeah...I guess I just felt like confiding in someone and you're probably the only person I trust in that sense."
"Really?" Koume exclaimed, surprised by that fact. "Not even Faber or anyone else?"
"N-no...because..." Peter muttered.
"Because...?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. Koume looked at Peter expectantly, but all she saw was his blushing face.
"N-nothing, I-I was just having some random thoughts." Peter stuttered, waving his hands slightly. "..."
"..." Koume took a glance around the deck area the two were watching the sea from. No one else was around except for them. Just the two of them, alone. "I thought your singing was really nice."
"Oh! Uh, thanks!" Peter blushed, rubbing his hair. "I could sing again, if you want."
"I think that'd be lovely, Peter. Go ahead."
Standing straight and clearing his throat, Peter decided to choose a song that he hadn't sung before ever since he was transported into this world.
"[|: Es wollt' ein Mädchen früh aufstehn
drei viertel Stund vor Tag :|
|: Wollt' in den Wald spazieren gehn,
halli, hallo, spazieren gehn,
Bis daß der Tag anbrach :|
|:Und als sie in den Wald 'nein kam,
Da kam des Jägers Knecht :|
|:Ei Mägdlein, scher dich aus dem Wald,
Halli, hallo, ja aus dem Wald ,
Es mein'm Herrn , dem ist's nicht recht :|]"
Peter would've kept going and finished the song with the third verse, but a cool voice interrupted the two. "Hey, lovebirds." The two wheeled around to see none other than Erika walking towards them, a not so amused look on her face. "We're gonna be docking soon, so hurry the hell up and get your tanks ready."
"R-right..." Peter and Koume simultaneously replied.
"And you!" Erika pointed an aggressive finger at Peter. "You still owe me that Hamburg steak, remember?"
"Ah, c-crap, that's right..."
The cargo and passenger ships then spent the next hour or so returning everyone and everything back to their respective school ships. But they couldn't catch a break just yet, because Erika insisted that she go visit Maho right afterwards. At first, a lot of people wanted to go, but that was too many, so after some debate, it would be Erika, Koume, Miho, Katyusha(so she could apologize), and Peter. The latter was basically forced to go because it would look odd if a fully grown German man visited Maho, and fortunately, Peter blended right in thanks to his age. And fortunately, nobody seemed to mind the 16 year old German boy in the Kuromorimine hospital.
"Right, we're here...Room 131." Erika muttered as they finally reached Maho's hospital room. "That's a funny coincidence, 131 is the number of that one Tiger H1 in Britain." Her heart pounding a little more than usual, Erika knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Erika turned the handle, and pushed the door open. Situated in the corner of the hospital room next to the windows was the bed, and laying upon it was Maho. Miho pushed past Erika to hug her sister, saying with great relief, "Thank goodness...you're alright."
Maho just smiled and hugged back. "How did the rest of the battle go? Apart from the Axis win."
As the two sisters(and Erika, who just stood watching)happily continued their conversation about the Three Day Battle, Katyusha tipped back and forth on her feet, absentmindedly twiddling her thumbs. It was then that someone pushed her forwards from behind. "Well...you owe her an apology, right?" Peter said with a surprisingly cold voice. To his right stood Koume, who had a gentle smile on her face that betrayed a much more intimidating aura.
"R-right..." Argh, I wish Nonna was here! Katyusha nervously walked towards Maho's hospital bed. When she got there, she cleared her throat, making her presence known. "U-Um..." Miho, Maho, and Erika all looked down on the Pravda commander expectantly, along with a little bit of contempt. "I'm...I'm sorry about what happened." Katyusha did a little bow. "I-I can't really justify what I did. I almost caused a tank crew to drown, and now you're here in the hospital because of it." Maho was a little bit surprised at how sincere Katyusha sounded in her apology. "I'm sorry."
Maho scanned the smaller commander head to toe. She seemed very genuine in her apology, and any sign of the condescending and prideful girl was gone. "Well...I accept your apology." Katyusha looked up. Erika looked slightly shocked, but she wiped her expression clean. "But-" Katyusha shivered as Maho's voice turned icy. "If you do something like that again...you know what'll happen." Katyusha could only profusely nod and bow, eliciting laughs from everyone in the room at how scared she seemed.
And then, the door opened, and a tall woman appeared in the once empty doorway.
"Maho." a familiar, stern voice called out. Everyone but Peter jumped at the voice.
"...Mother." Maho said after a second of silence. Standing in the doorway was Shiho Nishizumi, wearing her typical stern, stoic expression. "How've you been?"
"Fine. How about you?" Shiho replied, her voice unchanging from it's typical stern tone.
"The doctor says I can leave the hospital in about two weeks or so. Perhaps longer."
"I see. I hope you get better." Shiho turned her gaze onto Erika, who jumped. "Itsumi, I trust you can lead the Sensha-do team until then? We can't make fools of ourselves during this festival."
"O-Of course ma'am!" Erika responded almost instantly. She even saluted, to which Shiho nodded approvingly. The whole time, Katyusha stood frozen, doing nothing but watching the Headmistress of the Nishizumi household like she was a dangerous predator ready to attack.
With a final nod, Shiho turned around to leave the room. And then, someone caught her eye. "Who's this boy?" Everyone in the room froze with a chilling realization. That they had forgotten that Peter was in the room with them. "...Well?"
Everyone looked at each other, their eyes darting around and trying to find an answer without exposing who Peter truly was. Fortunately, Maho answered. "He's a Panzerfahren student from Germany."
Shiho raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yes. He came here to see the Sensha-do Anniversary, and I happened to meet him while he was on the ship." Maho answered calmly. Peter stole a glance at Maho before returning to look at Shiho, who, to his discomfort, now had her gaze directly on him.
"...I see. What's your name?" Shiho asked, her gaze feeling like an x-ray to Peter.
Peter swallowed. "P-Peter." I've met a lot of intimidating people but this woman...she's Maho and Miho's mother? Jesus...she's scary...And on some sort of bizarre instinct, Peter added, "From Westerwald." A chilling feeling went up Peter's spine. Shit...is there a Panzerfahren school in Westerwald in this world?
Shiho raised her eyebrow again, but she simply turned to the doorway. "I see. I have to go. Get well soon Maho." And just like that, she was gone.
"Urgh..." Peter grumbled as he and the others all walked out of the hospital.
Miho could only offer a small smile to the boy. "Was my mother too intimidating?" Peter nodded numbly. "Don't worry...she's always like that."
"R-really? I mean, I've met a lot of different people before, but your mother was just completely different. She had a similar aura to Faber if you ask me. Stern and commanding."
"I see."
Erika interrupted their conversation, saying, "I'm glad Maho made up that backstory on the spot...it's actually pretty convincing too, since they do Sensha-do in Europe and America too. By the way, Peter, you said someone was going to pick you up?"
Peter was about to answer when the group heard a motorcycle growl accompanied by a familiar voice. "[Peter, let's go!]" Otto waved at Peter, who said his goodbyes and began clambering into the side car of the BMW R75. "[I brought your jacket too, better put that on.]" Peter stopped climbing in, and standing back up on the ground, he reached into the side car to pull out his feldgrau Wehrmacht jacket. In one smooth move, he slipped his left arm into the respective sleeve before pulling the rest around himself while slipping his right arm into his right sleeve. With one final wave, Peter got into the side car, and the BMW drove off.
Unbeknownst to everyone present, a certain someone watched as the two Germans drove off to return to the forest. She put her phone to her head. "Chiyo. I found something odd."
"What is it? Is it about...that rumor?"
"Yes. While I was visiting Maho, I noticed that there was this boy who was visiting her alongside Itsumi, Akaboshi, Miho, and the Pravda commander. Maho said he was a Panzerfahren student from Germany, but the boy, who said his name is Peter, told me that he was from Westerwald."
Chiyo realized what Shiho was getting at. "But there aren't any Panzerfahren schools in the Westerwald region. So you're saying..."
"Yes. And just now, he left in a BMW R75 driven by a man in glasses."
"It could've just been a friend of his? If he really is just a student from Germany then there's nothing all too suspicious."
"Let me finish. Before he left, pulled on a Wehrmacht jacket, and earlier while in Maho's room, I noticed that he had a very genuine looking M43 cap."
Chiyo sighed. "Shiporin, are you sure you're not just being paranoid?"
Shiho sputtered for a moment. "Don't call me that Chiyokichi!"