Monday September 30th, 2013
Catalina's School Carrier
Port of Iquique, Chile
Her breathing was back to normal. The aches were gone. She no longer felt the uncontrollable urge to empty her stomach. The illness that put Valarie through hell in more ways than one has finally been vanquished. Never before has the feeling of being normal ever been so satisfying, and she relished in every breath she took in through her now-clear nostrils. The sunlight that shined across her room warmed her skin, and she laid in bed for a few more minutes to bathe in the rays before finally rising.
She went straight toward the living room to wake a sleeping Madison on the couch.
"Mmm, how'd you sleep?" her sister said amid yawns.
"The best in a long time," Valarie answered with a delightful grin. "God damn, Madison, the team won. I never doubted them, but...there were some parts I didn't know at all how things would play out. I don't know all the details right now, but I will when the team comes back to the carrier tomorrow."
"I'm sure the things they'll say can fill a book," Madison stood up from the couch and stretched to the point they were audible pops. A sofa wasn't the most ideal place to sleep on. Her hair and clothes were in a mess. "I'm gonna shower up. Oh, and I'm gonna borrow one of your spare school uniforms if you don't mind."
"Yeah, go right ahead."
"Thanks!" Madison responded. She was halfway to the bathroom when her voice rang out once more. "You and I are going to hang out all day today. I've got something interesting I want to share with you later today."
The bathroom door was locked, and the sound of flowing water was heard before Valarie could even begin to ask what Madison meant by 'interesting'. She ran it through her mind for a few short moments before setting it aside. Her sister will explain in due time, for now, Valarie resumed relishing not only in the warm sunlight but in the more incredible ecstasy of a secured victory. Though her mind was already concerning itself with the particulars of training and preparation for the next match, Valarie also managed to put these thoughts to the side. She wanted this day to be nice and easygoing.
At least for today. Before the routine and heavy responsibilities return in full force.
***
The weather outside matched the walk to school; pleasant. The late September sun did not shine too harshly to be uncomfortable, and the wind that blew through the streets made their hair dance. As Valarie and Madison walked, the sisters chatted about whatever happened to strike their minds. The match dominated most of their conversation, with Madison sharing the details Valarie missed when she went to bed yesterday. She silently nodded and made the occasional brief remark every now and then at everything Madison regaled...until she was informed of a particular heavy tank's demise.
"What? Juniper went down? That happened when I was asleep?" Valarie remarked. The agitation in her voice spiked but lowered right back down.
"It was brutal, frankly," Madison said. "They took some kind of damage where they couldn't drive forward anymore, but not enough where they couldn't move at all. They turned themselves around and just started blasting. Then, they were swallowed in a big fiery explosion. It reminds me of that little trick you did in your Arizona match way back when."
Valarie sighed and groaned. She looked at Madison with a real face of displeasure. "Don't remind me of that. Please."
"Alright, alright," Madison backed off. She was somewhat confused why the Arizona match was a sour spot for Valarie but thought it wise not to press her for more info. "Anyway, yeah, that was the end of them."
"Man...the IS-3 has never been knocked out before," Valarie reacted with partial awe. "It has taken so much abuse. It shrugged off a hit from an E-100."
"E-100...," Madison echoed. She put on a pondering face. "That is...?"
Valarie giggled. "If I start going in-depth about the E-100, I wouldn't be able to stop myself also talking about the greater Standardpanzer project. So, in short, the E-100 is a monster of a tank."
"Coming from you, it must be a true behemoth."
That got another bout of small laughter from her. "Oh man was it...," Her voice went quiet as she spoke as the greater implications of the IS-3 being eliminated early into the match sunk in. "I wonder who took command after Ray was out of action. Who did he choose as his second...if he did."
"Me and Mrs. Redwood wondered the same thing," Madison told her. "We both think he did appoint someone. Mrs. Redwood even said that he probably had trouble choosing who 'cause he had to deal with a bunch of people clamoring for the job all at once."
Valarie didn't immediately respond to what her sister shared with her. There was a part of her that didn't fully believe that. She was incredibly intimate with all the aspects that composed the responsibilities and burdens of command. It wasn't a job that everyone really wanted, with some not even fully understanding just what the role entailed. People have seen Valarie work hour after hour on her strategies, look over enough maps to fill multiple atlases, conducted deep research about armored research vehicles to make a tank historian blush, and so much more. While people on the team do absolutely appreciate everything she does, Valarie has never felt that anyone wanted to do what she did. Not even an inkling. Though it wasn't Madison's words, but Gabrielle's. She certainly knew a thing or two about tankery. There had to be some merit to what she said.
"Maybe...," Valarie finally said. "I'll know for sure if that the case when everyone comes back."
"Say, do you think a celebration is in order?"
"A celebration?"
"Yeah!" Madison got excited. "I'm thinking of a party for the team. They did snatch victory from the jaws of defeat."
Valarie hummed in thought for a few moments. Her mouth curled into a smile, which spiked Madison's joy, though she had another occasion in mind to celebrate. An occasion she felt was far more worthy of commending. "Yes to the party but not to celebrate yesterday's victory."
"...No?" Madison looked at her funny. "If not for the victory, then for what?"
"The one-year anniversary," Valarie answered with a bright grin.
It didn't take long for Madison to understand what Valarie meant by that. Her grin matched the one on her sister's face as her mind was awash with memories. "Geez, a year has passed already?"
"It sure has. A lot has happened."
"A lot has changed."
"Yes," Valarie said warmly. "If you were to ask me a year ago that I'd be wearing slick school uniforms while also living on school carrier, I wouldn't believe a word of it."
Madison nodded at that. "What else has changed?"
Valarie laid a finger on her chin as she pondered. "Hmm, I never would have expected so much traveling, first across the country, and now, all over the world to places like Ireland, Spain, Germany, and Bolivia. Traveling was a thing I just didn't do before."
"Uh-huh," Madison said with some traces of impatience. "What else?"
Valarie's lips curled into a smile. She sensed that Madison was waiting for her to say a particular thing on account of her expectant eyes. There was never a bad moment to have a bit of fun. "Going to such a modern-looking school is another change. I do like how the whole campus looks.
A sigh could be heard escaping from Madison. "Yes. Okay. Cool. Anything else? Perhaps a big, huge change to your family?"
"A huge change, huh?" Valarie played dumb. "I don't know of any. Things are same-old, same-old."
"Really..." Madison groaned with an eye roll. "You're really doing this? Man, I liked you better when you were sick."
Valarie then suddenly snapped her fingers. "Oh, I just remembered another change. The biggest of them all." She stopped walking and turned to face Madison directly. Valarie reached out to place a hand on each of Madison's shoulders. "Learning that I have a sister and her becoming one of the best people in my life is something I would have never guessed in a million years. But I am forever thankful that it did happen. I love that you're a part of my life now, Madison, and I love you."
Madison didn't immediately say anything in response. She couldn't say anything. She looked away from her sister to gaze in some random direction and did her best to hold back the emotions that now flooded her, but it was to no avail. When Madison looked back at Valarie, tears were streaking down her cheeks. Valarie moved quickly to wipe them off.
"I-I didn't expect you saying that," Madison amid sniffles. "I mean, I did expect something like that, but nothing so heartfelt."
Valarie finished wiping away the tears, though Madison's eyes were still a bit red. "I mean every word of it."
With another sniffle, Madison got all cleaned up. "You know, you do a pretty good job at making me cry."
"What can I say? I'm a girl of many talents."
The two sisters shared a tender laugh together before resuming their trek to school. Along the way, they continued their chat.
"So, about that first-anniversary party..." Valarie began to ask though Madison interjected.
"Don't you worry a thing about it. I'll take care of every little detail. With the anniversary about a month away, I've got all the time I need to make it right."
Valarie nodded at that. "Now, is this whole idea of having a party that 'interesting' thing you talked about earlier?"
"Nope," replied a grinning Madison. "I'll tell you later."
***
The morning classes went smoothly enough, much to Valarie's liking. Her morning classes weren't anything complicated, with things like literature and history composing her schedule. She thought that returning to class would aid in restoring the feeling of normalcy, and to an extent, it did. However, there was an ever-present factor that reminded her of plans that went awry. All for reasons out of her control.
Next to her was an empty desk in her classes, and it was no mystery as to who was missing. If she hadn't gotten sick, she and Emma wouldn't have been parted. Right now, the couple should be enjoying their time together, basking in the afterglow of a well-earned victory. For a brief moment as she worked away on an assignment, a fury fermented within her. Silently processing the inner turmoil of having to miss a match, something she suspects she'll never truly get over. But there was no point in having this anger within her, so it was extinguished before it degenerated into hatred toward the person who sat behind in the play who got her sick. What happened, happened.
So, instead of remaining angry, she channeled her emotional energy to make a promise to herself. That never again in her life would she miss a tankery match. It was totally out of the question.
When lunchtime rolled around, Valarie received a text from Madison to head straight to the student council room. Not for any pressing concerns, but to simply hang out. Not being one to reject an opportunity to eat in an air-conditioned room, she was on her way.
Arriving there, Valarie found Catalina's student council in the normal state during the lunch period. Mostly empty save for two familiar faces, Madison and Alice. She joined up with the pair at a table, and the trio went about chatting away about their day. What they all talked about were trivial matters. Things that would cease being relevant when the day was up. Minor complaints about classes, students, homework, teachers, and all sorts of gossip are no doubt exaggerated.
It was primarily Alice and Madison doing the talking, the two girls speaking a mile a minute, with Alice catching up Madison on all the latest happenings. Valarie was content with taking a more reserved stance and soaking in every word that was being said. During this conversation, though, a word was repeated every now and then that piqued her curiosity and demanded to be satisfied.
"Hey, I've got to ask," Valarie said in the middle of their conversation. "What is this Iridescent-class you two are talking about?"
Alice and Madison both exchanged looks. They initially found such a question odd though they quickly remembered that Valarie did not at all come from the same background they did.
"The Iridescent-class is a ship class our ship, the Rembrandt, is a part of," Madison said to her.
"Ship class?" Valarie responded with some confusion. "Sorry, when it comes to boats, the only thing I know about them is that they float."
"I'll lay it down for you. A ship class refers to a group of sea-going vessels that are similarly designed. In our case, the Rembrandt is an Iridescent-class Academic Megacarrier. Whatever the name of the class leader is determines the name of the ship class."
"So, there's a school ship out there by the name of Iridescent?"
"You got that right," Madison grinned. "The Iridescent was designed in 1992, kneel laid down at NASSCO's shipyard by San Diego in 1994, and set sail the following year. Since then, five ships of the class were constructed and are now operational."
Valarie slowly exhaled as she took a moment to gaze at the ceiling. "I'm still coming to terms with the sheer size of this ship. I can't even begin to try to imagine five other titans out there."
Alice couldn't hold back a chuckle over what Valarie had said. "Actually, believe it or not, ships like the Rembrandt are what we call moderately-sized."
Valarie looked at the girl as if she had suddenly sprouted two heads. "You've got to be messing with me, right?"
"Oh, but I am not," Alice reclined back into her chair. "I've been on a ship once on a visit that was a staggering 12 miles in length."
A vessel that was 12 miles long was something Valarie couldn't comprehend. Totally beyond all her frames of reference. All she could do was remain speechless for several long seconds.
"That was my precise reaction when I first saw that thing," Alice went on, pointing at Valarie's face. "They call it the Executive. It's so huge that only two ports in the whole world can fully support it."
"Holy hell...I kinda refuse to believe it even exists."
"Believe it. That thing is an utter monster. The king of kings. It's the only ship in its class and hosts a true city on its deck. The Executive's design is based upon──"
"CVN-68 USS Nimitz, named after Chester W. Nimitz, former fleet admiral of the US Navy and Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Fleet," Madison exclaimed, letting her clear enthusiasm for naval history shine through. "Oh, by the way, Alice, ships are called 'her' not 'it'."
Alice rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, navy girl."
Both Madison and Alice stuck their tongues out at each other before relaxing into laughter.
"Based on the design of an aircraft carrier?" Valarie noted. "That's a thing?"
"Totally!" Madison answered with glee. "You could say it's the 'fashionable' thing to do. A good chunk of the worldwide school ship fleet has their designs based on famous vessels like the Kiev, Ark Royal, and the Graf Zeppelin, of all things."
"Those are names I haven't really heard of before," Valarie admitted.
"Well, I am more than happy to explain──" Madison began, but Alice moved fast to cup a hand over her mouth.
"Let's not go down that rabbit hole, hmm?" she hummed. "Or we'll be at it all day."
"Oh, alright, alright."
"Say," Valarie spoke up. "You mentioned a while back about that Executive ship that had a true city on its deck. That's another thing I don't quite understand. How do they work?"
"How do you mean?" Madison inquired.
"Like, is this town its own thing?"
"...Its own thing? Are you trying to say that if Little Long beach is its own incorporated town like Barstow?"
A nod from Valarie confirmed that.
"Gotcha," Madison took a moment to collect her thoughts. "Little Long Beach is not its own town. It's...how can I put this," she paused for a moment to contemplate. Then, her eyes lit up. "Ah, got it. Think of Little Long Beach as a huge neighborhood."
"Neighborhood?"
"Yeah! Like, Harlem. You heard of Harlem, right?"
"I have."
"Harlem is a neighborhood of New York City, of which, said city governs the neighborhood."
"So...," Valarie uttered. "The city of Long Beach back in California still has authority over this town on the ship?"
Alice hummed in affirmation. "Correct. In the eyes of the government, Little Long Beach is simply another neighborhood in the City of Long Beach that just so happens to go around the world. It makes government bureaucracy a tad bit easier."
Valarie felt that her understanding of school ships was growing nicely. It was funny, in a way, as she didn't care about them at all only a few short months ago. "So, how was Little Long Beach designed?"
"The school wielded a lot of influence over how the onboard town would look like," Madison explained. "They were footing the bill, after all. Catalina's administrators wanted, in their word, 'a town that was a beautiful microcosm of the aquatic capital of America'. By and large, they have done that exactly."
"The best aspects of the city were all combined and condensed into a six-mile stretch of the deck that became Little Long Beach. For new people, it gave them the ideal representation of the place. For others, it's like they never left home."
The warm tone in Alice's voice was noticed, and more profoundly, felt. Again, her curiosity grew. "Were you born there?"
"Oh yes, I was," Alice said, all proud like. An unmistakable smugness manifested on her face. "Born and raised. The ocean has always been a part of my life. Unlike a certain someone here."
Alice's exaggerated eye pointing at an embarrassed Madison made Valarie understood what she made by that.
"Oh, come on," Madison remarked with a mix of exasperation and laughter. "So I'm not a Long Beach native. My family did move there when I was four months old, so that's close enough."
"Sure...sure..."
"Where were you born, Madison?" Valarie questioned.
Madison let out a little laugh. "You know who my mom is. Take a wild guess where."
"No...Hollywood?!" Valarie nearly shouted with great zeal. The smile on her face was as big as it could be. "For real!? You were born in Hollywood?"
Madison nodded in a calm demeanor that greatly contrasted her sister's excitement. "Born at the Sunset Hollywood Medical Center. Just minutes away from the famous Walk of Fame."
"No. Way," Valarie said with pure awe. "That's the coolest thing I've ever heard."
"Really now?" Madison went as red as a tomato and couldn't stop gushing. "Man, did you forget what you do for a sport?"
Madison was met with a blushing Valarie. "Believe it or not, there are cool things out there that aren't related to tanks."
The echoing sound of a bell was then heard by the trio, a signal that the lunch period was now over. The girls cleaned up their area, though there wasn't much trash to begin with, and all together departed the pristine student council room, and off they went to their respective classes. A lovely day that was only going to get better.
***
The remainder of the school day progressed along splendidly. There was not a thing worthy of complainant from Valarie. When the final bell of the day rang, she received another text from Madison. She told her that she'll be at her apartment in an hour. The message was undoubtedly thought-provoking as, throughout the school day, Madison had not uttered a word of clarity concerning the 'interesting' thing she mentioned when the day started. Thinking that Madison's visit could be the moment that reveals it, Valarie hurried home.
Upon arriving and shutting the door behind her, she took a moment to breathe in and out deeply. She hadn't expected it, but she had reached a state of calm. Not the tip-top of the pyramid of tranquility, but at a level that was decent enough.
She slipped out of her school uniform in exchange for something more casual, soft shorts and a simple t-shirt. With the team still on the road returning to the ship, there was no meeting to attend. So no need to head to the garage that was both devoid of friends and tanks.
So, she spent her free time taking it easy on the couch watching some television. The couch was so comfortable that Valarie nearly fell fully asleep when a knock at her door snapped her back awake. Getting up, she answered it. It was, of course, Madison. The clothes she was wearing signaled every indication that she was going to go out and enjoy the evening. Black skinny jeans with a crimson red blouse.
"Alright, what's this?" Valarie asked with a half-smile.
"You and I are going out to a restaurant," Madison answered with a soft tone. "My treat."
"Ooh, a restaurant. I take it that this is the interesting thing you've been talking about all day."
Madison clicked her tongue as she wagged a finger. "Not quite. But we're now only a step away."
"At least the teasing is almost over," Valarie remarked with a laugh. "I'll go get dressed. Oh! What kind of restaurant are we going to?"
"A nice place, I can assure you. A lot of people go there for birthdays and such."
"Birthdays, eh? The place I like to go for my birthday is Denny's, so I hope it stacks up to that."
Madison erupted into a bout of laughter that took her a hot minute to settle down from. "Oh...Oh, my god. Going to Denny's for a birthday. Now that's a good joke right there."
Valarie gave her a blank stare. "I wasn't joking. I do genuinely like going to Denny's, and I have gone there for my birthday."
"Oh," Madison uttered after a few moments of silence. Awkward laughter emanated from out of her. "I see. Well, uh," she cleared her throat. "If you like it, you like it."
"MmmHmm," Valarie hummed. She turned to go to her bedroom. "I'll get dressed now. It'll take a bit as, thanks to you, I have quite the wardrobe."
"Yeah, yeah, you go do that," Madison said to her. She intently watched Valarie as she headed to her bedroom, and as soon as she closed the door, Madison whipped out her phone to make a call.
"Come on, pick up," Madison said quietly to herself. "I know you aren't busy."
A voice was heard not long after.
"What's up?" Alice greeted.
"I've just heard something truly heartbreaking."
"Oh, dear. What did you hear?"
"Valarie had just told me that for her birthdays...she goes to...Denny's. Denny's! Can you believe that!?"
"Madi," Alice said with a tone of disappointment. "Considering her upbringing, I sure as hell can believe that."
"Yes, but...Denny's! I wouldn't be caught dead in a place like that. Or a K-Mart. Or a-"
"Yes, yes, I know all about the stores, restaurants, and other places that you've explained to me in depth that you absolutely refuse to step foot in for whatever reason," Alice interrupted. "Quite frankly, I don't want to hear this all again. Now, why are you calling me? It's for sure not about you sharing with me more info about Valarie's life."
Madison took a breath. "Alright, you know of my plan for this evening with Valarie?"
"Yes. To that steakhouse at the corner of Seashell and Aquamarine."
"Not anymore. I'm gonna take her to Voyager instead."
"Voyager!?" Alice shouted over the phone. "Madison Force! No one goes to Voyager on a whim!
Alice's reaction was not at all surprising. Voyager was the most premier restaurant on Catalina's school ship. It was on a top ten list of the finest eating establishments on any school ship, period. Voyager has such a reputation that numerous people have gone out of their way to eat at the place. And, of course, it was expensive in every sense of the word. So expensive that even Madison has taken an extra second to look over the prices.
"I know. This is where you come in."
"Huh?"
"You've got connections, Alice. I mean, so do I, but the connections you have are on a whole other level. It's thanks to your various links to other people that helped me greatly when I first ran for student council president and won."
"Yeah...I sure do know a lot of people."
"So, I'm asking you to use your connections to find someone who has reservations to Voyager. Offer them whatever they want in exchange for them."
"Whatever they want? You might regret that, Madi."
"Maybe. But that's a future problem. I'm only focused on the present."
"Alright," Alice said. She knew better than to try and dissuade Madison when she was this determined. "I don't know off the top of my head who has reservations, but I got some hunches. I'm not making any promises, though. You know how much people adore Voyager."
"I do. Good luck."
"I'm so gonna need it for sure..."
The call ended, and quickly after, Madison collapsed back onto the couch and let out a sharp exhale. A layer of complexity has now been added to the evening. It now hinged on Alice to pull through and score some reservations for a place where people often had to reserve spots weeks in advance. Though there was little time to stress over it. The sound of a door opening spurred Madison to get up from the couch and was presented with a beautiful sight.
What she saw was Valarie sporting an outfit that made Madison burst into smiles. A finely ironed white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to a little bit past her elbows. A pair of dark blue denim jeans that radiated style. She even spent some time on her hair, the black color shining wonderfully thanks to her applying some lavender oil. The cherry on top, though, was what hung around her neck. The necklace that her parents got for her during their most turbulent times stylized after tank tracks. The silver that composed it was freshly polished.
"Ready to go?" Valarie asked.
"Ready."
With that, the two sisters left the apartment and headed to Madison's car that was parked right outside. A lovely time at a superb restaurant would serve as the perfect bookend for an overall good day. That is if Alice can pull through.
***
The drive to the restaurant proved to be more interesting than Valarie thought. From out the passenger side window, she saw more of the onboard town than she has ever had before. Up until now, her experience on the ship has been somewhat limited, with her time divided between school, her apartment, and Inspiration Park for the team's weekly practices. Now, she saw more of what Little Long Beach has to offer. A multitude of shops and cafes that she hasn't seen before, a mall that was impressive in size and that went three stories below into the ship, and a full-fledged aquarium that Madison says the town is 'very proud of'. Then, they arrived at the restaurant, Voyager.
It was a magnificent piece of modern architecture. A mixture of ultra-clean blue colored glass and the finest steel money could buy two stories in height. Valarie could immediately tell that the place was immensely popular as the parking lot was packed to near capacity. It took Madison a good few minutes to find an available spot. When they left their car and made their way to the restaurant's entrance, Valarie's commander instincts kicked in, and she quickly took stock of the area the restaurant was located in. There was only one word that could adequately describe it. Affluent. Incredibly affluent.
"Be honest with me," Valarie spoke. "This area is where the rich people live, hmm?"
"Rich?" Well, uh," Madison stuttered, looking for something else to say but knew it was futile. "Yeah, pretty much."
"Man, you can feel it."
They soon reached the entrance of the restaurant. As close as they can be, anyway. There was a sizeable line stretching out the door.
"This is gonna be a while," Valarie commented.
"Ah, ah, ah," Madison hummed. "We won't be waiting as long as you think. I've got us reservations."
"You did? Oh, so it's that kind of restaurant, huh?"
Madison nodded. "Those people are trying their luck to get a seat without them. But that's an hour upon hours wait at best."
"Gotcha. So, when's our time to head in?"
"Uhhh," Madison uttered. "A-an hour. I like to come early, you know?"
"Never had to wait an hour to get a seat at Denny's. Then again, it's not as fancy as this place. Come on, let's find a place to sit and wait."
The sisters found and sat at a little secluded area nearby with benches that surrounded a marble fountain. Madison shared that a Catalina student made it years ago when the school was still land-based. It has been a part of the ship since day one.
"Wanna know something I find very cool about this restaurant?" Madison said.
"What's that?"
"Every chef in the Voyager was once a culinary student from Catalina Art College. It's all part of a program. Come to Catalina, major in the culinary arts, and if you promise to work as a chef in some restaurant on the ship, then you're tuition is free."
"Damn! College for free! If my parents knew about this, then they'd start suggesting I start picking up cooking."
That got a chuckle from Madison. "It's a great program but super competitive, and those culinary classes are no joke. You'd be surprised at the wash-out rate."
"I suppose being a chef is a lot more than just knowing how to heat up pizza rolls."
"It's a bit more than that, yes."
They laughed together. Then, Valarie had a question Madison wished she didn't ask. "How long 'til we go in again?"
"...Um, about thirty minutes."
"Cool."
Madison whipped out her phone to see if she missed calls or texts but found neither. She muttered a curse under her breath. Alice did say that she couldn't make any guarantees. What if the people who had the reservations weren't willing to part with them? If so, Madison may have to resort to more unscrupulous means, such as bribing the restaurant staff to get a table. As she ran the numbers in her head to gauge how fat of a bribe she'll need to dish out, her phone vibrated. What came was excellent news.
"I searched far and wide, and I have got your reservations." Alice texted.
Madison was beyond relieved. She quickly sent a response. "Awesome! From who?"
"Andromeda."
"Really now? What did she want in exchange?"
"A shell."
"That's it? Getting a shell for her won't be a problem at all. Send her my thanks."
"I will. Your reservation is for 4:30."
4:30 was only five minutes away. The good news kept piling on.
"Hey, I just got a message from the, uh, restaurant," Madison said.
"Yeah? What did they say?" Valarie inquired.
"Our reservation moved up. Let's go get spoiled."
***
The view from their table on the balcony on the second floor was nothing short of majestic. All Valarie had to do was turn her head to the left to gaze upon the endless beauty of the Pacific Ocean. Still high in the sky, the sun made the water shimmer with delight and made all the craft that dotted the waves visible. A sight like this was well worth coming to the place alone. Valarie couldn't look away. Doing so felt like an injustice.
"I can never get enough of sights like that," Madison remarked with a pleasing sigh. "Like looking at a masterfully crafted painting."
Their admiration of one of the seven seas came to a pause when their waitress arrived.
"What are we drinking today?" she asked them.
Valarie let her sister do the ordering. For drinks, blueberry lemonade was ordered, along with Madison going ahead with ordering the appetizers and entrees that she promised will be beyond divine. As they waited, the pair chatted. A certain topic inevitably arose.
"Okay, Madison, no more teasing. What is this interesting thing you've been talking about all day?"
"I guess now is the time to explain," Madison grinned. "Well, it's more fun than interesting."
"Come on, then. Spill it."
"You ever played laser tag before?"
To Valarie, she found the question totally random. "No, I haven't. Why?"
"You see, there's a huge laser arena on this ship that is beyond fun. I rented that place for this Sunday so that you and your team can have a nice day of fun and respite."
The prospect of a huge laser tag fight with the whole team, all her friends, sounded amazing to Valarie. Fun was virtually guaranteed.
"I'm so down for that!" Valarie exclaimed. "That's so awesome! I can't wait for that."
"I'm glad to hear it! There is another reason why I'm doing this, by the way."
"Oh? What's that?"
Madison brought her hands together. "I know how awful you felt over having to miss the match. Nothing can replace a lost experience like that, but I hope that playing laser tag will be a decent enough alternative. It'll allow you to be strategic. To be as close to having that state of mind a tankery match puts you in."
"Wow...Madison. That's incredibly touching," Valarie reached out to hold both of her sister's hands. "I appreciate what you're doing for me. I appreciate everything you've done."
"No, do not make me cry again!" Madison scolded. She checked herself and was pleased to find that no tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Know that for you, anything is worth it."
The two girls, bonded together through sisterly love, thoroughly enjoyed their time together as they dined at the restaurant. Soon enough, the food arrived, and it was precise as divine as Madison promised. What she ordered was a smorgasbord of gourmet food. Valarie was initially very hesitant over trying things like roasted beef bone marrow, but it became her instant favorite once she did. Other delectable meals included quail legs with an amazingly sweet glaze that tasted out of this world. The absolute prime meal, the one that was king over all others, was at the end. A well-aged A5 Wagyu steak that was cooked to a perfect medium-rare that melted upon being eaten. Valarie never knew that beef could taste this heavenly. She took her sweet time enjoying that steak as she knew it would be a long time before she'd be having one again.
When the check came at the end of this fantastic meal, Valarie managed to glance at the cost of everything and had to do a double-take.
"This was all over five hundred dollars!?"
"Oh, is it?" Madison said as she paid. "That's like the least amount I've ever spent here."
.
.
.
Golden Gate's School Carrier
"Oh my god, where is she?"
"Beats me. When she texted us, she said she'll be a little late."
"A 'little late'," Fiona scoffed. "Thirty minutes is more than a 'little late'. I brought sandwiches for all of us, and they're getting real cold."
"Hey, things happen. We'll wait as long as we need to so that we'll all eat together."
Fiona mumbled for a bit. "You just gotta be right, Gracie."
Fiona and Gracie have been hanging out in the old warehouse that they love to be in for the past half hour. Being among so much cool stuff, primarily of a military nature, has a sort of vibe to it that they can't get enough of, with the cream of the crop being the Panzer 39 that received most of the girl's attention. This variant of the Czech LTH armed with a six-round magazine 20mm cannon was something that they found insanely cool. The girls have explored every inch of the tank that they could explore, getting familiar with the positions, the periscopes, the levers, everything except actually turning on the tank as it was not functioning.
For now, anyway.
The sound of a door being flung open echoed throughout the warehouse that captivated both Fiona's and Gracie's attention. The pair stood up on the tank, and from across the building, they saw Dakota, their friend who was 'late'. The ginger-haired girl not only was carrying a large duffel bag on her back but also pulling a toolbox whose wheels squeaked as they moved. Fiona and Gracie leapt down from the tank and went over to greet Dakota.
"What is all this?" Fiona asked. "What's with the toolbox? What's with the bag?"
"It's high time for a change to happen 'round here," Dakota declared. She set down her duffel bag and opened it. Inside looked like various pairs of mechanics coveralls. She dug in and pulled out what looked like a book, and she proudly showed her friends the title.
"User Operations Manual for the Swiss Light Tank, Panzer 39."
The faces on both Fiona and Gracie lit up like a Christmas tree. This was something they've been dreaming of.
"You being serious?" Gracie prodded. "We're actually going to fix this thing up?"
Fiona excitedly hopped in place. "We talked about this for so long, and now we're finally going to do it!
The three girls stood before the Panzer 39 and imagined the long silent machine roar back to life with renewed vigor. A reality that they can will into existence as long as they put in the effort to make it so.
"Ladies," Dakota said to them both. "Don on those coveralls. We've got a tank to breathe back in the breath of life."
***
A/N
I must extend a million thanks to fellow fanfiction writer and dear friend M-Ordinary for creating these spectacular art for Dust Devils. He has created both the flag that represents Mojave Rose High School and the T-44-100 of 'Oasis', the tank that we all know and love.
I heavily encourage you all in checking out M-Ordinary's work, Panzer Aber Alternativ. A fic that retells the Girls und Panzer story with secret agent flair!
Also, I want to extend my many thanks to another fic writer and cool friend of mine, MusashiBear. He created the new cover for the story that's wicked cool! He also writes GuP fanfic such as the wonderfully crazy 'It's Saint Gloriana and the Dimension Hopper!'
Give these stories reads; they deserve it!